SAVE WATER

-Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth – this can save 6 litres of water per minute.-Place a cistern displacement device in your toilet cistern to reduce the volume of water used in each flush. You can get one of these from your water provider.-Take a shorter shower. Shower can use anything between 6 and 45 litres per minute.-Always use full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher – this cuts out unnecessary washes in between.-Fix a dripping tap. A dripping tap can waste 15 litres of water a day, or 5,500 litres of water a year.-Install a water butt to your drainpipe and use the water collected to water your plants, clean your car and wash your windows.-Water your garden with a watering can rather than a hosepipe. A hosepipe uses 1,000 litres of water an hour. Mulching your plants and watering in the early morning and late afternoon will reduce evaporation and also save water.-Fill a jug with tap water and place this in your fridge. This will mean you do not have to leave the cold tap running for the water to run cold before you fill your glass.-Install a water meter. When you're paying your utility provider for exactly how much water you use, laid out in an itemised bill, there's an incentive to waste less of the stuff.-Invest in water-efficient goods when you need to replace household products. You can now buy water-efficient showerheads, taps, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers and many other water-saving products. For more information visit the Waterwise website.

What should you do?

Why does saving water matter?

Even though water doesn't appear in short supply in Europe, using less water actually means you are:

-Reducing energy use. Cleaning waste water (or 'grey water', as it's called) is an energy-intensive process; so is heating the hot water that comes out of your taps.

-Saving money. If you're on a water meter, these tips above could save you some money.

6.Collect the water you use while rinsing fruit and vegetables. Use it to water house plants.

1.Select the proper pan size for cooking. Large pans may require more cooking water than necessary.

3.Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.

4.Install aerators on the kitchen faucet to reduce flows to less than 1 gallon per minute.

2.Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap.

5.When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run. Fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water.

1.Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Instead, compost vegetable food waste and save gallons every time.

5.Don’t use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator. Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap.

4.If you accidentally drop ice cubes, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.

3.Cook food in as little water as possible. This also helps it retain more nutrients.

2.Run the dishwasher only when full to save water and energy. Dishwashers typically use less water than washing dishes by hand. If your dishwasher is new, cut back on rinsing. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.

1.Take five-minute showers instead of 10 minute showers. Save: 12.5 gallons with a low flow showerhead, 25 gallons with a standard 5.0 gallon per minute showerhead.

2.When washing your hands, turn the water off while you lather.

4.Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket.

3.Install low-flow showerheads. Save: 2.5 Gallons

1.Plug the sink instead of running the water to rinse your razor.

2.Turn water off when brushing teeth or shaving.

3.Washing dark clothes in cold water saves water and energy, and helps your clothes retain their color.

5.Use the washing machine for full loads only to save water and energy. Install a water-efficient clothes washer.

6.Fill the bathtub halfway or less. When running a bath, plug the bathtub before turning on the water. Adjust the temperature as the tub fills. Take a (short) shower instead of a bath. A bathtub can use up to 70 gallons of water.

4.Install a high-efficiency toilet. Read more about toilets Be sure to test your toilet for leaks at least once a year. Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak. Fix it and start saving gallons. Consider buying a dual-flush toilet. It has two flush options: a half-flush for liquid waste and a full-flush for solid waste.

Did you know that less than 1% of all the water on Earth can be used by people? The rest is salt water (the kind you find in the ocean) or is permanently frozen and we can't drink it, wash with it, or use it to water plants.As our population grows, more and more people are using up this limited resource. Therefore, it is important that we use our water wisely and not waste it.

WHY TO SAVE WATER

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The presentation was made by Group 1