Ever stopped to think how much water you use in a day? Not many people do, and it can be surprising when you start to consider the pressure that our overall consumption puts on the environment, and the costs of water filtering, purification and pumping.
These factors are not considered by a majority of people, and is one of the main reasons why we take water for granted.
Supplying water has a great impact on natural bodies, such as rivers, lakes, and fresh water sources, which most people do not realise when involved in everyday tasks.
The energy used to filter, purify and pump water to the public is ever increasing, and in some cases, unnecessary.
For example, the total rainfall in the U.
K.
in 2008 was 1299.
3mm, but it is surprising that only a handful of Britons collect this rainfall to use in their garden or the home.
The amount saved from partaking in such a small task would benefit the environment greatly.
Benefits.
The main benefit of saving water is to preserve these natural bodies for wildlife and for future generations.
With the increasing population in towns and cities, these natural water bodies are taking the strain for our ever-increasing demand for fresh water in our homes.
If we all did our bit to preserve our water supply, we could lower the demand for this water, which would improve wildlife in natural water bodies, and lower demand on water pipes throughout the towns and cities.
As the population increases, the demand on water mains and sewerage pipes is also increased.
With this growing demand comes burst water and sewerage pipes leading the wasted water, contaminated water which is of no use to the population, and increasing costs to fix these problems.
By implementing the following steps into your daily routine, we can benefit the environment, lower water meter bills and lower the amount of wasted water through burst water mains.
How can I save water? There are many simple ways to save water throughout the home including the following: By turning your taps off whilst brushing your teeth or shaving can cave up to 1 litre of water every 10 seconds.
Storing water in the fridge saves you from running the tap for prolonged periods.
By using products such as a "Hippo water saver", you can save up to 3 litres every time you flush the toilet.
Alternatively, place a brick or a bottle of water in your cistern to lower the amount of water needed to flush the toilet.
Use a watering can in the garden to water your plants.
By directly watering your plants at their base, the amount of wasted water that usually ends up on the plants' leaves is lowered.
In addition to using a watering can, collect rainwater in anything you have at hand.
Buckets or empty dustbins are a good way of collecting rainwater, and your plants will benefit from the lower amount of chemicals in the water.
Take 5-minute showers instead of baths.
Baths use around 230 litres of water, whereas a standard shower uses around 9 litres per minute.
By taking quick showers instead of baths, you could make 1000 cups of tea with the saved water each week.
Finally, always use your dishwater or washing machine when it is fully loaded, and use the "Economy" setting if you have one.
If everybody was to apply these techniques into their everyday lives, just think how much water could be saved, and how many burst water mains would be prevented.