10 Ways to Save Water This Summer
Many believe that our fresh water supply is infinite and we can use as much as we like – however the truth is quite the opposite.
Using water costs us money in energy bills, and accounts for 5% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. By cutting down on the amount that we use we can help to reduce waste, lower energy costs, protect the environment and secure water supplies for future generations.
Check out these easy tips for saving water at home…
1. Turn Off Water When Brushing Teeth & Shaving
Are you guilty of leaving the bathroom tap on during your morning grooming routine?
You can save as much as six litres of water a minute by simply turning off the tap while brushing your teeth!
2. Set a Shower Alarm
Did you know that by shortening your daily shower by 2 minutes you can save up to 150 gallons of water per month?
Try setting an alarm on your phone to help you keep track of time. Get competitive with the family – whoever can shave as much time off their daily shower gets a treat breakfast of their choice!
3. Check Your Toilet For Leaks
A leaky lavvy can waste up to 200 gallons of water A DAY!!
Add a drop of food colouring into your cistern, and if it appears in the toilet bowl you have a leak. Another way to test this is by drying your toilet bowl and sticking a sheet of toilet paper to the back half an hour after a flush. Leave it for 3 hours, or overnight, and if the sheet is torn or wet you have a leak.
4. Water Your Garden in Mornings & Evenings
This applies especially in the warm summer months when humidity levels are at their highest. Give your plants, trees and lawn a good drink before the sun’s out properly in the morning, and again when it sets at night.
5. Use Dishwashers & Washing Machines For Full Loads Only
Forgotten to wash your work shirt for tomorrow? Try filling a basin and washing it by hand instead of running a full cycle on your machine for one or two items.
This applies to dishwashers too, even it takes you a full day or two to get the machine fully loaded.
6. Keep a Jug of Filtered Water in the Fridge
Fill a pitcher or filtered water jug with tap water and keep it in the fridge for instant icy cold drinks instead of running the tap and waiting for it to go cold.
7. Use Mulch Around Trees & Plants
Using mulch in your flowerbeds helps the soil retain as much moisture as possible. This is especially helpful during summer when the sun can evaporate water before your thirsty plants have had a chance to drink it properly.
Wood chips like landscaping bark, newspaper, compost, straw and shredded leaves are all great examples.
8. Collect Rain Water
It’s no secret that garden hoses and sprinklers are two of the worst culprits when it comes to water waste. By using a water reserve to collect rainwater you can expect to collect around 5,000 litres of water each year!
Use it to water your plants, fill the kids water guns and paddling pool and fill a bucket to wash your car. Another top tip is using a plastic bucket to empty paddling pools. Use the water for flowerbeds and outdoor cleaning instead of discarding it.
9. Fix Dripping Taps
A dripping tap can waste 15 litres of water a day, or 5,500 litres of water a year – that’s enough to fill a paddling pool every week in the summer! Set an afternoon aside to fix the problem instead of ignoring it. It could be as simple as needing a single washer replaced.
10. Install Water-Saving Shower Heads & Taps
Sales of water-saving fittings are on the rise, and they could save up to around 9 litres of water per minute during the likes of showers, washing dishes in the kitchen or whilst running a bath!
Even better news is that most tap aerators don’t affect your water pressure, and they can be installed on 95% of taps. You can fix them easily yourself onto your current taps, or you can also buy new sink taps and shower fittings with aerated heads already in place.
