In many developed countries, it seems water is plentiful and cheap. But worldwide, sweet clean water is a very precious resource. Here are a number of ways in which you can both help save the planet and save some money. The average household (UK) uses 500 liters of water a day, according to the UK government agency, which has many good water-saving tips on its website.
The liter figures given below are based on 20 years of performing environmental audits.
Water-saving toilets, showers and other appliances
Whether or not it is possible to save on the water use of your toilet depends very much on its model.
Check your toilet's tank size. Modern toilets often offer a choice between either two sides of the same button or two separate buttons. One is for a small amount of water, often 1-2 liter, the other one for a larger amount, often 5 or 6 liter. Also some modern toilets allow you to flush just as long as you keep the button down, until the tank is fully empty. The old-fashioned way was putting a brick into the toilet tank, or a soda bottle filled with sand and water. This would reduce the volume of water used at every flush. If you have a toilet tank which you feel is too large and dispensing too much water you can try this old, easy and cheap method.
A water-saving showerhead is not necessarily an expensive investment. Compare the water use of different models, if they offer this information. Otherwise there are very cheap rings on the market which you can put before the showerhead and which reduce water use by 50%. It is important, though, to first measure how much water is actually coming out of your showerhead at normal usage rate. Check this by taking a bucket with liter measurement and a timer. Put it on for a minute and check how much water has come out. Normal water use is 10-15 liter. Anything over that is not necessary. Water pressure can vary enormously. In a survey of a large hotel I found 28 l/min on the first floor, 20 l/min on the second, 14 l/min on the 3rd and a whopping 48 l/min on the 4th floor, where there was an auxilliary water pump.
Water use between 5 and 10 liter per minute is good. A good water-saving showerhead should achieve this and still give you enough water pressure to have a comfortable stream.
Modern water-saving faucets should have an air filter (aerator) on them which adds air to the water stream and reduces the water use by 50%, according to EarthEasy, without you actually noticing this difference because the stream coming out "feels" as big. If your faucet does not have this, buy one, for they are cheap and can just be screwed onto any standard faucet.
Do not leave the faucet running while you are brushing your teeth.
Basic water intake for sinks: It is not possible in every case, but sometimes you can regulate the water pressure on a faucet by partly closing the lower faucet which is underneath the sink, whether exposed or hidden. Experiment a bit to find a water pressure which still is comfortable for use.
Laundry and dishwashing
Wash with the shortest program possible and use only a full load. This can, for a normal household, easily save you 1 m3 a month, according to WaterUseItWisely. Keep the filter clean. Important: modern washing machines are much more water- and electricity-efficient than older ones, and the information is often available at the store. Compare various models with regard to efficiency. A lower use of water and electricity may offset a higher buying price in only a short time.
Dishwashing: If you are machine-washing, only wash with a full load, use the lowest program setting that will still give a satisfying result, keep the machine filters clean and when buying a dishwasher, compare its water and electricity use to other models.
If you are washing by hand, don't use running water. Fill a sink with soapy water and one with water for rinsing (or only half if it is a few items only).
Grey water reuse
It is certainly possible to reuse grey water, although this is usually much easier when a new building is constructed than in an existing house. Water from the sinks and showers (grey water) can be reused for flushing toilets and for irrigation. This is especially important in tropical and warm climates where water is scarce and expensive. The possibilities are so varied that it is difficult going into them in just the space of a short article.
Many commercial size buildings are now fitted out with complete water recycling systems.
Related article: Water Saving at Home part 2: Leaks and recycling
Useful websites with lots of tips:
Tamara Croes - Tamara is an environmental consultant and freelance writer and translator. She currently resides in Sweden.
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