21 Easy Tips on How to Save Water in Daily Life
India is one of the most water-stressed nations in the world.
Do you know why?
Because it has 18% of the world’s population but only 4% of its water resources.
Sounds alarming?
Yes, the situation is depressing.
But, it is never too late.
It’s the right time to make collective efforts toward saving every drop of water.
Even if your home has an abundant water supply, saving water and reducing wastage becomes a shared responsibility for future generations.
Whether you’re washing your clothes, taking a bath, shaving, brushing, or gardening, you can adopt some effortless ways to start saving RIGHT NOW.
We have listed some of the most basic and effective tips on how you can save water in your daily life.
How to Save Water in the Bathroom
1. Fix your Leaks
Known or unknown leaks in taps, pipes, and toilets can result in up to 11,000 Liters of water being wasted. You should always check all your bath fittings for any leakage and get the leaks repaired as soon as possible. It will reduce the wastage of water and avoid any damage to your walls and fittings.
Use our water wastage calculator to get a fair idea of the amount of water your leaky faucet or tap may be wasting.
2. Turn Off the Tap While Brushing your Teeth or Shaving
An average tap or faucet throws approximately 10 liters of water every minute. So don’t leave the tap open while brushing or shaving. Please turn off the faucet after you wet your brush and turn it on when it’s time to rinse.
3. Turn Off the Tap While Washing your Hands
Do not leave the tap running while you’re scrubbing your hands. Wet your hands and turn off the tap; turn on the tap when you need to rinse.
4. Flush with Less
Older toilet flush systems use 3 to 4 times more water as compared to the new ones. Convert your old flush toilet to a dual-flush toilet. A dual-flush toilet allows you to use less water to flush liquid waste and more water to flush solid waste by pressing the correct button.
5. Install a Tap/Faucet Aerator
Adding an aerator to your tap/faucet will add air to the water flow, giving you a more consistent stream while also using less water overall. Tap/Faucet aerators are very easy to install, inexpensive, and highly effective. Taps/faucets with aerators can save up to 80% of water than tap/faucets without aerators. Aerators should also be used in taps/faucets in bathrooms.
6. Bath for Shorter Duration
Bathing or taking a shower for longer durations requires more water. Try to reduce the shower duration. It will not only save the much-needed water but will also give you more time to enjoy other things.
Relevant link: Best hard water softener for the bathroom.
How to Save Water in the Kitchen
1. Don’t Use RO Water Purifiers (if RO purification is not necessary)
Do you know that an average RO purifier wastes approximately 3 litres of water for every 1 litre of purified water?
That means only 25% of water is purified, and 75% of water comes out as waste.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has specified the maximum TDS limit for safe drinking water as 500 mg/L. Therefore, you should avoid using an RO water purifier if the TDS level of the input water is below 500 mg/L. Please also get your water checked for harmful heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and mercury.
In such a case, using a UV+UF water purifier would be more appropriate.
Save water by not using RO water purifiers if RO purification is not necessary. Use water purifiers using alternate purification technologies like Gravity Based water purifiers, UV water purifiers, UV+UF water purifiers, etc.
2. Using an RO Purifier? Reduce & Re-use the RO Waste Water
As detailed in the above point, you should only use an RO water purifier if necessary. Suppose the input water quality is such that it is required to use an RO water purifier at your home. Then it would be best to reduce and re-use the RO wastewater.
- Reduce: Most RO water purifiers only recover around 20-25% water as purified drinking water. Some brands have tried to address this concern by improving the recovery rate by up to 50%. Always check the purifier’s recovery rate while buying a new RO purifier. You can also reduce the amount of wastewater that your existing RO purifier produces by periodically changing the filters and RO membrane. The wastewater increases when filters and RO membrane gets choked. A choked RO membrane will have a very poor recovery rate. Suppose you notice your purifier is taking more than usual time to fill the storage tank or there is an increase in the amount of wastewater. In that case, it is time for you to get the filters and membrane checked.
- Re-use: Don’t let the RO wastewater flow down the drain. You can store the wastewater in a tank or bucket. Re-use this wastewater for other household works like washing utensils, floor mopping, washing your car, watering your plants, etc. Please visit the following link to understand how you can re-use the RO wastewater.
3. Washing Dishes by Hand?
When you are washing dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running for rinsing. Fill up your sink with water, or use a large pan or bucket for rinsing the dishes. It will minimize water wastage by not letting the water run the whole time when you’re scrubbing the dishes.
4. Washing Dishes by Dishwasher?
Always remember to load your dishwasher to its full capacity. It will avoid multiple running cycles of the dishwasher and will save a lot of water.
5. Defrost Frozen Food in the Refrigerator
If you are cooking frozen foods or vegetables, then instead of soaking them in the water, you can use your refrigerator’s defrost option. But for doing this, you will have to plan a little earlier as defrosting with the fridge will take some time.
6. Clean Fruits & Vegetables in a Pan
When you need to clean fruits and vegetables with water, try filling up a pan of water to wash them instead of letting the faucet run. By doing this, you will use less water and use the water from the pan for watering your plants.
How to Save Water While Washing Clothes
1. Replace your Old In-efficient Washing Machine with an Efficient Washing Machine
– Old-style top-loading washing machines use 150 to 170 Liters of water per wash. You can reduce this by up to 50% by using high-efficiency top-loading washing machines. Front-loading washing machines use much less water and electricity than top-loading washing machines.
2. Don’t Run Empty Washing Machines
Don’t just run your washing machine for a couple of socks or 1 or 2 shirts. Make sure you’re washing a full load of laundry. When washing your clothes, use the economy mode – this will save you both water and electricity.
3. Wash Less Often
Several clothes like sweaters, jeans, towels, track pants and jackets do not require washing every time you wear them. It will not only save water but will save wear and tear on your clothes.
How to Save Water Outdoors
1. Install a Water Meter
A water meter will help measure the amount of water you use. It is an essential tool in your fight against reducing the wastage of water. Because without measuring the water usage, you may feel that you are not wasting the water. Once you install a water meter, you might be shocked to find out how much water you are using. Meters can also be beneficial in detecting leaks – take the meter reading, wait for an hour or two without running any water, and reread it. If there is any difference in the meter reading, then you know something is leaking.
2. Stop the Overflow
Almost all homes and commercial premises in India have overhead tanks for water storage. And all of us have seen ours or our neighbors’ water tanks overflowing at some point in time. We can quickly stop the overflow from our water tanks and save hundreds of liters of water daily by only using one of the below solutions:
- Install a Float Valve: A float valve is inexpensive, but highly effective equipment for stopping the tank overflow. It automatically prevents the incoming water flow in the tank when the tank’s water reaches the maximum level. This solution is best suited for water tanks that are filled using normal incoming water pressure. Remember, you should never install a standard float valve if you use a water motor/pump to fill the water tank.
- Water Tank Overflow Alarm: A float valve is an excellent equipment for stopping the tank overflow if you do not use a water pump. But what about the people who are using a water pump? Water Tank Overflow Alarm is a small electronic device that alerts you every time water overflows from your tank. It does not stop the flow of water. It merely raises an alarm so you can shut off the water pump. This simple device not only saves water but also saves electricity. It automatically switches off your water pump after your water tank is full.
- Automatic Water Level Controller: As the name suggests, an Automatic Water Level Controller is an electronic device that controls or manages the water level in your water tank. It consists of an electronic controller and water level sensors. The electronic controller is connected to the electric supply, water motor/pump, and sensors. This device automatically switches on/off your water pump when the tank’s water level reaches the minimum/maximum level.
All of these solutions not only help you in saving water and electricity but are also very helpful in preventing damage to roofs and walls from overflowing water.
3. Use Smart Watering Tactics on your Garden and Plants
You can keep your home garden and plants green and healthy without wasting too much water. It would be best if you only watered areas that truly need it. The best time of day to do your watering is in the morning or evening so that the water doesn’t immediately evaporate. Do not water on a rainy day. Water deeply, but less often. It will encourage plants to grow deeper roots, and plants with deeper roots require water less frequently. If you are watering using a pipe, connect a hose or spray gun at the end. Water-saving hoses and spray guns cover more area and use comparatively lesser water.
4. Don’t Plant Grass If you Have Water Shortage
Do you live in an area with insufficient water supply or inadequate rainfall? The best advice anyone can give you is not to plant grass because grass requires a considerable amount of water. You can instead grow plants that don’t need as much water.
5. Use a Bucket to Wash your Car
While using a bucket may require a little more effort but using a bucket instead of a running water pipe to wash your car will reduce water wastage.
6. Don’t Wash the Verandah or Backyard with a Pipe
If you need to clean your verandah or backyard, use a broom to remove dry matter. If the area still needs additional cleaning, use a bucket of water.
Conclusion
By implementing just a few of these simple tips, you can make a big impact on your water usage and help conserve this valuable resource. Every little bit counts, so start making a difference today by saving water at home. You’ll be doing your part to protect the environment and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
Let’s join hands with us and take a pledge to save the water. Be more responsible and act now to save the earth and lives before it’s too late.
Share this with your friends and start a campaign to make them aware of how they can begin to save water today.
Like this information? Or have something to share? Connect with us on Facebook
Thank you so much for your help I don’t know how can I say you thanks….. I have to make a file my teacher says. And I have to write some points on the water so you help me very very much and please make some more points. Thank you so much.
Thanks a lot for valuable information to save water. I will adopt 90% of those you said….
Close your main valve when your not in your home for few days
Thank you for this information, it helped me with my class assessment
Nowadays the saving of water is very necessary. A very effective way is given. Must read.
Keep going on. Thanks
A good article. Very good info and tips.
For Indians, I would suggest, that we should use a bucket rather than a shower for bathing. I have experimented, even if you are using Shampoo to wash hair every day and a conditioner, one bucket you can easily complete your bath. Saves lot of water.
thanks for the information
Very nice and useful article
It is easy to teach others but We should try by own to save earth by saving water I promise I’ll follow your instructions
Very useful tips on saving water in daily life. If each one of us follow these tips then every home will save thousands of litres of water every month. Drinking water is limited and we should not waste even a single drop of water.
I really enjoyed this write-up. Saving water is certainly a very important topic for all of us, and even more important for those living in homes paying their own water bill. These tips you’ve provided will save homeowners lots of money in the long-run. Something that kind of shocked me in the very beginning of your write-up. I was not aware only 1% of the world’s water is easily accessible to us. That is a shocking fact. This was certainly a wonderful read. Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂
Agree with the Article.
Every single human has to think about saving water. After, reading this post one will know that they were wasting water without knowing it.
Great Read.