Army of Approved Plumbers are Helping Customers Save Water, Energy and Money

A survey of approved plumbers in the UK reveals they are helping homes and businesses save millions of litres of water each year and money off water and energy bills.

WaterSafe, the national accreditation scheme for plumbers in the UK, carried out a survey of its plumbers to find out how much they talk about saving water with their customers and how often they recommend products to cut down on waste.

An impressive 98 per cent think it’s part of a good plumber’s job to provide advice on water efficiency and 92 per cent regularly talk to customers about products which can help save water

One respondent said: “It shows a plumber cares about the industry rather than just making money. It's professional to know about water efficiency.”

Many plumbers said customers were often unaware that they were using more water than they needed to and also didn’t realise that by using less hot water they could also save on energy bills.

Julie Spinks, director of WaterSafe, said: “WaterSafe plumbers are all fully qualified and trusted to work safely with drinking water in homes and businesses but they are also offering customers additional free advice which can help them save water, save energy and save money.

“It’s inspiring to hear that plumbers are motivated to give the best possible service to customers on all aspects of their water supply and also care about protecting water sources and the environment in which they live and work.”

The appliances plumbers are mostly likely to advise customers on are toilets, taps and showers.

Jacob Tompkins, Managing Director of Waterwise, the UK and Europe’s leading authority on water efficiency, said: “These results are very encouraging and show that plumbers are real experts with a wide knowledge of water and water efficiency.

“In turn that can help customers save money and help the environment which is why people should always use a Watersafe plumber.”

The introduction of a Water Label in 2014 is also helping plumbers identify water efficient products more easily, with a ‘traffic light’ rating showing how much water they use. Three quarters of the plumbers surveyed are aware of the label and would promote it to customers.

As the survey showed that only a quarter of approved plumbers are active on social media, the quickest way to find a qualified and trusted business is to type in your postcode on the WaterSafe website.

WaterSafe is the official partner of Water Saving Week, which runs from March 21 to 25. Find out more about how to save water in our General Plumbing Advice section.