The Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat over the next few days as hosepipe bans are in place across parts of the country.

The UK is braced for another heatwave, with little rain expected to help relieve the threat of drought which has prompted hosepipe bans and fire warnings in recent days.

With unpredictable weather adding pressure to water supplies and utilities providers, here are four simple ways to save water and money:

Taking shorter showers is one of the best ways that households can save water and money.

On average, a shower uses 10 litres of water a minute, meaning that a 10-minute shower can use 100 litres of water.

According to Thames Water, a family of four that reduced their shower time by just one minute could save:

Up to £52 on energy bills

As much as 11,648 litres of water a year

Another way to save water on a regular basis is by turning off taps when not needed.

Friends of the Earth estimate that you can save around six litres of water a minute by turning off your tap while you brush your teeth.

Fill your dishwasher and washing machine

Filling your dishwasher typically uses less water than hand-washing each item, so by fully loading your machine you can save water, electricity and dishwasher tablets.

The same applies to the washing machine – fully loading your washing machine every time can save up to 4,000 litres a year.

As some areas across the UK have already implemented a hosepipe ban, making use of a watering can could help conserve water.

Watering plants at night can help you lose less water to evaporation and is actually better for them.

Plants also prefer rain water, so keeping a rain butt would help save water and keep plants hydrated.

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