There are lots of big and small ways that you can save water around the home whether that’s creating new habits or utilizing more eco-friendly products. We bring you 20 simple tips.
You don’t have to implement all these tips to save water right away. Start off with a couple of things that are achievable for you right away and then add a new thing whenever you’re ready. Gradually, this environmentally friendly attitude will become second nature to you.
1. Shower bucket
So much water goes down the drain and into waste as you shower. Reduce this waste by placing a bucket under the faucet while you wait for your shower water to heat up.
Use the water collected in the bucket to water your plants or to flush your toilet.
2. Fix your leaks
That tiny drop coming from your kitchen tap adds up to litres of water going to waste. Get a plumber or fix any leaks around the house yourself and save water.
3. Head to the car wash
Washing your car at home with a hose uses more water than if you took it to a carwash. Better still, take it to a car wash that recycles the water.
4. Cut your showers short
Old showerheads use up to 20 litres of water per minute. The more time you spend in the shower the more water you use. Start taking shorter showers to reduce the amount of water you use.
Another way to save water as you shower is to turn off the shower as you soap up, then turn it back on to rinse yourself.
5. Choose efficient fixtures
If you’re looking for ways on how to save water at home consider installing efficiency enhancing fixtures.
Aerate your faucets, get a low-flow toilet, install a low-flow showerhead and use a Water Sense-rated dishwasher and washing machine. All these will save water big time.
6. Shrink your lawn
Reduce the size of your lawn or even do away with it. Instead, have a xeriscaped landscape which requires less water to maintain.
This is because it uses succulents and other plants that thrive in drought conditions. If you must have a lawn, use drought-resistant grasses such as “Eco-Lawn”.
7. Don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine until it’s full
Do you prefer putting your dirty dishes in the washer as you use them? While this is a great way to maintain a sparkly kitchen, so much water goes to waste.
Instead, run your dishwasher or washing machine only when it’s full.
8. Keep an eye on your bill to spot leaks
Have you noticed a sudden spike in your water bill? There’s a good chance that you have a leak somewhere. Get a plumber to check your pipes for any leaks and save water and cash.
9. Install a rain barrel
A lot of rainwater goes to waste. Harvest roof water from gutters and downspouts and use it to water your plants instead of using your hose or sprinkler.
10. Water outdoor plants in the early morning
You’ll need less water for your outdoor plants in the morning as the temperatures are cooler. Less water is lost to evaporation in the morning compared to evenings.
Watering your plants in the evening is also discouraged as it can promote mold growth.
11. Hand-wash a lot of dishes
When washing lots of dishes, fill up your sink with water, instead of letting it run as you scrub each piece of utensil.
Related article: Green Cleaning: The Ultimate Guide to Environmentally Friendly Recipes & Products
12. Wash Fido outdoors
Wash your puppy outside as you water your lawn. Get a gentle soap that will not be harmful to your plants.
13. Turn off faucets
Practice turning off your faucets at every opportunity. Don’t let your faucet run endlessly as you wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash your hands or shave. Turn it on only when necessary.
14. Use every drop. Learn to repurpose water
Have you been wondering how to save on water bill? Reuse your water. You can reuse water at home in so many ways. Rinsing your veggies and fruits? Save the water under your colander and use it to water your garden.
Divert water from your shower drain for flushing the toilet. Reconnect the drain from your washing machine so that excess water from a rinse cycle drains into a larger container and is recycled.
15. Consider a smaller dishwasher
If you don’t have too many dishes to clean at a go, consider getting a double-drawer model dishwasher. It uses less water per load.
Another way to save water when washing dishes is to scrape dishes instead of rinsing them before loading.
16. Buy a high-efficiency washer
Your washer accounts for more than 20 per cent of water use around the home. Reduce the amount of water you use doing your laundry by getting a front-loading machine. An Energy Star–certified machine will save you even more.
17. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge
It’s common practice to run tap water to cool it off for drinking water. You don’t even think about it. You just do it.
But, it is wasteful. To save water, store drinking water in the fridge in a reusable drinking bottle.
18. Cover up your pool
A pool cover reduces evaporation and retains a heated pool’s temperature. A pool cover cuts the amount of pool replacement water by approximately 30 to 50 per cent.
19. Water by hand
Water your small garden by hand instead of using a hose. Hand watering uses 33 per cent less water than automatic irrigation systems.
20. Install water-saving showerheads
Low-flow showerheads use less than 10 litres of water per minute. Restrictors also reduce the amount of water flow on your showerhead.
Consider installing a ShowerStart, or add a ShowerStart converter to your current showerheads. A ShowerStart will automatically pause a running shower once it gets warm.
