Today marks World Water Day, a day to raise awareness of water poverty and sanitation crises around the world. This year, the United Nations is holding the UN 2023 Water Conference where they will be launching their Water Action Agenda. There has been no such event for close to fifty years!
The Water Action Agenda outlines countless ways countries and industries strive to achieve freshwater and sanitation. While we don’t expect one person to save the world, there are many small changes you can make in your life to save water resources, make a change, and raise awareness. If one household, then one street, then one town makes these changes, the impact will be phenomenal.
And remember, saving water is for life NOT just for World Water Day.
We have scoured the internet and surveyed various sources to bring you this list of the top 11 things you can do to save water in your home. They’re so simple, even the kids can get involved!
1. If you’re anything like us, this first one will be the toughest change because it’s the only one asking you to give something up. It is recommended that we swap baths for showers and cut showering time down to 5 minutes. This may be difficult for some but the truth of the matter is that if you even take one less bath and cut 5 minutes off your showering time then you’ve already made an amazing start and should feel proud. Even small changes have big impacts.
2. Reusing water is one of the simplest ways to save water and help the planet. Bathwater, rainwater, water from washing produce, the cold water before your shower heats, the old water from your pet’s bowl - all of this gets washed down the drain when it would be better served in your garden helping your plants and produce to grow. You can also reuse water from boiling pasta and vegetables, for soups and broths.
3. Making the most out of your utilities. Take a leaf out of Derry Girls mother Mary Quinn’s book and only run your washing machine at full capacity even if it means stealing dirty washing from everyone around you. Save up your dirty clothes and do bigger, less frequent loads. The same goes for your dishwasher - you’re better off filling your dishwasher to the brim than washing dishes in a basin or under a running tap.
4. Don’t let the tap run. Whether you’re brushing your teeth, washing your hands, or having a shower - the water doesn’t need to be running the entire time. Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth or wash your face. Lather your hands up with soap before turning the tap on and rinsing it off, same for your hair and body in the shower!
5. Check for leaks. Leaks in your home cause immense water waste while also hiking up your water bill! Closely monitor your water bill and if the numbers look weird - check for a leak! One way to do this so that even the kids can get involved is to add some food colouring into the toilet cistern, if it appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, you’ve got a leak on your hands!
6. Only use what you need. Don’t overfill the pet bowl if they’re unlikely to drink everything, don’t fill the kettle to the top when you’re only making 2 cups of tea, and don’t fill a huge bottle of water if you only want a couple of sips. It is suggested to fill a jug of water and keep it in the fridge for the whole household to prevent repeated tap running. However, if you do use more water than you require, give the leftovers to your plants, they’ll appreciate it. They also loooove the ice cubes you dropped on the floor, don’t just kick them under the fridge….
7. Reduce your food waste and in turn, you reduce the massive amount of water used by the agriculture and livestock industry as they struggle to meet the demand for more and more food. Additionally, introducing more plant-based meals into your diet can save litres of water and in turn, help the planet.
8. If you can, introduce a water-efficient toilet (or a cistern displacement device) and shower head into your home. That one’s pretty self-explanatory.
9. Ditch the hose. Wash your car with a bucket and sponge, and water your lawn with a watering can. Both help save masses of water.
10. Water plants etc in the early morning or late at night to prevent the water from being evaporated before it can do its job, leaving your plants gasping for more and more water. Be sure to water the soil, that’s where the plants pull their nutrients from.
11. Use a reusable water bottle and fill it up at your local Scottish Water Top Up Tap like our brand new one on the waterfront!
Honourable mentions:
- use lids on saucepans to prevent water from spilling over the sides and going to waste
- clean veg in the basin, not under the tap and reuse the water for plants
- steam veg rather than boiling it
- do your planting in spring when plants need less water
- use a broom for paths etc rather than a hose
- keep your grass taller - it holds more moisture that way
- bin tissues instead of flushing them
- keep water activities to a minimum in the summer
- grow your own food!
- get drought-resistant plants
- use mulch and bark to reduce evaporation
How many do you already do and how many are you starting today?
