Water savers vs. water wasters, which one are you?

Environmental Agency warns that droughts and water availability might become a major issue within the next 20-25 years unless we act now. We can all contribute towards minimizing the problem before it becomes impossible to manage. By being mindful of water usage we can also save a lot of money on water bills.

Here are a few tips and ideas about what can we do to reduce water usage in our households as well as the business environment:

Saving water at home

1. Running taps - turn off the tap when you clean your teeth or wash your dishes to use only as much water as you need.
2. Water-saving devices - use a water-saving device such as Taurus Senta touch-less tap adapter and efficient flush toilets such as dual flash buttons.
3. Dripping taps - make sure your taps are fitted correctly and that they are properly turned off. A dripping tap can waste a lot of water.
4. Re-use water - Use a bowl to wash your fruit or veg. You can then re-use that water for your house plants.
5. Fill up your dishwasher and washing machine - a great way to save water is to use a dishwasher. Some modern dishwashers can use as little as 10 to 15 litres of water a cycle. To maximise the saving wait until you have a full load. Same goes for washing machine.
6. Take a shower instead of a bath - If possible, take a shower instead of a bath or limit yourself to one bath per week. A five-minute shower uses about 40 litres of water which is about half the volume of a standard bath.
7. Use a watering can - garden sprinklers and hosepipes left running can use between 500 and 1,000 litres of water an hour.
8. Collect water - fit a water butt to collect rainwater off your roof. Water butts usually store about 200 litres of water. Rainwater is actually better for watering your plants.
9. Check for leaks - check your property regularly for leaks on your internal plumbing.
   

Saving water at work

1. Educate your employees - tell them about the importance and practices of water efficiency.
2. Install water-saving devices - such as urinal controls or waterless urinals, efficient flush toilets and automatic or sensor taps such as Taurus Senta touch-less tap adapter.‍
3. Check for leaks - check your meters at night or when no water is being used to monitor leakage.‍
4. Protect pipes from frost - make sure your pipes are protected against cold weather as leakage can increase after a burst pipe due to frost.‍
5. Arrange a water audit with your water supplier - check with your water supplier if they may offer water audits to see how efficient is your business’ water usage. Some suppliers may even offer a personalised water management package.‍
6. Research water recycling schemes - they are often more viable in business settings than in domestic settings. Determine where your wasted water is going and if or how you can recycle it in other areas of your business. 

Here is a great video by Energy Saving Trust on how different daily behaviours can make you either a Water Saver or a Water Waster.