How To Save 150000 Litres Of Water Every Year?
Water is one of the most crucial necessities of life. Of all the water that exists on our planet, roughly 97% is saltwater and less than 3% is fresh water. Billions of people are living without access to safe drinking water right now. Since 1993, World Water Day has been celebrated on the 22nd of March every year, to raise awareness about the global water crisis and to take action to end it. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. As the climate crisis worsens, groundwater will become increasingly scarce. We need to work together to sustainably manage this precious resource.
Education and awareness play a huge role in water conservation, however, action is key to make a difference. From reducing water waste at home to being mindful of our water usage, it’s time we make the necessary changes in our lifestyles.
Here are few easy ways to save water:
1. Turn off the tap while brushing, shaving, or cleaning dishes
While brushing, shaving, or cleaning, we don’t realise how much clean water goes down the drain. Leaving the tap running can waste around 18 litres of water. So next time you’re brushing your teeth, shaving or cleaning the dishes, make sure you turn off the tap when you don’t need water. Additionally, keep reusable cups near your basin and use them to wash your razors and rinse and mouth instead of cupping your hands under a running faucet.
2. Clean your veggies and fruits in a bowl of water
The same idea of freshwater being wasted applies here too. Fill a bowl with water and wash fruits and vegetables instead of doing it under running water. Most fruits and vegetables can be sufficiently cleaned with water and light friction. Produce that has more layers and surface area can be more thoroughly washed by swishing it in a bowl of cool water to remove dirt particles.
3. Use a bucket to bathe instead of a shower
A typical shower uses 18 to 37 litres of water per minute. Now imagine how much water your hour-long shower wastes. Use a bucket for a bath and you will end up saving at least 20 litres of water daily. However, if taking a shower is a non-negotiable favourite, at least change your shower to a low-pressure one and limit your shower time to decrease the amount of water that goes into the drain.
4. Check for leaks
Old and worn tap washers and gaskets frequently cause leaks. A leaky tap can waste 11,000 litres of water in a year! Do not ignore those drops of water dripping down your taps. Get them fixed and save a thousand litres.
A toilet leak wastes more than 400 litres of water a day. To check for leaks, put a few drops of food colour in your toilet tank. If without flushing, the colouring begins to appear in the bowl, that’s an indication that your toilet flush is leaking and it’s time to get it fixed.
5. Install a dual-flush
A single flush uses 10 litres of water. But we can’t not flush after using the toilet! Dua- flush toilets to the rescue. Dual-flush toilets let you choose the amount of water you want to use for different purposes.
6. Reduce, recycle, and reuse RO waste water
A few research studies found that RO purifiers discharge three times more water than what is purified. This wastewater contains high contents of total dissolved solids (TDS) which makes the water undrinkable. And, in some cases, this water also becomes unsuitable for daily chores. Moreover, it has also been linked with some serious illnesses like stunted growth, reproduction failure, and more. We recommend storing the discharge in a bucket and then reusing it for mopping, cleaning your cars, backyards, pre-rising laundry etc. and to reduce the amount of wastage.
Read more on ways to reduce the water waste from your RO.
By adopting and following these simple tips, you can save up to 150,000 litres of water every year! Remember, every drop counts. Don’t let life slip down the drain!
