Water Saving Tips and Our Committment To Conserving Water

After our trip to Lower Seletar Reservoir, we have learnt the importance of playing our part in conserving water for continuation of our fresh water supply. We have researched on how water is used in many households in Singapore as well as some water saving tips that we can use to save water in our daily lives. Remember, a little effort goes a long way!

This is a pie chart from PUB showing the percentage of water an average family uses at home for various activities:

Singaporean households consume over 770 million litres of water daily which can fill 307 olympic-sized swimming pools or 513 million 1.5l sized bottles. However, if every household makes a commitment to save 10 litres of water daily by using the following simple water saving tips, the amount of water saved daily can fill 20 olympic-sized swimming pools.

The following are some tips to save water:

1.     Keep showers to under 5 minutes and turn off the shower when soaping.

2.     Install a thimble on shower heads and taps.

3.     Wash vegetables and dishes in a filled sink instead of under a running tap.

4.     When washing clothes by hand, use a filled tub instead of washing them under a running tap.

5.     Use washing machines on a full load.

6.     Use half flush for liquid waste.

7.     Never allow cisterns to flow.

8.     Never waste water flushing rubbish down the toilet.

9.     Discover and repair leaks promptly.

10.                       When brushing teeth, turn the tap off and use a tumbler to rinse your mouth.

11.                       Do not defrost food under a running tap. It’s safer and more water efficient to thaw it in the fridge.

12.                       Water plants in the early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation losses.

13.                       Never water plants on a rainy day.

14.                       Water plants using a watering can instead of a running hose.

15.                       Use a pail to wash cars.

16.                       Reuse water from the washing machine, leftover water from washing vegetables and rice to flush the toilet, wash car, water plants and mop the floor.

Other than using the above water saving tips, there are also some water saving appliances that we can install in our homes.

1.     Instantaneous water heater – Water will be heated once the shower tap is turned on, this helps to save water as we do not have to wait for the water to become warm before we use the water.

2.     Water Thimble – It reduces excessive water flow rates in taps and showerheads, reducing the consumption of water.

By following the above water saving tips and installing the water saving appliances, we will surely be able to save more than 10 litres of water daily.

Every one of us has made a commitment to follow these tips to work towards the conservation of this precious resource.