If you're feeling fooled on April 1, it's probably not funny. That's because it's the day when many everyday items go up in price. One of those is water, with bills in Wales and
England rising by an average of £31 a year. It means the average household will be paying £448 a year thanks to the 7.5% rise - the biggest in 20 years. While the figures are averages, some households could find themselves facing even bigger increases. It depends on where you live and who your supplier is . Saving water is good for both your pocket and the environment. Here, the Mirror has taken a look at how to minimise your water usage. See if you'd benefit from a water meter If you have more or the same number of bedrooms in your house than people, then it is worth seeing if you would benefit from a water meter. Martin Lewis has often urged people to check, particularly those with larger homes. This is because water bills are based on the value of a person’s house, meaning that the bigger the house, the bigger the water bills will be. Not everyone will save with a meter but water companies will give you two years to trial one and switch back if you’re unhappy. The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has a water meter calculator on its website that can help you work out if you might save. The calculator asks you questions about your water use and tells you your estimated costs if you have a meter. These are questions like how many people live in your home, the number of showers you have a week, your dishwasher use, and what you're paying at the moment. Subscribe here for the latest news where you live Reduce hot water usage Much of the water we use in the home comes from the hot tap, which means if you have a water meter you can double up on water and energy savings too. If every person in a family of four halved their daily shower time from 10 minutes to five minutes they could save more than £700 a year, which is the water and energy bill savings combined according to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW). Use water-saving devices Many water companies offer free water-saving devices that shave pounds off your bills and these freebies usually consist of shower timers, buffalo bags, and Leaky Loo detection strips. If you can, you can also install a water-efficient showerhead, the cheapest can cost between £10 to £15. The average shower uses between 10 and 15 litres of water per minute, but a water-efficient showerhead only uses eight litres which is a lot less and could in turn reduce your water bill. Sign up for a water social tariff You cannot change your water company, like with gas and electricity, but you may be able to switch your tariff. All water companies offer reduced
tariffs to low-income customers and the eligibility and the level of support varies from company to company. To access this help, you will need to contact your water company directly. More than one million households already receive help with water bills, and the CCW says although water companies are helping more than a million households through their own social tariff schemes, it is a "postcode lottery". Water
UK says there is also further targeted support for low-income customers who use a lot of water for essential family or health reasons through the WaterSure scheme. Water UK also highlights that unlike other utilities such as energy, household water customers will "never be disconnected for non-payment of bills". If you are struggling to keep up with the costs then it is worth reaching out to see what help you can get.