Many parts of England and Wales are facing serious water shortages this summer after the Environment Agency warned that the worst drought in a century could be on its way. Increased demand coupled with dwindling supplies has raised the spectre of a return to stand-pipes in the streets, a scenario not seen since 1976.
The need to conserve water has become greater than ever before as supplies of the resource that almost all of us take for granted run dangerously low. Environmental awareness has forced manufacturers into creating more energy efficient household appliances and many people have already installed water harvesting systems and filters in their homes. However, there are a range of different measures which each of us can adopt right now which will greatly reduce the amount of water we consume each day for little, or in most cases, no financial outlay at all. While the tips listed below may appear to be naively simple, a few small changes to our daily lifestyles can have the greatest impact of all.
- Take showers as opposed to baths wherever possible. Space permitting, you can also place a bucket in the shower to catch any waste water which can then be used to water your garden. You should also attempt to reduce the time you spend in the shower each day.
- Install a water saving device in your toilet cistern. Often no more than a bag of harmless crystals, these can save up to 1 litre per flush. They cost next to nothing to purchase and you’ll also see savings on your water bill.
- The common sense measures. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. Leaving the tap running while brushing can waste up to 6 litres per minute. Wait until you have a full load for your washing machine – a full load uses less water than two half loads. When boiling a kettle, only fill it with enough water for your needs. If you’re making two cups of tea, measure the water needed in the cups before pouring into the kettle. This has the added bonus of using less energy, thus reducing your fuel bills. To get cooler water in your sink, turn the hot tap down rather than the cold tap up.
- Space permitting, keep your drinking water in the fridge. This will stop you from running the tap while you are waiting for cold water to flow. Think twice before you pour water down the drain, it could be used for watering your garden or for cleaning.
Boiling an egg? Let the water cool and give it to your plants which will benefit from the nutrients released from the shell. Likewise, if you’re cleaning out a dirty fish tank, keep the water for your houseplants. It's rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, which provides an excellent fertiliser.
Be aware of and follow water conservation measures in your area. Hefty fines await those who break hosepipe bans and drought orders. If you spot significant water losses such as broken pipes, report them to the property owner or your local water authority. If you have one, familiarise yourself with your water meter and check it regularly. The amount of water you use could come as something of a surprise.
- Fix any dripping tap as soon as you can. The price of a new washer is next to nothing, the cost of a dripping tap on your water bill is not. A dripping tap could be wasting up to 90 litres of water each week.
- Finally, you could follow the example of London Mayor Ken Livingstone who recently revealed that he and his family do nut flush the toilet if they have had only a small pee; "The experiment in my home, which is now into its second year, has been a success. We continued with it right through the summer and never once did a great bluebottle come into the bathroom.” "After all, why would a bluebottle wish to slurp up a little bit of nitrogenous waste? It has no nutritional value at all. It's just that people have a perception that their urine is some sort of liquid form of their excreta.” "A lot of gardeners put their urine in a bucket and actually use it. Plant roots love it."
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