Water usage calculator: is your household’s use normal?
The average person uses about 139 litres of water a day, according to CCW. Put in the numbers from your bill to see how your home compares.
Work out your household’s daily use
How much water is normal?
About 139 litres a person a day, so roughly 278 for two people and 556 for four. Homes vary a lot, with young children, health needs, gardens and working from home all adding to it.
| People | Litres a day | Cubic metres in a 91 day bill |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 139 | 12.6 |
| 2 | 278 | 25.3 |
| 3 | 417 | 37.9 |
| 4 | 556 | 50.6 |
| 5 | 695 | 63.2 |
| 6 | 834 | 75.9 |
Based on CCW’s average of about 139 litres a person a day, checked 25 September 2026
Where a normal day’s water goes
Showers, toilets and washing make up most of it. Rough amounts, from CCW:
- A power or mixer showerabout 15 litres a minute
- An electric showerabout 6 litres a minute
- A full bathabout 80 litres
- A dual flush toilet4 to 6 litres a flush, older toilets up to 13
- A washing machine, normal loadabout 50 litres
- A modern dishwasherabout 14 litres
An eight minute power shower every day for two people comes to about 240 litres on its own, most of a typical two person day.
If your use is well above normal
A home using far more than it should, with no change in habits, is the classic sign of a hidden leak. A leaking toilet alone can waste up to 400 litres a day.
The quickest way to know is a meter test: switch everything off, read the meter, wait half an hour and read it again.
Using far more than you should?
If a meter test shows water passing with everything off and you cannot find where, ADI Leak Detection can trace it.
ADI Leak Detection traces hidden leaks on water pipes with tracer gas, acoustic listening and thermal imaging. Their methods are chosen to avoid damage wherever possible, and they usually repair the leak on the same day where they can.
- 25 engineers
- Around 5,000 jobs a year
- England, Scotland and Wales
- Rated 4.7 on Trustpilot
ADI figures September 2026. Trustpilot 1,624 reviews, checked 25 September 2026.