Whilst 70 per cent of the globe is covered by water, just three per cent of this is classified as fresh water. With one per cent of this available for human consumption, the rest is held frozen in polar ice caps or is far from human reach.
The organisation Waterwise cautions that the UK has less water available per capita than most European countries, with South East England having less drinking water available than Sudan and Syria. Using water wisely will not only save you money in the long-term but will also enhance water security in the context of our rapidly expanding population. Furthermore, every litre of water saved will help to protect the Earths fragile ecosystems.
Here are a few tips to help you save water and money at home:
Full loads
Using full loads in your washing machine and a dishwasher is not only more energy efficient but also saves a considerable amount of water.
Leaking taps
Fix your leaking taps! According to USGS water science school, 4,000 drips equate to one litre of water. Ultimately this means that a single tap dripping 4 drops per minute will waste around 500 litres of water a year!
Install water-efficient goods
When the time comes to replace your old household products, ensure you invest in water-efficient alternatives. Utilizing flow meters on your fixtures will help you monitor how much water each uses, allowing you to know where to cut back. Equipping your taps with aerator or flow restrictors is an easy and inexpensive modification to your taps, saving you water and reducing your bills in the process.
Reuse your water
Try not to waste water because youre letting a tap run until the temperature heats up or cools down. Instead, place a bowl in the sink to collect the waste water. This water can then be used for other worthwhile purposes, such as watering your plants or cleaning parts of the home.
Fix low water pressure
Whilst it may seem that low water pressure saves you water and money, this might actually be the opposite. A lack of pressure will often increase the time you spend washing your hands and your washing machine could use more power to achieve sufficient water levels. Seek out a reputable company like Water Pressure Problems for such an issue, as they can help you improve water pressure in your home.
