Water is one of the most important natural resources that we have, it is also essential for life, because we need to drink water for our body to function properly.
Our planet is the blue planet because of the amount of water on it, but due to the misuse and waste of water that we have made over the years, the world’s water reserves are being depleted at an alarming rate. Hence, the collaboration of all people is essential to take care of water.
Some countries have entered into agreements to protect water, but we have in our hands the power to contribute to caring for water.
But if you are one of those who think that their action is not worth the fight, perhaps you would like to know the large amount of money that you can save each year simply by taking care of the water at home.
If you want to know how to take care of water to help this resource last much longer or save some money a year, keep reading this article from doncomos.com where we give you some key tips to achieve it.
Did you know that of all the amount of water on earth, only 2.5% is suitable for human consumption? And that this percentage is decreasing too quickly.
Do you know that 12 liters of water are wasted just by having the tap running for 1 minute? That is why it is essential to make the most of every drop.
Take care of water in the bathroom
These are some steps we can take to save water while doing some chores in the bathroom:
Do not flush every time you go to the bathroom. We can go several times to urinate without having to flush each time.
Put an empty water bottle in the toilet tank, so that when the chain is flushed, there will be water in the bottle and the consumption of water for emptying will be less, but it will still do its job well. The bigger the bottle that fits us, the better, since we will save more water with each emptying (use half, 1 liter or 1 and a half liter bottles).
Change the toilet for another double load, they are economical and help to greatly reduce the cost of water. Use the small toilet flush flush instead of the large flush unless absolutely necessary.
Also throw the papers and waste in a bin in the bathroom and do not throw it down the toilet, since it can cause clogging and will also make you spend more water to get rid of them.
Take showers instead of baths, as more than 60% of water is saved, also do not waste water and take short showers.
Turn off the faucet every time you soap up and don’t let the water run in the meantime. While you let the water run until it comes out at the desired temperature during the shower, pour the water into a bucket and do not waste it. You can use the water later to flush the toilet, water the plants, or mop the floor. Remember that by saving hot water you will also be saving electricity.
Change the shower head for a low consumption one, thanks to this you can save about 50 thousand liters in a year.
When you brush your teeth always use a glass of water to rinse, this way we won’t waste water letting the water run while you rinse your teeth and clean the brush.
We will also put the above advice into practice at the time of shaving, we will dip the blade in a bowl of water instead of soaking it under the tap.
How to take care of water in the kitchen?
With these tips we can save water in the activities we do in the kitchen: When washing up, fill the sink a bit and leave the utensils to soak to wash, so the remains will soften faster and without using so much water.
Lather up as much as you want first by washing it well with the sponge and soap, accumulate everything and then run it under the tap all at once, turning off the stream each time you finish rinsing a utensil. Another option is to fill the other sink or a large bucket and rinse as many utensils as possible in that water. The trick is not to fill it too much with water, otherwise filling it too soon with soap will also waste more water.
Never put a washing machine with little load, you should always turn on the washing machine when it is completely full of clothes, although without overloading it, since you can damage your washing machine. If it is really necessary to run the washing machine before it is completely filled, use shorter washes.
Use energy efficient appliances. The A+++ are the best and most efficient because they consume less water and electricity.
If you are going to use the dishwasher to wash your dishes, always choose a low consumption one, and if you can correctly regulate water consumption, you should also always use it when the load is complete, since if we use the dishwasher almost empty or at half load we will also waste water (if necessary, wait for the use of utensils throughout the day). Also, when you choose your dishwasher, remember that it must be as efficient as possible, so you must choose a dishwasher that does not require prior rinsing of the kitchen utensils.
Other tips
These tips will also help you save water on other tasks or water expenses that we usually have:
Wash fruits and vegetables by soaking them in a deep plate or in a deep bowl, so you can wash several in the same amount of water and no water will be wasted with this fact. You can use the water for other things, like scrubbing the floors or cleaning the windows.
You can collect rainwater with buckets or with rainwater collectors in the garden or on the roof of your house. Use the rainwater to water the indoor plants or water the garden later, you can also use the water from jugs or to wash the vegetables for the plants or other possible uses, such as scrubbing the floor of your terrace or balcony, or even clean the blinds or gates of the house.
This use of water is also applicable to the fact of reserving the water that you could be wasting (for example, the cold water from the shower that you could be letting run until it comes out hot) and all the water that you can save from the rain to use it little by little in your tasks. This water may save for a short time, but it will give you the opportunity to save more water and use water in a free and responsible way.
Clean windows, gates, garages, etc. with buckets of water instead of using a hose, the hose is the worst enemy of water, since it wastes a large amount of water in just a few minutes. You will see how you can make everything very clean without using so much water.
Repair dripping pipes and faucets as soon as possible since you can spend up to 170 liters in a month. In addition, carry out proper maintenance of the water facilities to prevent possible breakdowns.
When washing your car or motorcycle, use buckets of water instead of a hose to wet your car. Thanks to this you can use up to 12 liters less per minute of hose use. First use a bucket with soap and a sponge to rub and scrub the car first, (always clean the bodywork first and leave the tires for last, this way the water will stay clean for longer), pour the water over the car that you have left over and that you use to remove the soap from the bucket, and then, when rinsing, do it with buckets of clean water instead of the hose to save water.
You should always water at dawn, very early, or at dusk, in this way the water will not evaporate easily due to the action of the sun and you will not have to use as much water for your plants. Also, if you put a layer of rofe or gravel, the soil will stay moist for longer and you will not have to water as often. In addition, for plants that are in pots, place a plate below, so that the excess water stays there and the plant can absorb it when it needs it and the plant stays moist for longer without the need for frequent watering.
For pots or small planting areas it is better that you water with a watering can and not with the hose, this way you will save water and you can also avoid drowning your plants and keep them safe.
You must educate your children and the people you live with about the importance of water and what can be done to care for and save water. To do this, they should not waste water playing or doing daily tasks without turning off the taps.
Avoid playing games with water, especially if it requires large amounts of water, such as throwing buckets of water at each other.
Avoid leaving the taps running whatever tasks you are doing, be it washing your hands or washing your face. Always turn off the faucet when you have to soap or scrub, also don’t stay entertained while the water runs.
In the case of taking care of the pool water, you must take care of the water using natural or non-invasive chemical products so that the water is conserved, it is also necessary that you establish a filtering system and a recirculation system, so that they can be perform maintenance tasks frequently and without excuses, so you must perform all these and other tasks that are necessary to take care of the water and that it does not remain dirty or spoiled and you have to empty the pool and refill it (for example, you could cover it with a tarp after using and/or cleaning it). In addition, when it is necessary to empty the pool, you can always use the water to wash the car, water the plants, etc.
If in summer you need cold water, do not let the tap water run, instead put water to cool in the fridge and use it when you need it.
With these tips we have wanted to show you how to take care of water, so that together we can do something useful and protect this precious asset and not waste it without thinking about the future, since as we have said, drinking water is becoming increasingly smaller and the population growing. In addition, you will manage to spend much less water, which entails a great reduction in your water bills per year.