Simple Water Conservation in the Home

Water Conservation in the home and bathroom is easy if you put a little thought into it and change any bad habits. Here are a few free and simple tips from Water Solutions to get you going on your saving water mission:

Taking a shower uses much less water than filling the bathtub. Get into the habit of taking short showers and get family members to do the same. To further conserve water while showering, keep the water turned down as low as possible. When adjusting the temperature, always turn the hot water down to the desired temperature rather turning the cold water up.

When a bath is necessary, plug the drain before turning the on the hot water so that what is in the pipe is not wasted. Test the temperature of the water in the tub as it fills and adjust the incoming water, as needed. Fill the tub to a depth of a few inches only. Bathe small children together or in turn, using the same water.

Never leave the water running while standing at the basin. Always turn the water off while brushing teeth or shaving or washing hands. Teach children to turn off the water, as well. If necessary, provide a stool to make it easy for them to reach the taps.

If hung to dry after each use, towels can be used several times between washings. To cut down on the amount of water needed to launder bath towels, provide each family member with a particular towel and a hook or bar on which to hang it. After all… you are clean when you get out of the bath or shower are you not? So how can the towel be dirty???

Even small water leaks can add up to hundreds of litres of wasted water each day. Check all your taps for drips. Tighten leaky connections or repair, if necessary. Also, put a few drops of liquid food coloring into the toilet tank to test for leakage. Color appearing in the bowl within 15 minutes indicates that the flapper (the cover between the cistern and the pipe) needs to be replaced.

It has been estimated that up to 75% of all indoor water use occurs in the bathroom and that the toilet alone accounts for over 25% of total water usage in an average home. Don’t allow water waste to continue. Change small habits and find ways to conserve water every day.

Now that you know just how much water you use in the toilet, concider a water conservation flushing mechanism like a Multi Flush – click the link, then option 3 to see how it works. While there is a cost attched to it, roughly R500 installed, it pays for itself pretty quickly through savings on your water bill each month.