Don't waste water at home: 15 tips

Watering plants? Best after sunset. Do you only have a few dishes to wash? A basin will do. Appliances: choose energy-efficient ones. Running the tap while brushing your teeth? Thirty liters wasted.

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saving water at home
Twenty liters if we turn off the water while shaving, thirty if we do it while brushing our teeth. One hundred liters if we wash the car with a bucket and not a hose. The list of household wastes water It's really very long, also because we have the feeling, not always correct, that water costs little.

How to save water at home

Water is undoubtedly one of the most precious things we possess, but it's not an inexhaustible resource, and it's crucial to learn not to waste it. Even if it doesn't seem like it, unfortunately, there are many daily occasions when waste is just around the corner: from personal hygiene to house cleaning to theirrigation of plants, we often consume much more water than what we really need. Yet, reducing waste and bills takes very little: just follow a few simple steps with guaranteed results.

To avoid waste water It is also necessary to identify possible sources of losses and equally possible savings. Or of excessive consumption. This is why some actions involving the taps and the use of rainwater.

Ways to save water

Here are all the precautions to put into practice in our homes every day to don't waste water:

  • Install a flow reducer on your taps: the water mixes with air, saving up to 30 percent water.
  • Choose the shower instead of the bath: on average, filling the bathtub consumes four times more water than filling the bathtub. shower.
  • To reduce water consumption in bathroom, keep the tap open only for the time necessary.
  • Purchase A+ rated appliances designed to reduce water consumption. The purchase price may be higher, but the energy savings and longevity will make it worthwhile.
  • Only run full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher, and clean the appliance's filter periodically. Also, be careful about the amount of detergent you use: good-quality washing machines and dishwashers work perfectly well with just half the dosage indicated on the packaging. Also, avoid washing at very high temperatures: for example, for machine-washable items, temperatures around 50-60 degrees Celsius are more than sufficient and help fabrics last longer.
  • For ironing, opt for a steam iron with a water tank: it allows you to do without various additives and ironing products, which pollute and can be done without.
  • Wash dishes, fruit and vegetables in a bowl and use running water only for rinsing.
  • Reuse the water used to wash vegetables to water the garden.
  • Water your plants in the evening: after sunset, water evaporates more slowly.
  • In the bathroom, choose a toilet with a separate flush and a dual flush button. Choose a 6- or 12-liter cistern: they're more than enough.
  • When you're away for a long period of time, it's best to turn off the main water valve. This will avoid unpleasant surprises in the event of an undisclosed leak.
  • Check periodically by turning off all the taps: if the water meter still turns, there is a leak.
  • When washing your car, use a bucket and sponge: it saves a lot of water compared to using a hose.
  • Collect rainwater and air conditioning water and use it for non-potable purposes, such as washing your car and watering your garden.
  • Ensure proper maintenance: a tap that leaks one drop per second wastes around 5.000 litres in a year.

For save and don't waste water We also need to be aware of some absurd consumption habits. These are the ones we engage in, perhaps unconsciously, due to a lack of knowledge about unnecessary consumption. Here are the most important ones:

  • Thirty liters. That's the waste of water if you leave the tap running while brushing your teeth.
  • Twenty liters. More saving important and simple: just don't slide water while shaving.
  • Twenty liters. Every day, twenty liters less if we simply install separate-flow toilets.
  • From forty to sixty liters. It is the saving for every full load dishwasher and washing machine wash.
  • One hundred liters. saving di water if you wash your car with a bucket instead of a hose.
  • Four liters. The saving daily if you wash the vegetables by leaving them to soak instead of using thewater current. 

how to save water at home 1

Reducing food waste also helps save water. And it can be achieved with a few simple choices in our daily lifestyles.
  • Plan your shopping and check your existing supplies so you only buy what you need and expect to consume soon.
  • Take advantage of offers only if you are sure you will consume those products.
  • Purchase products with a longer shelf life, i.e., a longer expiration date, only when absolutely necessary, i.e., when you don't plan to consume the product anytime soon.
  • Bring frozen products home as quickly as possible to avoid interrupting the cold chain and accelerating the spoilage process.
  • Follow the instructions on the label regarding how to store the products you purchase.
  • Organize your pantry, putting the products that expire first close at hand and those that can be kept for longer further back.
  • Check that the refrigerator is working properly (the walls must be dry and there must be no ice in the freezer).
  • Don't serve too large portions; anyone who wants can help themselves later.
  • Reuse leftovers, even using them as ingredients for new dishes.
  • Ask for the doggy bag, if there is leftover food at the restaurant.

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