The discussion around water conservation has gone mainstream. Summers are coming earlier and lasting longer and monsoon seasons have been sub-par the last two years. A continued lack of planning has meant massive waste of resources like water and energy with no centralized plan for conservation.
According to the Central Water Commission, as of March 2016, the country has only 27% of the live capacity storage in a total of 91 reservoirs. Water conservation is now in our hands.
Every family has to pitch in and adopt responsible ways of utilizing water. As home owners, there are many ways in which we can contribute to water conservation. We discuss a few suggestions:
Install a water meter
A water meter will help you measure effeciency of your conservation methods. Also, paying bills becomes an incentive to reduce water usage.
Leaky faucets
Often, we take our time to fix leaky taps. While steady drips may seem insignificant, they add up to a large amount of wastage. Get a plumber to fix leaks as soon as possible. As a stopgap measure, you could also collect the leaking water and use it for washing clothes and dishes or for watering plants.
Washing dishes
Majority of the country still cleans dishes by hand. In the midst of washing, taps are left running. Ensuring that taps are turned off between dishes can easily save a large amount of water. Whether you wash the dishes at home or have domestic help for it, a little additional care is a good idea.
Shaving
Rinsing razors while shaving is another source of water wastage. The easiest way to economize in this respect is to fill the sink with water before beginning and utilize the collected water to rinse.
Showers
Singing in the shower is great for stress relief but not so great for the environment! Taking quicker showers and fitting water-saving shower heads can significantly reduce water usage.
Brushing
When brushing our teeth, it is normal practice to let the water run until we are done. Keep the tap turned off while brushing or use a mug of water for brushing.
Gardening
Gardening has a popular activity. However, we tend to use more water than necessary in watering plants. Replacing the garden hose with a watering can is an option.
Washing machines
Resist running half-empty loads of laundry. Full loads ensure water is used judiciously.
Stop flushing garbage
Flushing garbage down the toilet can not only cause blockages but is also an unnecessary waste of water. Dispose cigarette ash or cigarette butts, leftover food, bits of paper and so in garbage bins.
Cistern displacement device
Installing cistern displacement devices in flush tanks can help restrict the amount of water used with every flush.
Other than the measures listed above, you could also consider installing a rainwater harvesting system in your apartment, if there isn’t one in place already. For apartment owners, convincing association members into encouraging more judicious water usage is ideal.
