Green Tips!

WATER CONSERVATION SERIES

In the Kitchen

The kitchen and the household is where water is of essential value. Here is where we can make active changes.

• When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants.

• Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, and then reuse it to water houseplants.

• Never pour water down the drain when it can be used elsewhere like for watering the plants or garden or for cleaning.

• Reuse the waste water generated from RO (Reverse Osmosis) type water purifiers for cleaning floors etc.

• When you fill a glass of drinking water, fill only as much as you will drink.

• Select one glass for your drinking water each day or refill a water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash.

• When using a dishwasher run it only with full loads and don't use the extra-long pre-wash and scrub cycles unless absolutely necessary.

• Run the washing machine when it has a full load only. One load uses 100-150 litres of water. Washing on a full load every second day can save upto 130 litres of water.

• When possible, while washing or cleaning use a brush, wash cloth, or your hand to dislodge particles of dirt rather than relying on the force of water.

• Try to wash all the vegetables and fruits for a meal at the same time. Wash them in a bowl of water instead of running water from the tap.

• While washing dishes by hand you can use one of your sinks by blocking the drain & filling it up with soapy water to wash the dirty dishes. And then quickly rinse them under a slower stream from the other faucet (or use two large vessels).

• Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean. Don't let taps run unnecessarily or at a high flow rate while washing or rinsing.

In the Bathroom

Because such a large percentage of water use is in the bathroom, this is where water conservation must begin.

• When shampooing, turn off the water while lathering the hair.

• Rinse hand razors in a filled sink or a mug rather than running water.

Save 10-15 litres of water.

• Upto 16 litres of water are consumed per minute each time a person brushes or shaves.

• Rinsing your hand and toothbrush with a mug uses only 1/2 litre of water compared to the 80 litres if you leave the tap running for 5 minutes.

• The average bathroom tap flows at the rate of 20-30 litres per minute depending on how far it's turned on; by simply turning off the tap you can save around 900 litres per person each month.

• Put food colouring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak.

• Drop your facial tissue in the trash can instead of flushing it and save water.

• Washing clothes in a bucket instead of under a running tap saves 200 litres.

• A 10-minute shower uses up to 120 litres of water. Aim for five-minute or less. Better still use a bucket. One or two 20 litre buckets are enough. Savings: 20 - 30 litres per day per person.

• When buying new appliances consider ones that offer cycle and load size adjustments. They're more water and energy efficient.

• When installing new fittings, go for water-wise devices and toilet systems such as the dual flush system with a half-flush option – save around 5-6 litres.

• The average flush tank holds 15 litres of water. Only 9 - 10 litres are needed to flush.Place a rock or sand-filled 2 litre container or plastic bottle in the flush tank. It will displace its volume in water and you’ll save 2 litres of water every time you flush.

• Install inexpensive water-saving devices on faucets and showerheads. Aerators spread the pressure of water without wasting it and can reduce water flow by 50%.

• Repair your faucet and toilet leaks. One small drip every second wastes 30 litres per day.