Save Water Effectively

Save Water at Home

 Saving water should be built into our culture and practiced as a matter of routine. Many parts of India and the world are reeling from water scarcity. It is our duty to reduce water consumption and never, ever waste water. 

Saving water has become a necessity in today’s world of water shortages. Each of us can do our bit for Planet Earth by saving water.

Smart water saving steps at home

1. About three-fourths of water consumption is in bathrooms, with the toilet accounting for 28% of water use.
2. Install low-flow shower heads, faucets, and flush tanks in your homes. Replacing an 18-litre per flush toilet with an ultra-low volume (ULV) 6-litre flush model gives 70% saving in water, reducing indoor water use by about 30%.
3. Buy a float for your flush tank. Check toilets for leaks.
4. Don’t use the toilet to drop cigarette ash or other wastes or the flush to clear trash.
5. Repair all pipe and toilet leaks at home. A small leak from a pipe can cause water wastage of several liters per day!
6. Install rain water harvesting systems in your homes or apartment complex to recharge the water table.
7. Wash vegetables in a pan of clean water instead of letting the tap run.
8. Use manual sprinklers to water your plants instead of pipes or automatic sprinklers.
9. Clean driveways and the front porch with a broom. Use a spray nozzle or a bucket of soap water for your car. Clean your car or porch using a bucket. If not, at least turn off the hose between rinses.

Recycle water at home

• Empty water from hot water bottles (after cooling), water bottles, water used for cleaning rice, vegetables, water from the cooker after cooking rice or boiling potatoes (wait for it to become cold) in a bucket and use this water for your garden.

 Changing personal habits

• Take shorter showers.
• Wet your toothbrush and turn off water while brushing your teeth. Use water only to rinse your mouth.
• Turn off the tap while washing your hands when you scrub.
• Close the tap when you scrub your vessels, using water only to rinse them.
• Use water-saving washing machines and dishwashers and use them only for full loads.

Eco-friendly lawns

• Get drought-resistant grass and plants for your garden that need less water. Group plants that retain water or help reduce runoff.
• If using sprinklers, position them in such a way that they water the lawn efficiently.
• Watering the garden during early mornings or late evenings helps prevent water loss due to evaporation.
• Home composting using kitchen wastes helps in water saving and increases water absorption and retention in the garden.

DIY

1. Make your own floater for the flush tank by placing two inches of sand or pebbles in two plastic bottles. Fill these with water, screw the lids and place them in the toilet tank.
2. To check toilets leaks, add a little food color to the toilet tank. Don’t flush the toilet. Check after a while. If the water in the toilet bowl shows color, there is a leak. Repair it immediately.