Simple water saving tips
Water is an essential pre-requisite for everyday life, and its use varies from cleaning clothes through the washing machine, to providing a drinking supply.
However the average homeowner wastes a substantial amount of water, and as this article explores, there area a number of simple water saving tips that can be taken to reduce our annual consumption without any due cost or expertise required.
These include:
- Switch the tap off in intervals when Brushing Teeth & Shaving – Up to 9 litres of water is wasted every minute, simply by leaving the tap on whilst brushing your teeth and/ or shaving.
- Avoid using Baths – The average bath holds between 40 and 60 gallons of water, which is much more than the water consumption used whilst taking a shower.
- Flushing WC- Flush your toilet after several uses, as the average WC uses 4 gallons/ 3 litres per flush (obviously excluding when depositing faecal matter).
- Use the Dishwasher – It is known that the average dishwasher uses less water then the equivalent washing technique by hand, although if possible set the timer for short washes.
- Fix the drip- Remember to turn off all taps after use fully to prevent a trickle of water, as although small, if left for long periods can result in a large loss of water, up to 90 litres a week.
- Wash less- Many people wash clothes & bed linen, towels etc on a regular basis, which may be excessive. Reduce water consumption by using the washing machine less often.
- Only wash at full load- whether this involves using the washing machine or dishwasher, ensure both are full and at their maximum capacity before use. As they use approximately 95-100 litres of water, with a full load less than two half loads.
- Drinking Water – Avoid prolonged running of the tap to ensure a cool supply of drinking water, instead use a bottle/ cup and place this in the fridge.
- Reuse water in alternative measures- after washing dishes, glasses, hands etc, consider reusing the water onto the garden to replenish plants, or put to one side for washing the car.
- Boil enough water to meet your needs- when using the kettle; consider how much water you need for your intended purpose, whether for several people etc and boil to suit.
These water saving tips provide a raft of measures an individual can adopt within their home without need for expenditure or expertise. By implementing these water saving measures, the homeowner will benefit through reduce water bills and knowledge that they are being more sustainable and environmentally friendly.