Water is precious: 8 simple tips on how to save water at home
With droughts becoming more commonplace in the UK as the summer temperature rises, it's important that we all are making a real effort to reduce our water consumption. In fact, the reduction in potable water consumption is one of the priorities of Agenda 2030 UN. We can all contribute to more sustainable development through more careful and responsible choices. Here's where to start.
We must be conscious of our domestic water consumption, remembering that saving water also means polluting less and helping the environment. Did you know that water requires a lot of energy to be purified and transported? Consumption by water infrastructure is estimated at 0.83 kWh / m3, or 2.1% of the national energy requirement.
8 simple tips on how to save water at home
So how can reduce our water consumption and save water at home? We've put some tips together to help you.
- Installing an aerator to your taps can save up to 15,000 litres per year
- Have a quick shower instead of taking a bath, using half the amount of water
- Wait to use your washing machines and dishwashers until you have a full load
- Use a bowl to rinse vegetables or soak dishes instead of running your tap
- Use the leftover water from rinsing your vegetables to water your plants
- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving
- Keep on top of leaky plumbing, tighten up a leaky tap
- It is also possible to reduce water consumption in your home by adopting systems such as water softeners to eliminate limescale
How can Water Softeners save money and help the environment
- Softened water makes it possible for the average family to save and reduce:
- 50% the use of polluting detergents
- 5% energy waste and utility costs
- The need for maintenance of household appliances by 10%
- Not to mention the related advantages: bathroom without limescale, shiny taps and more long-lasting appliances.
Water softeners work by removing calcium and magnesium from your hard water, leaving you with soft water. Softened water makes it possible for the average family to save and reduce:
- 50% of the use of detergents, which are bad for the environment
- 5% energy waste and utility costs
- The need for maintenance of household appliances by 10%
This is because you only get limescale with hard water, so by softening your water, you're protecting your home from harmful limescale build-up, leaving you with a bathroom without limescale, shiny taps and longer-lasting appliances. You will also see benefits to your family's skin and hair.
Sustainable Drinking Water
Drinking water in the home from a glass instead of bottled water is a much more sustainable option for the environment as well. Using fresh filtered water from a sustainable solution like a mains-fed water cooler or a Zip HydroTap is a perfect long-term way to drink quality filtered water. By installing one of these in your home, you are bypassing all the negatives of both plastic bottled water and unfiltered tap water.
