|
|
Water is a valuable resource and should be used wisely. All the water we use has to be cleaned and treated before being reused or returned to our rivers or the sea. This all costs time and money. In addition polluted water is a major problem to our environment and health.
You can help conserve water and cut the cost of cleaning it by following the steps below.
Home |
In The Bathroom |
| 1. Take showers rather than baths
which use up to 3 times more water. But remember, power
showers can use twice as much water as a bath. Replacing
just 1 bath a week with a shower can save up to 25 litres
of water 2. Turn off tap when brushing your teeth to save water. (This could save up to 10 litres per day.) 3. Avoid throwing such things as sanitary wear, condoms, cotton buds, cigarette ends or plastic wrappings and labels down the toilet. Sanitary wear can take 4 months to biodegrade and plastic wrappings do not biodegrade at all. PUT ALL THESE ITEMS IN THE DUSTBIN. 4. Don't pour chlorine bleach down the toilet. 5. Fit your toilet cistern with a recognised water saving device to reduce the amount of water used. (this saves up to 4.5 litres per flush) |
In The Kitchen |
| 1. Washing Machines & Dishwashers.
Try to wash only a full load- or if not switch to economy
or half load to save water & energy (However, 2 half
loads will use more water and energy than 1 full load.) 2. Use low phosphate detergents. Phosphates can cause algae blooms which remove oxygen from the water, potentially killing fish and other organisms. Look for alternatives containing zeolytes and citrate. 3. A running tap can use an awful lot of water - try using a bowl when washing dishes or vegetables. Using a bowl can save up to 10 litres every time you use it. 4. For a cold drink, fill up a jug and put it into the fridge to use later instead of running the tap until cold. |
General |
| 1. Report leaks to your local water
company 2. Taps. Fix leaking taps by replacing worn out washers. A dripping tap can lose up to 90 litres of water every day - a bathful every week. A simple washer change is usually all that is needed. 3. Use a couple of buckets of water instead of the hose when washing the car 4. Instead of running the hot tap until the water is hot, use the cool water to help get the right temperature instead of adding cold water later.
|
Garden |
| 1. Use a water butt to collect rain
water which can be used to water the garden and wash the
car. (using a hosepipe uses up to 15 litres per minute.) 2. Water plants in the late morning or early evening. 3. Water plants thoroughly and infrequently- little and often encourages roots to stay near the surface. 4. Plant ground cover plants which prevent evaporation from the soil. |
Facts |
| 1. A typical person uses 150 litres of
water every day, the equivalent of 18 buckets! In
the average household the water is used in the following
ways: Flushing the
toilet 30% 2. Water shortages are caused by growing demand and increasingly dry weather Although rainfall has been higher in recent years this was preceded by several years of dry weather. 3. Over 90% of all water we use is discharged straight into the sewerage system. Every time a toilet is flushed as much as 10 litres of water instantly changes from pure to polluted. 4. Water shortages are damaging our environment. Low river levels affect water quality, increase the concentration of pollutants, reduce oxygen levels necessary to plant life and increase water temperatures. 2. In the UK we are now using 70% more water than we were 40 years ago (1960) 3. In East Anglia and some other parts of the UK the average rainfall is less than in parts of the Mediterranean. 4. As an Island country we have many fine water attractions. A large coastline with attractive and varied beaches, beautiful lakes, ancient rivers and canals. If we want to continue to have the use of these water facilities we need to make sure that they do not run dry or become polluted. |
|
|