Why Should We Reduce Our Water Usage?

Most of us do not really think about how we use our water in our daily routine. We especially do not think about how we might be wasting water in our day to day lives. As England is famous for it’s rainy climate, it will come as a surprise to many that some parts of England are actually experiencing water shortages. So how can we be more careful in our water usage? It is important to note that we do not have to cut down our enjoyment of water, but simply take some small steps to avoid wasting water.     

It has been reported that the average person uses 150 litres of water everyday. Much of this is used up in washing, toilet flushing, but also cooking, drinking and watering the garden. According to some statistics we are using 50% more water than 25 years ago thanks to the increased use in domestic appliances around the house.  It is important to consider the fact that if we do not take steps now to reduce our water wastage, we will suffer long term consequences.

What can we do to save water?

Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth – Many people are often guilty of  leaving the tap running while they are brushing their teeth. You should note that if you do this you are wasting 6 litres of water per minute. You can avoid this wastage by turning the tap off whilst brushing and rinsing at the end with a mug of water

Flush the toilet for items that can be disposed off elsewhere – Flushing the toilet uses up a large amount of water accounting for about a third of household water usage. Sometimes it is more convenient to flush down items such as cotton wool or face wipes, however this is wasting a huge amount of water for items that can be disposed off in a rubbish bin. Some reports have indicated that if we stopped  flushing down items that can be easily thrown away in a rubbish bin, we would save about 27 millions litres of water a week

Have a shower instead of a bath – You will save more water if you shower instead of having a bath. This is due to the fact that a bath uses around 80 litres of water in comparison to showers which use around 30 litres of water. However, you should note that power showers use up much more water

You can save water in the garden – Using a watering can rather than a hose will be very useful in saving water. Another useful point to note is that rain water is better for plants than tap water. It would be advisable for you to buy  a water butt to collect the rain water for the garden

Buying water-efficient appliances – Most of the domestic appliances nowadays have taken into account the importance of energy saving. Therefore if you are about to invest in a new appliance for the home, such as a dishwasher or a washing machine, you should look for one with a energy label. It would be advisable for you to look for a washing machine that uses less than 50 litres per wash. Also, doing a  full-load rather than a half-load when using the washing machine or dishwasher will save on energy