Water Efficiency Campaign
With those of us who live in the NW being asked to conserve
water this summer, it seemed as good a time as any to look at what we can all
do to save water. Little changes every day can make a huge difference and if
you are on a water metre they will save you money too!
Did you know: we are
dependent on reservoirs only?
The North West is almost completely dependent on reservoirs
for its water supply. Unlike other areas of the country which have ground water
to top up their reservoir supplies, the North West doesn’t have these extra
reserves. If it doesn’t rain they don’t fill up. Most of our water in
Manchester comes from reservoirs in the Lake District and is transported via a
network of pipes to reach your taps.
Why do we need a hose pipe
ban?
Well, it is down to human behaviour. The water companies can
ask everyone to think about how much water they are using, but if your prize
roses and cucumbers are under threat you may still be tempted to use your
hosepipe.
Hosepipes and sprinklers use an incredible amount of water –
more water in one hour than a family of four will use in a day – and the ban
will help to ensure that we have enough water to go round for essentials such
as drinking, washing and cooking.
Did you know: you can get
free water saving gadgets from your water company
From gadgets to regulate the water from your shower and
taps, to timers for teeth cleaning and showers. There are also special bags which
you can put in your cistern which can save 1 litre of water each time you
flush. There are also special crystals which can be used to reduce the amount
of water you need to give your plants. All free, so why wouldn’t you get them?
For those who want to go that step further they also sell
water butts to store water which can then be used for your garden.
How can I save water?
You have heard some of these tips many times, if we all did
them we would save huge volumes of water each day, and money if you are on a
water metre!
Home and dry
·
Turn the tap off when you are brushing your
teeth – this saves 6 litres of water per minute that could be up to 48 litres a
day for a family of hour;
·
Spend one minute less in the shower – if a
family of four did this you would save 36 litres of water a day;
·
Use a washing up bowl or a dishwasher,
dishwashers often use less water than washing the dishes by hand – just make
sure it is a full load each time.
Keep your garden
blooming
·
Ditch the hosepipe, hosepipes use hundreds of
litres of water an hour. Use a watering can for your plants, and a bucket and
sponge for your car, and you’ll be doing the environment a good turn;
·
Reusing water from the home in the garden, think
about ways you can reuse any water from the home in the garden. Plants can be
watered with bath, shower and kitchen water. Soil and potting compost are
effective at filtering out contaminants including soaps and detergents, so
there's no need to worry about using it on your plants;
·
Use mulch for moisture, add a layer of mulch (e.g.
bark chips, manure) over your soil to retain moisture and keep weeds at bay;
·
Choose less thirsty plants; try planting
drought-resistant plants, such as geraniums. They look great, and require a lot
less water, and not watering them as often means you can save time too;
·
Buy a butt, a water butt collects the rain from
your roof, so you can give your plants a drink.
How much water can we
save in the office?
·
Well, none of us are indulging in a lunch time
bath, but we could reduce the water we use in the shower. The average shower
uses 36 litres of water;
·
Only go when you really need to! Each flush of
the toilet uses 9 litres. With around 40 people going to the loo 4 times a day
that is 1,440 litres of water a day;
·
Are you actually thirsty or is that coffee a
habit;
·
Now we all need to keep hydrated, so don’t start
scrimping on your water consumption and keeling over, but 40 cups of coffee/tea
or whatever you choice is works out as about 10 litres of water;
·
The big one where we could make a real
difference is on the washing up. Use the washing up bowl rather than
individually running the tap, the water will stay clean for a while, and when
it is dirty refill it. If you don’t need your cups and cutlery clean straight
away, put them in the dishwasher. We can put a full load on every evening and
save all that water.
How much water are you using
at home?
If you have a water meter, your water company will send you details
of how much water you are using. You can use this to see where you could make
savings.
An average family of four uses around 164 cubic metres of
water each year. That is 450 litres of water a day.
One cubic metre of water can give you
·
1 bath (77 litres), and;
·
3 washing machine loads (213 litres), and;
·
6 showers (216 litres), and;
·
32 toilet flushes (288 litres), and;
·
49 cups of tea or coffee (12 litres), and;
·
3 dishwasher loads (45 litres), and;
·
Other general use (149 litres).
Thanks to the HAGIS Green Impact team for the brilliant
content.