Main content

The Great Leaky Loo Scandal

Our demand for water is increasing despite campaigns to reduce it. Tom Heap hears how billions of litres are being lost from our homes every week which we could easily fix,

Do you know how much water you use? Despite campaigns to reduce our personal water usage from around 143 litres each per day to closer to 100, it's not improving.

Meanwhile Tom Heap has discovered that an innovation to a product we use every day, an innovation which promised to save water is actually making things worse. Billions of litres are being wasted every week – enough to supply the cities of Edinburgh, Cardiff, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol and Belfast combined – welcome to the Great Leaky Loo Scandal.

We reveal how this is happening and what can be done. Tom gets a revealing look behind the scenes at a plumbing manufacturer where flushing systems are tested and the science of 'solids discharge' is analysed.

When water is being abstracted from rivers and being treated to meet our demands we ask if we need to take the resource more seriously.

Produced by Anne-Marie Bullock for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Audio in Bristol

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Wed 30 Sep 2020 21:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Swimming in Superbugs?

Next

Bushfire Animal Rescue

See all episodes from Costing the Earth

Broadcasts

  • Tue 29 Sep 2020 15:30
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Wed 30 Sep 2020 21:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

What has happened to the world's coral?

What has happened to the world's coral?

In 2016 reefs around the world the size of city blocks died. Here we explore why.

Podcast

  • Costing the Earth

    Fresh ideas from the sharpest minds working toward a cleaner, greener planet