Dwr Cymru Welsh Water is backing World Water Day and a national week-long campaign to promote simple water saving tips for the home, garden, schools, workplace and communities.

While Wales is traditionally seen as having an endless supply of water, Welsh Water can only extract a tiny fraction (3%) of the water available in reservoirs and rivers for use in the drinking water network. This means that everyone needs to do their bit to ensure this precious resource is used wisely.

As part of the company’s water efficiency strategy, Welsh Water is urging its customers to use the water they need but try not to waste it.

As part of Water Saving Week, the not-for-profit water company is giving away 250 free different water savings products to help people enjoy water. These include water efficient shower heads, reusable water bottles, a themed USB stick with tips and advice on it and also a water butt.

Ian Christie, director of water services at Welsh Water, said: “Although rain falls freely from the sky, we put a lot of work and energy into getting every drop of water to the three million people that we serve. We clean 800 million litres of water every day at one of our 65 treatment works and maintain 27,000km of water pipes.

“By using all the water they need, but being careful not to waste it, customers could save money. Many people don’t know that heating water is also a big part of their energy bill. So being wise with water is really good for your pocket.

“It’s also good news for us and the environment, because there’s no need to pump and clean all the water that used to go straight down the drain needlessly. And because we’re a not-for-profit company, every penny we save goes straight back into keeping bills low, and looking after the water and the environment.”

Jacob Tompkins, managing director of Waterwise, said: “We’re building on the success of last year’s launch campaign with an exciting range of activities to raise awareness about the need to save water and share simple ideas and tips to help everyone do their bit.”

More information on water efficiency including details of how to get hold of water saving devices can be found at dwrcymru.com