Homeowners are putting off fixing simple plumbing issues such as leaky toilets and dripping taps, which can lead to huge water wastage, according to new research by the Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS).
Its research found that 27% of Brits wait over a week to fix a dripping tap – the equivalent of 168 litres of wasted water.
The WRAS survey also found that 22% of Brits would wait in excess of four days to fix a leaky toilet, which can waste up to 400 litres of water per day.
Around 400 million litres of water are estimated to leak from UK toilets every day, which is enough water to supply 2.8 million people – the populations of Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool and Bristol combined.
Forty per cent of the 2,000 respondents surveyed said they would wait in excess of four days to fix a dripping tap, 30% admitted they would wait the same amount of time to report a leaky tap and a 36% would wait that long to fix banging pipes.
Julie Spinks, managing director of WRAS, said: “Four days might not seem like a very long time to wait before fixing a plumbing problem, but this level of delay can lead to huge water wastage, as well as potential damage to the home and increased bills.
“We all have a duty to use water more wisely and consider the impact we have on the environment. When a plumbing problem first arises, a quick call to a local approved plumber can not only give you peace of mind but also help ease the burden on the environment.”