From The Straits Times    |

Image: 123rf

Last week the new budget was announced for the forthcoming year, and we all gasped at the 30% increase in water prices. 

Whilst this may offer some initial groans, it is actually a positive thing for us, because it pushes us all to start conserving our water.  If you’re yet to be mindful over your water usage, now is the time to start!

To help you save water, money and look after the environment too (what’s not to love here?) we’ve got 10 easy and simple tips and tricks to help.

Go forth and be a water warrior. 

Image: Giphy

1. Wash up by hand instead of using a dishwasher

Whilst it is easy to stack up the dishes into a dishwasher and lazily push a button, it does often mean more water is used than traditional washing up.  Particularly if you’re a repeat offender on only loading it up half way before turning it on. Washing dishes by hand means you have complete control over the amount you use and, let’s be honest, means you’ll have cleaner utensils available more readily!

2. Take shorter showers

This one is a no-brainer.  Yes, we do so love a long shower after a hard day at the office. They’re relaxing and soothing. We also enjoy some pamper and scrub time in the ol’ watering hole, feeling super refreshed when we emerge.  However, if we were to ‘see’ the amount of water we waste with every shower, we’d be horrified. We’re not saying you can no longer enjoy your shower, but decreasing the time every day will have a huge impact on your bill. 

3. Turn the sink tap off when brushing teeth

This one is another obvious point, but many neglect to do so.  As we brush our teeth, we technically do not need the tap running at all.  It is easy to do, but it’s so very wasteful as the water is simply leaving the tap and heading straight down the plug hole.  Instead, only use the tap when you need to run your brush under it or empty the sink. Once you get into the habit, it will be like auto-pilot. 

Image: 123rf

4. Ensure your washing machine is loaded fully for each cycle

When you need THAT pair of jeans for the weekend but you’ve not got many darks to wash yet, it can be tempting to just shove them into the washing machine for a small cycle anyway. Unfortunately, this is a huge waste of water. We don’t wish for you to go around smelling or anything, but if you can try get more than one use out of your clothes before you commit them to the laundry bag, you’ll see a huge difference. 

5. Don’t use the toilet as a rubbish bin

When the cat was sick or the baby spat up everywhere or the ashtray is full, it’s easy to chuck stuff straight into the loo and flush.  Not only does this cause havoc with the pipeline system and often leads to blocked toilets *yuk* over time, it also needlessly uses water too. Avoid any access water waste by using a rubbish bin where possible.

6. Only use garden sprinklers when necessary

For those who like to keep their grass super green, the sprinklers are an easy option…especially in the heights of Summer. Whilst they do keep the vegetation looking beautiful, they’re not really required to be on for that long.  Choose a garden hose and water the lawn by hand instead – it is more manual labour but will save you heaps in water bill. 

7. Water house plants with waste water from kitchen (ie boiled vegetable water)

When you next boil pasta or vegetables, don’t pour the drained water straight down the sink.  Instead, let it cool down and then use it to water the plants inside and on the balcony. Heck, the vegetable nutrients in the water may even help the soil more than normal tap water! Genius life hack right here. 

8. Buy a filter jug instead of bottled water

In the Singapore heat, grabbing endless bottles of water from the shop chiller is an easy and desirable option. However, it isn’t the best way to conserve water. If you can, invest in a filter jug at home, and then re-use water bottles with the filtered tap water.  You can prep the water bottles and store in the fridge, thus giving you your own filtered ice-cold water ready for when you leave your pad. This also means re-using plastic bottles which is another environmentally friendly practice too!

Image: 123rf

9. Use sink plugs when doing the washing up

When you do your washing up, it is easy to just run the tap and wash each item separately. We suggest using a sink plug, filling up the sink with soapy water first, and then wash up your items in here.  It saves on both water AND washing up liquid. 

10. Replace pet’s water bowls every other day (not daily)

We’re a bunch of suckers when it comes to our furry loved ones. They look up at us with those large eyes and we hand over the biscuits, no questions asked. If you find yourself changing their water bowl daily, you’ll notice that actually, they NEVER drink it all (but if they do then please do ensure they have fresh water available at all times). Change it every other day instead. It is the little things that count towards the big things after all. 

Image: 123rf

 

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