8 tips to save water easily

Why and how to reduce water waste in 8 simple tips?

 

Water is undoubtedly the most precious resource we have, along with air. Unfortunately, we tend to waste it.

Water wasteis amajor environmental issue. The Earth has very little fresh water. Its nickname "blue planet" contributes to the fact that many French people are not aware of the urgency of saving water.

 

Why should we save water? 

 

The Earth is covered by 72% water.This fact seems to prove that there is no urgency. However, less than 2.8% of the planet's water is fresh, the rest is therefore unusable without special (and costly) treatment.Of this percentage of fresh water, 2.1% is found in glaciers and permanent snow. Obviously, this water is unusable as it is.

This depletion of natural resources is not the only reason that should encourage us to save water:

 

      - Economically,if water becomes increasingly scarce, it will become increasingly expensive. It is therefore clear that it is in everyone's best interest to save.

      - It is a vital element forall animal and plant life, therefore an element that must absolutely be preserved. 

      - We must be able to cope with shortages or droughtsthat come with global warming.

 

To achieve these objectives, it is necessary to adopt daily practices and actions to gradually change this situation of water wastage. If the per capita water consumption is about 150 liters per day, only 1% of this volume is actually drunk by the population.

We consume water every day, mainly for hygiene purposes.Here is the average distribution of household water consumption:

      - Toilets: 35%,

      - Baths and showers: 33%,

      - Laundry: 13%,

      - Dishes: 7%,

      - Garden: 4%,

      - Cleaning: 4%,

      - Food and drink: 3%.

 

Water waste: 8 tips that will change your daily life.

 

1/ Prefer showers over baths

A bath uses more than 100 liters of water. It is estimated that a short shower (5 min) uses between 7 and 10 times less water than a bath. A shower without turning off the water uses approximately 60 litersof water, and a short shower turning it off while soaping up uses about20 liters! The choice is therefore easy to make!

Always make it a habit to turn off the water while you are soaping up.

 

2/ Collect wastewater and rainwater

We need water daily, even if it does not necessarily have to be drinkable. Most of the time, we use water suitable for consumption for activities that do not require it.We could thus significantly reduce our consumption of drinking water and lower our bill at the same time.

Here’s a very simple tip: Use the water from washing vegetables to water your plants.

Another option, the most economical way to use water, is by collecting what is naturally available. Rainwater is therefore an excellent way to reduce your consumption while adopting a more natural and economical approach.

You can reuse rainwater for:

• Your toilet flush.

• Cleaning your floor.

• Watering your plants.

• And even giving your animals something to drink if you have any.

 

3/ Detect any possible leaks

Leaks can account for up to 25 liters/hour for a toilet flush, for example. Repairing leaks as soon as they occur helps save water, but also money on your water bill. 

It is important to check your water meter before and after a period of absence. This makes it easy to detect the presence of leaks.

Did you know? A leak in the toilet can result in up to 140,000 liters of water lost per year.

 

4/ Use recycled paper and cardboard

The production of paper and cardboard is very water-intensive. Recycled materials use much less.Brands like Endro Cosmétiques are precisely here to highlight the benefits of zero-waste and recycling. 5/ Choose solid cosmetics Traditional liquid cosmetics use much more water than solid cosmetics, which is quite logical. Using solid rather than liquid cosmetics therefore contributes to water conservation efforts in industrial environments. We therefore recommend a solid shampoo to take care of the planet and your hair.

 

6/ Use a water-saving shower head

Do you like to stay a little longer in the shower? So do we. 

By using a water-saving shower head, it is possible to use 75% less water. In other words, the combination of a water-saving shower head and solid shampoo already represents huge water savings. 

For a 10-minute shower, you will therefore consume:

• 60 liters, or less, with a water-saving shower head,
  

• between 100 and 150 liters with a standard shower head.

An economical shower head (cost: 20 €) therefore allows a saving of 90 liters of water per shower, or 165 € per year.

Still in the wet rooms, it may be worthwhile to use a faucet thermostatic: this equipment allows you to set the water temperature in advance. This way, you do not waste water while searching for the right temperature. A few more liters of water saved!

Moreover, it is possible to install an aerator to limit the water flow from your faucet.  

Finally, do not let the water run when you brush your teeth or wash your hands!

 

7/ Toilets

If possible, install toilets with a dual flush: toilets equipped with a dual flush tank (6 liters for large flushes / 3 liters for small ones).

For example, for a family of 4, it consumes only 96 liters per day instead of 216 for a 9-liter tank, which means a saving of 45 m³ per year.

If you do not have a dual flush, modify the installation yourself! Fill one or two bottles and place them in your toilet tank. It is also possible to move the float to reduce the water volume.

 

8/ The dishwasher

It is not obvious for everyone to use one, especially in an apartment. However, water savings are significant, as it is estimated that it takes 3 times more water to wash dishes by hand. 

For several meals, the dishwasher uses 15 liters of water, which is abouttwo to three times lessthan washing dishes by hand. 

If you cannot have a dishwasher, you can use a basin in your sink to avoid using too much water during your cleaning.<|endoftext|>

 

Water consumption figures

To show that our daily actions can improve quality of life, here are some interesting figures about water, its production, and its consumption:

• Only 40% of rainwater is "useful" (groundwater and rivers), the rest (60%) evaporates again. This is why it is useful to collect rainwater for better use.

• We consume about 150 liters of water per day. 10% more than in Germany. 

• 2 out of 5 liters are lost through leaks and taps left open.

• You save 200€ / year by installing a water-saving shower head reducing the flow by 75%. So imagine if you also install water-saving mixers on your faucets.