Don't use the toilet as a trash can

Lots of people flush rubbish down the toilet: cigarette ends, dead insects, used tissues, dental floss, dust, food scraps, hair and more.

Each of these flushes wastes a large amount of water, and the rubbish can damage your pipes and the sewer system.

Some items cause blockages in household plumbing, and others create trouble at wastewater treatment plants. Dental floss, for instance, tangles with other waste and can jam the motors of sewage pumping stations.

Next time you are about to flush something that is not toilet waste, put it in the bin instead. And if someone you know has this habit, tell them how much water it wastes.