The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) water reduction delivery plan is beginning to flex its muscles – and mandatory water efficiency labelling is part of that process. Here Stuart Reynolds, UK Marketing & Product Management Director at AKW discusses these potential shifts, the biggest water consumers in a domestic setting and how social landlords can achieve significant water savings through small changes.

A shifting landscape

The DEFRA ‘Water demand Environment Act target delivery plan’, published in December 2025, outlines a range of commitments to delivering water savings. It’s aim in the long-term is to achieve up to approximately 54% usage reductions in England. To achieve this the policy outlines working with Ofwat to reduce leakages, promoting smart meter rollouts and the launch of a mandatory water efficiency labelling scheme (MWELS) for high water consuming products, such as washing machines, showers and toilets. 

Water efficiency delivers tenant and social landlord benefits

Why should social landlords care about water efficiency at present? Well, it isn’t just a matter of benefiting tenant bills, water efficiency also affects a social landlord’s asset performance, sustainability targets and long-term maintenance costs. In fact, switching to water efficient bathrooms products will:

• Lower costs for tenants – even modest reductions in hot water use can add up to a difference in household affordability, particularly for those on low incomes.
• Reduce maintenance and operation costs – less water flowing through ageing infrastructure can extend the life of plumbing systems and reduce boiler and hot water demands too.
• Help meet ESG and net zero targets – water efficiency is another way to support the reduction of carbon emissions, lower energy consumption for heating water and help improve ESG reporting.
• Improve tenant comfort – water efficiency can also help deliver more reliable hot water systems for tenants, reduced condensation risks and better-performing homes.

Which appliances to focus on

Whether MWELS become a reality or not, the underlying message is clear – water efficient products are the future and cannot be ignored. So, which products should social landlords focus on? Well, not surprisingly the room that is the worst water-using culprit is the bathroom, accounting for half of indoor consumption. Showers are the biggest single contributor, using approximately 25% to 30% of a household’s water, followed closely at 20% to 25% by toilets. 

As the average social housing bathroom is installed for approximately 25 years before a refurbishment, it is important to make the right choices. Here is what social housing specifiers should look for when thinking about choosing more water-efficient bathroom products:

Showers – When it comes to energy- and water-savings in social housing bathrooms, installing a reduced or variable flow electric unit that has different flow options makes sense, as it can be more cost effective in terms of the water saved over the shower’s lifespan. AKW’s WRAS approved flow limited showers help achieve impressive water savings, as well as promoting safe, reliable showering.

AKW’s SmartCare Plus, SmartCare Lever and iTherm electric care showers all come with an eco-default setting (which can be over-ridden if needed) that limits flow rate to 6 litres per minute. And the Arka TMV3 Mixer Shower water-saving model is fitted with a flow limiter for a maximum flow rate of 8 litres per minute. They all offer specifiers and end users a durable showering solution that looks good but delivers in terms of its environmental credentials.

Toilets – A standard modern toilet uses around 6 litres of water per flush. Newer dual-flush models are more efficient and can save a significant amount of water over the many years they are functional. Many social housing providers are choosing to use AKW’s Livenza Plus close-coupled toilet as it comes with a 3/6 litre flush option and encouraging the use of toilet cistern displacement devices in their housing stock, as these can save up to 5000 litres of water per year per toilet. 

Wash basins – The deeper the wash basin, the more the user is tempted to fill it. AKW’s Livenza Plus basins are smaller than standard wash basins, offering 62% less volume than AKW’s largest one, allowing for significant water saving potential.

Bidets – it might seem strange to include bidets in a water saving discussion, but a bidet uses approximately 0.2 litres to 0.5 litres of water per use, compared to a toilet that uses anything from 3 litres to 13+ litres for an older model. Also, it replaces the need for toilet paper, which is a water- and energy-intensive item to produce.

Sanitaryware and shower design is evolving to suit today’s needs. Contemporary and water efficient designs all help to reduce the lifetime cost for tenants, so is it time to make sure that your new or refurbished inclusive bathrooms meet tenant’s financial as well as functional needs?