World Water Day: Top Tips To Conserve Water

Almost 70% of the earth is covered in water. We can easily take it for granted.  But water is essential for all life on earth.  Being water aware is an important step to protect our planet.  Conserving water means using our water supply wisely and thinking about how we use water in our day-to-day life. The average person uses 129 litres of water a day yet research by Irish Water shows that over 50% of the people surveyed, under-estimate their daily personal water usage by almost half.

Last year’s, hosepipe bans show just how fragile our water supply is in some towns and cities.  Even in rainy old Ireland, a few months of dry weather can leave us struggling to meet water demand. 

We can all make small choices to reduce our water use. Taking a 5-minute shower uses on average 35 litres of water while a bath is equal to approximately 80 litres of water. Simple swaps and new habits will make a big difference in the longer-term when it comes to conserving water.

To celebrate and create some awareness about water conservation on World Water Day, here are some of our Top Tips to help conserve water:

At home

Often when we are at home, we are busy, so conserving water may not be top of our mind. If we create new habits then reducing our water usage will become second nature.

There are many ways to avoid using excess water at home:

• Make sure you mend leaky taps and toilets
• Run your washing machine and dishwasher with full loads
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth - and be sure to remind kids to do the same
• Use a basin in your sink when rinsing food and use it for watering plants

In the garden

When it comes to our garden, we may be inclined to whip out the watering hose on those sunny days to keep our garden alive. It may seem like a small decision but choosing a watering can over the hose does make a substantial difference to the amount of water used.

On average, watering the garden with a hose pipe uses 1000 litres of water an hour. A watering can, even when refilled a number of times, uses less water and there is less water waste. Leaving the hose turned on when your pulling-up that nasty weed, or even running back to turn-off the tap, will use excess water. When using a watering can, we cut out all the unnecessary water loss.

The time of day that you water your plants makes a difference too. Be sure to water your plants or vegetables in the early morning or late evening. This saves water evaporating and avoids scorching your plants and flowers.

Similarly, if you need to wash your car, use a bucket and sponge, instead of a hose.

These small changes will go a long way in reducing our everyday water usage, and most importantly water waste!