7 Ways you may be Wasting Water without realizing it

Because we are in the middle of one of the worst droughts, wasting water is nothing short of a crime. However, did you know that the average person wastes about 100 litres of water every day without even realising it?

Here are a few ways you may be wasting water...

1. Leaving the water running. Never leave the water running when you are brushing your teeth, washing your hands, shaving or doing the dishes! All you need to do is change your habits and you will start to save water.

2. Leaking pipes. The biggest culprit when it comes to leaky pipes is the toilet. If it runs when it is not in use then check the valves and parts inside, otherwise call a plumber. Have your pipes looked at every year to avoid wasting litres of water.

3. Small laundry loads. We all need our clothes to be washed, but it doesn’t have to waste litres of water for no reason. Never run an entire load for one or two shirts, rather wait for a full load or match the water level if your washing machine has that option.

4. Over-watering the garden. Not only does this waste precious water, but it can also be unhealthy for your plants. Here are some suggestions to save water when watering your garden:

-- Place a bucket in your shower and let it catch the water that is wasted when you wait for it to heat up. Use this water to water your garden.
-- Never water your garden when it is windy since most of the water just blows away.
-- Water in the morning and in the evening.
-- Check if the roots are moist before you water your garden.

5. Long showers. This is a luxury that we do not have, and still long showers are contributing to most of the water wastage. Try your best not to shower more than 5 minutes and invest in a low-flow shower head.

6. Using the toilet as a rubbish bin. Never do this! Throw all your garbage in the bin, even if it does seem so much easier to just throw it in the toilet and flush it down. Tissues, paper, hair, etc. – Throw it away!

7. Cleaning outdoors. Hosing off the yard, driveway or patio seems like an easy solution, but it wastes thousands of litres of water! Instead of wasting water, use a broom and sweep these areas clean.

Pay attention to how you use water and your choices won’t escalate into a serious water wasting problem. All you have to do is change a few habits and you’ll shrink your water consumption significantly. 

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