With most of the world thinking increasingly about carbon footprints and the impact of our actions on the world, it is clear that small changes make a big difference. From ditching the single use plastic to switching appliances off at the mains, every little effort adds up. Saving water isn’t just better for the environment, it can help to reduce your water bill, too. Here’s what you need to know.
Water butts
Whether you are a green-fingered pro, or you are struggling to keep a few plants alive, if you have ANY plants that you water, it is worth considering investing in a water butt. When a garden hose is switched on it uses about 15 litres a minute. So if you spend 10 minutes watering the garden, you will blow about 150 litres of precious water! Rainwater is free, has the right PH for Mother Nature, and will allow your garden to thrive even if there is a water shortage. There are a range of rain harvesting solutions available, from basic water butts to roof-mounted systems. If you are worried about installation, check with your local handyman first.
Saving per day – 150 litres
The shower timer
Whether you have shower-loving teens or you secretly know that you are the culprit, showers use a huge amount of water. Showers use on average 10-12 litres of water per minute. So if you are in the shower for 10 minutes, that is a whopping 120 litres – multiply that by four, a shower-loving family could use 480 litres every day! By cutting your shower by just two minutes, a family could save 64 litres of water a day – which works out at a staggering 35,040 litres in a year.
Saving per day – 64 litres
Flush if you must...
We all know that toilets use a huge amount of water. There is no need to leave a toilet unflushed all day, but if your family has a habit of throwing a bit of toilet roll and tissue in the pan and flushing it away, that is a habit that you can nip in the bud straight away. Modern toilets use a massive 13.6 litres per flush, with modern ones using a more conservative 6 litres. If we take an average of 10 litres per flush, each family reducing their flushing by one flush per day could save 40 litres in total.
Saving per day – 40 litres
Fix that drip
You have heard the saying “an ocean begins with the first drop” well, your leaking toilet or sink could be wasting an entire ocean. It may seem like an insignificant drip, but a toilet leak could waste as much as 200 litres of water every day, while a leaking tap can waste 21 litres – that’s a lot of drips! If your local plumber charges by the hour, make a list of every drip, crack, leak or problem and get them in for an hour.
Saving per day – 221 litres
If you make one change today, make it one of the above – you won’t just save money, you’ll be doing your bit to save the world. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for more.