Simply Save Water at Home

Water is the most easily available resource yet inadvertently wasted. Domestic use of water at homes is over 40%. So there is a huge potential for its saving. Most wastage happens through carelessness or lack of awareness. Here are few simple but powerful practical tips on saving water at homes:

1. Ease Pressure - Plug Those Leaks
   
   Leaks - both seen and unseen. This is the most unnoticed channel of wastage. More often one is not even aware that the tank or toilet cistern is leaking as the water leaks silently. Put a few drops of coloring into the tank and watch. If you see color, then you should see red(call the plumber). Same for leaks in taps washers. Have the plumber check water pressure in the pipes. A reducer fitted steps down the pressure and cuts wastage.
   
   
   

   To check for hidden leaks note water meter reading and recheck meter couple of hours later without using any water. If the meter reading is unchanged you are in luck else more moolah for plumber.

2. At Bath
   
   Bath tub, shower, bucket bath - you can save water in that order. Shifting to left most option is the best. If you prefer shower - less time is more. Avoid flushing of toilets for disposing dry rubbish like cigarette butts, tissue etc. Dispose them in bins instead. For more extreme measure you can place a voluminous object like brick inside the toilet cistern. That will mean less water at each flush. Retrofit all wasteful household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors. Also close taps while brushing/ shaving.
3. Washing Appliances
   
   If you use washing appliances for the purpose notice how often we use it without much forethought. We run them on very less loads. Washing machines and Dishwashers are water guzzlers. So plan their use on full loads only. That way you save both water and power.
4. The Three Bucket Formula
   
   Lets say we start with washing clothes. Take one full bucket of fresh clean water - lets call this blue bucket. Rinse the soaped clothes in this blue bucket. Now do not throw away this soapy water - yellow bucket. Use this water to mop your floors and veranda. Do not throw the resultant dirty water yet - red bucket. Use this for lawns or garden. You can group your work to suit respective buckets. For example - Blue bucket activities are vegetable washing, thawing foods, washing before dinner utensils etc. Like wise yellow bucket and red bucket activities can be grouped.

If we all do our bit we can really go a long way in conserving this precious resource and putting to rest skeptics who profess that the next major global conflict will be over water.