Sustainable Ways to Use & Save Water at Home
A rainy day is typical here on the B.C. coast and regular rainfall may be leading you to feel complacent when it comes to water use. An average person can waste dozens of gallons of water per day when not thinking about it. The fact is, we all know that we need to reduce our water usage. Here are a few easy ways to do that.
In The Kitchen / Laundry
About 22% of water is used in the kitchen, and all those cups of tea can add up. So here are some great tips to save water.
- Only fill as much water as you need in your kettle – you have the added benefit of saving energy as well as water with this one
- If you like to drink your water as cold as possible, stop running the tap to get to the cold stuff, simply keep jugs of water in the refrigerator
- Throughout your day, stack plates and save the hand washing until the evening. If your home uses a dishwasher, only use it when it is maxed out full
- Similarly, do full loads of laundry and utilize your machine to it’s best by checking on the recommended land size
- When replacing your appliances, choose an eco-friendly washing machine and dishwasher. You will improve your water efficiency from day one
If you own or are considering buying a home from Maclean Homes, you’ll be pleased to know that all developments are high-efficiency to help with your eco-lifestyle.
In The Bathroom
Up to 25% of water use in the home can go to showers and baths. It’s commonly said that baths use more water than showers and while this is technically true, it is also not. A full bath uses approx. 80 litres of water and a five-minute shower use about 75 litres. And this figure changes with those who use wasteful “power” showers. Try these tips to reduce water use in your bathroom.
– Not to be obvious – but it’s a good one – take shorter showers! Reducing your shower even by a few minutes can make a huge difference.
– Fit your bathroom with a low-flow shower head. This has the potential to massively reduce your water use without having to compromise that pleasant shower experience.
– Equally as important, outfit your bathroom with a high-efficiency dual flush toilet.
– Do not run the tap water while brushing your teeth – shaving – doing your skincare routine. Also, try not turning your tap on full flow. Low and slow is the way to go!
In The Garden / BackYard
While we do enjoy a fair share of rain for most of the year, summer can suffer some very long and hot dry spells. Water restrictions are now a common practice in the summertime… so here are a few tips to help out in your yard.
- Swap your garden hose for a watering can. The average watering can use 5 litres of water, whilst your average garden hose can pump out 15 litres per minute. Reach for the watering can and “spot splash” your plants to avoid water wastage.
- Grow less thirsty, climate-resistant plants in your garden or on your patio/balcony. Plants like Calliopsis, Rosemary and Sage are so beautiful and wonderfully scented. They would be great additions to your garden that don’t require heavy amounts of water. Plus – flowering herbs like Rosemary a great for pollinators too!
Reusing Water
Let’s chat “Greywater”. This is water that is not totally clean – it has been used gently as in showers, washing clothes and dishes. This water is not contaminated like blackwater, which comes from flushing toilets.
Greywater can be recycled directly, like placing a plastic bin or pot to catch water droplets in your shower, then water your plants with it.
While this may all be a bit to take in, why not start small. Once you have the hang of it and it becomes a part of daily living, go bigger. Saving water is one of the most important ways that you can help the environment and preserve this resource for future generations.
Try to have fun with these tips – and spread the word!