The Dutch now spend an average of nine minutes having a shower, using 51 litres of water and energy, water companies said on Thursday, which has been designated national save water day.

However in 1992, showers only lasted an average of 7.5 minutes, and used 40 litres of water. Young men and women are the worst offenders – their showers use an average of 90 litres of water a time.

‘Showering for five minutes a day would save 77,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools of warm water,’ the organisations say. This would cut the energy bill of a family of four by €220 a year.

Using an egg timer or even a shower that switches off the warm water after five minutes are good ways of keeping down water consumption, Renée Bergkamp, director of the Dutch water board association Vewin told broadcaster Nos.