Some Useful Tips to Conserve Water

January 16, 2020

Though it starts with the single aim of educating people about water conservation, the implementation of the solution is a multipronged approach and encompasses broad avenues of –

Encourage reduction of water wastage
Help increase water resources
Re-use of water through waste water treatment and recycling

Encourage Reduction of Water Wastage

Through these simple steps each individual can save thousands of litres per annum. It does not involve much change in lifestyle or inconvenience.

Some of the habits which when adopted will help reduce water wastage are:

Fix that leaking tap. It’s simple and inexpensive.
Collect water from the roof to water your garden.
When you are washing your hands, don’t let the water run while you lather.
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save water.
Turn off the water while you shave.
Turn off the water while you wash your hair to save water.
Designate one glass for your drinking water each day or refill a water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash.
Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap.
Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, and then reuse it to water houseplants.
Don’t use running water to thaw food.
Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing.
When washing dishes by hand, fill the sink basin or a large container and rinse when all of the dishes have been soaped and scrubbed.
Install an instant water heater near your kitchen sink so you don’t have to run the water while it heats up. This also reduces energy costs.
Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on water and energy while it helps your clothes to keep their colours.
Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full.
Teach your children to turn off taps tightly after each use.
Shorten your shower by a minute or two.
Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
Use a water – efficient showerhead. They’re inexpensive, easy to install.
Insulate hot water pipes for more immediate hot water at the faucet and for energy savings.
When shopping for a new clothes washer, compare resource savings among BEE Star Rated models.
Upgrade older toilets with water efficient models.
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and save water every time.
Report broken pipes and open hydrants to the property owner.
If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.
Wash your pets outdoors in an area of your compound that needs water.
Wash your car on the lawn, and you’ll water your lawn at the same time.
When you have ice left in your cup don’t throw it in the trash, dump it on a plant.
Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.
If water runs off your lawn easily, split your watering time into shorter periods to allow for better absorption.

Help Increase Water Resources

Rainwater harvesting is the direct collection of rainwater to supplement some of our water needs.

Rainwater harvesting is the accumulation and deposition of rainwater for reuse before it reaches the aquifer. Uses include water for garden, water for livestock, water for irrigation, and indoor heating for houses etc.

In many places the water collected is just redirected to a deep pit with percolation. The harvested water can be used as drinking water as well as for storage and other purpose like irrigation.

Rainwater can be stored for direct use or to recharge the groundwater levels, channelized through a filter bed into an underground storage tank, used for flushing, washing utensils & clothes and even gardening etc.

Re-use of water through waste water treatment and recycling

In this, waste water is reclaimed by removing solids and certain impurities. Wastewater is sent from a home or business through a pipeline system to a treatment facility, where it is treated to a level consistent with its intended use.

In most instances, the recycled water is intended to only be used for non-potable uses, such as

Dust control
Fire suppression
Flushing
Car washing
Gardening
Irrigation in parks and golf courses
Industrial cooling etc.

The purpose of these processes is sustainability and water conservation, rather than discharging the treated water to surface waters such as rivers and oceans.

There are many communities that have safely used recycled water for many years. In other locations throughout the world such as Singapore, water is given more advanced treatments and is used indirectly for drinking.

This information has been provided by Eureka Forbes as well as from the following sources:

(1) What percentage of the human body is composed of water? Jeffrey Utz, M.D., The MadSci Network

(2) “Healthy Water Living”. BBC. Retrieved 2007-02-01

(3) http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/11/25/247212488/born-wet-human-babies-are-75-percent-water-then-comes-drying

(4) http://www.deccanherald.com/content/63740/poor-water-quality-serious-threat.html

(5) http://www.deccanherald.com/content/63740/poor-water-quality-serious-threat.html

(6) http://www.wateraid.org/~/media/Publications/drinking-water-quality-rural-india.pdf

(7) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water

(8) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water

(9) http://www.wateraid.org/~/media/Publications/drinking-water-quality-rural-india.pdf

(10) http://internationalaidtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/India-Water-Project.pdf

(11) http://www.wateraid.org/~/media/Publications/drinking-water-quality-rural-india.pdf