Dual Energy and Water Saving

Edie has recently reported that British Gas and Thames Water are getting together to jointly promote energy and water saving. (The cynic in me thinks that Thames could have done that with Npower ages ago when they were both owned by RWE - but that's another story). Now this makes sense - energy and water saving are inextricably linked. However I do carp a bit at the following statement from a Consumer Council for Water spokesman: "For instance, often water in homes is heated up only to cool down and then be re-heated again - a problem that can be addressed simply enough with a combination boiler". Well, possibly - but wouldn't a timer or programmer be a cheaper approach?