With much of the world experiencing water-shortages and a sever water crisis predicted within the next couple of years due to climate change and a burgeoning population, it is time that we realised that it is not only up to our governments to do something about saving water – each one of us needs to do our bit too.
How Can I Be More Water-Wise at Home?
While Business and Agriculture account for the majority of water use, we need to ensure that our personal water-use is efficient:
- Turn off Taps: Never let tap water run gratuitously as you rinse dishes, brush your teeth or shave, wash your hands or face. Bathroom taps run at about 8 litres of water per minute. Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth and shave, and you can save hundreds of litres of water per month.
- Fix Leaks: A slow drip from a leaking tap can waste in excess of 80 litres of water a day, and a leaking toilet can waste 800 litres every day.
- Repurpose water: One simple method is to rinse vegetables in a colander with a bowl beneath so that you can capture the water and water houseplants or the garden with it. Use this same method when waiting for the water to run hot instead of letting it run down the drain.
- Buy a High-Efficiency Washing Machine: The average family washes approximately 300 loads of laundry every year. Laundry accounts for more than 20% of residential indoor water-use.
- Buy a Smaller Dishwasher: Modern, efficient dishwashers can save a huge amount of water. Instead of rinsing dishes before loading, rather scrape them; this will save up to 16 litres per load.
- Only Run Full Loads: Instead of washing just a few dishes or a half-load of laundry, save up until you have a full load to save water.
There are many other ways to save water at home, if you just stop to think for a moment – if we all do what we can we may be able to save the planet from a massive water crisis in the future.
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