Water is one of the most important utilities in our lives, which is why ensuring our ability to use it is so important. Unfortunately, we often end up wasting more than just water when we leave the tap running for too long. In fact, more than a quarter of all the energy we use revolves around heating and using water, and that’s just for normal day-to-day activities like washing dishes. If we’re truly serious about conserving water, we have to understand how our use of water interacts with the rest of our lives.

As you’ll see on the infographic below, there are two water-using appliances in particular that tend to be energy hogs. The water heater is the biggest one since its main purpose is making sure that hot water is available whenever you need it… but even the most efficient boilers tend to lose a lot of heat over time. Using only slightly less power are the average washer and dryer – and the fact that they’re usually only on for a few hours a week tells you a lot about how much energy they consume.

Fortunately, there is some good news here. Appliances that consume less water also tend to consume less electricity, which means immediate savings on both your water and energy bills. Choose appliances that are certified by Energy Star for maximum savings. You can also cut down on the amount of time a boiler needs to spend heating water if you simply don’t use water as often, which is where Water – Use It Wisely’s Home Water Challenge comes in.

If you mix that with ways to save on your electric bills, it won’t be long before your house is set up to waste as little of everything as possible. Remember, even the smallest bits of conservation can add up to a lot of water saved over time. For now, though, let’s take a look at where the energy in your home is going (and how you can conserve it when water isn’t involved).

From time to time, Water – Use It Wisely features guest bloggers who write about topics related to water and water conservation. The author of this blog post, Uma Campbell, is a green living enthusiast. You can find her on Twitter at @UmaJCampbell or visit her website here.