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We can do something to save water every day!
Saving Water
How can we save water?
IN THE KITCHEN
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Run your dishwashers and washing machines only when they are full.
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When washing dishes by hand or a, don't let the water run freely to rinse. Fill up the second side of your sink with rinse water.
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Fill a pitcher of water with drinking water in your refrigerator. Do not cool the tap water by running it everytime you want a drink.
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Wash your fruits in a kitchen sink half filled with water (about 12 litres). If your washing takes around 3 to 5 minutes, you'll save 33 to 48 litres of water.
IN THE GARDEN
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Adjust any sprinklers so only the lawn is being watered, not the house, sidewalk or street. Don't water on windy days.
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Water your lawn no more than every third day. Water during the cool time of the day, in the morning or evening.
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Use the principles of Xeriscaping -- plants that are native to your area and survive under low water conditions. Effective landscaping can save up to 50 per cent of the water you use in your garden.
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Planting windbreakers can help in reducing the drying effect of the wind.
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Keep the size of your lawns to the minimum to save space, money and water.
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Sweep leaves out, instead of hosing them away.
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Make sure that your sprinklers are adjusted so that all the water is sprayed onto your lawn.
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Don't irrigate gardens during winter.
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IN THE BATHROOM
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Check pipes and faucets for leaks.
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Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving.
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Replace your old showerhead with a good quality high efficiency showerhead.
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Have toilets that only use 2 gallons (7.6 litres) or less per flush.
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Take shorter showers. Long, hot showers waste ten to twenty litres of water every unneeded minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rinse off.
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Did you know? Conventional showerhead use about 20litres of water per minute and water saving showerhead (AAA rating), however, uses only about 7 litres per minute. A normal sized bath holds 150 litres of water. This is the same amount of water you would use in 7 minutes using a conventional showerhead. If you have a AAA rated shower head a 17 minute shower would use the same amount of water as an average bath. A slow leak can result in the loss of 22 litres a day! If you brush your teeth twice a day, for 3 minutes each time, and leave the tap running while you're brushing, you'd use around 5 litres per minute. That's 10,950 litres per year, per person. If you use a glass of water instead to rinse your mouth after brushing, you could save 9,100 litres per year, per person. |
CAR CARE
While washing a car, try to use a bucket, instead of a hose. If you must use a hose, use one with a nozzle that you can control. If you wash your car once a fortnight and leave the hose running throughout, you'd use 1,000 litres of water per hour. That's 13,000 litres per year. You'll save around 400 litres per wash.
Even better, wash your car on the lawn and 'water' it at the same time:
- Park the car on the lawn
- Give the car a quick spray with the hose to loosen dirt and grit
- Turn off the hose and wipe away the dirt a section at a time with a sponge soaked in soapy water from a bucket
- Each time a section has been completed, use a brief spray with the hose and rinse away the loosened dirt and soap
- Wipe the car dry with a clean cloth or chamois