Saving Water and Cutting Your Water Bills
Civilization has historically been known to be situated near waterways. Ancient Egypt had the Nile River. Mesopotamia had the Euphrates and Tigris. All known civilizations that have prospered had easy access to water. Water is a prime commodity that the world can't live without. The advances in technology have made potable water accessible to everyone. You can basically filter and sterilize water at the tip of your hands.
Abundant as it is, this natural resource is progressively becoming scarce. The changes in lifestyle have made water more in demand. There's the pool or tub or Jacuzzi to fill up. The tens of thousands golf courses in the world need to be watered on a daily basis. There's a need to maintain your home garden too and that means you have to use water.
If the rest of the world does not start to seriously conserve water, the economic and social aspects would be greatly affected.
There are ways and means in conserving water. There are some "green" companies who came out with products and gadgets that can help conserve water.
- Bathroom water products: Personal hygiene and washing accounts for 33% of water used in a regular household. There are water efficient taps and accessories that could be attached or replace old fixtures.
o Bath plug- a two-way bath plug leaves a user with an option to recycle bath water
o Aerated shower heads mixes water and air for water conservation. The ratio is about 1 litre of water to 3 litres of air. The air is sucked in by the shower head and then mixed and swirled with water. The result is a lighter and softer yet voluminous shower of water.
o Multi-level flow tap - This highly innovative tap makes it possible for you to choose the setting of water flow. There are normally three settings: off, reduced flow and full flow. The idea is a user is likely to choose reduced flow instead of full flow. The switch can deliver up to 80% less water than a regular tap.
o Recycling systems has the ability to recycle used water from the shower and bath and uses it for flushing toilets. The system can save you as much as 30% on your total water consumption.
- Outdoor water products: About 7% of the total household water usage is consumed in the garden. The usage can reach up to 50% during the summer season. There are outdoor products for the garden that can help you conserve water. You can still have a beautiful garden for less water.
o Garden irrigation system. The system automatically waters your plants by a device connected to a faucet with lines going to another device that takes care of watering 9 to 10 pots of plants by a dripper system. This system uses 90% less water.
o Water storing gel can hold water and the release it as the soil dries
o Rainwater harvesting system can harvest and store rainwater to be used by a household. The system could also be used by big commercial establishments as the rainwater system has the capacity to harvest and store large quantity of water. The system could also recycle greywater.
- Toilet water Products: Flushing the toilet could use as much as 13 litres of water. There are water closets that use only 6 litres of water to flush. There are toilets that are dual-flush too - full flush and half-flush.
o Cistern displacement device is a piece of decorative stone or brick or large pebble that you can put inside the cistern for less water in each flush. If you live in the UK there are several companies that are giving out free devices to be put in cisterns. The devices are cleverly named: Hippo, or Freddie Frog or Hog. The device is given our for free in the spirit of UK's "save-a-flush".
o Dual -flush toilets
o Waterless urinals
Saving water does not mean you have to refrain from using water. Aside from trying to refit your homes with water-conserving devices, you can actually save more water if you practice some water-wise ways. Saving water should become an integral part of your life. Learn how to conserve water and educate others on how to. In the end, you can do your share for a "greener" earth and a more "sustainable living".
Here are some easy ways to conserve water.
- Check for leaks in your plumbing and sanitary systems. A small leak can waste 5 litres of water each day.
- Take shorter showers and replace with aerated shower head.
- Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Put in a Hippo to save on flush.
- Use the minimum amount of water for a bath.
- Reuse/recycle water.
- Insulate water lines/pipes.
- Don't leave the water on when you are brushing your teeth.
- Catch rainwater, store it and use it to water plants.
- Use the washing machine and dishwasher only when you have a full load.
- When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink with soapy water then rinse with a slow trickle of water.
- Do not use running water to thaw frozen food.
- Install air to air heat pump or air-conditioner.
- Don't drown your lawn in water. In the summer, you can water your lawn on a weekly basis. In the winter every two weeks will do fine.
- Put up a grassless garden.
- Adjust your lawnmower blade to three inches high. A higher-cut lawn encourages grass roots to go deep thereby making them retain more water.
- Sweep your driveway and pathway. Don't hose them clean.
- Avoid ornamental water fountains unless the water is recycled.
- Water your garden early in the morning when there is less evaporation.
- Check you hoses and sprinklers for leaks and holes
- Install sprinklers that are water-efficient like the ones with micro and drip irrigation.
Save water now!
ADVERTISE IN OUR NEW DIRECTORY - FREE
Please feel free to leave a comment about this page
Was this page useful? Do you have something to add? Do you disagree?
If your comments meet our
guidelines then we will publish them (you do not need to register!)
Or why not tell a friend and email
this
page to someone
