Quick & easy ways to save water in the home

We recently received a question from one of our Twitter followers, and we thought we'd share it here. Our follower wanted to know what water saving tips we would suggest to someone living in a small house, who doesn't own a car, as she felt her options were quite limited. 

Saving water in a small apartment can seem like a bit of a challenge, seeing as you might not have a garden or car to use wastewater on. But don’t lose hope in your water-wise ways, as there are many alternative options to save or reuse water. Here are a few unconventional, yet inexpensive and easy ways to save water in the bathroom and kitchen.

In the bathroom

1. Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets, water house plants or for doing hand laundry in.

2. If your shower fills a five-litre bucket in less than 30 seconds, replace the showerhead with a water-efficient model.

3. Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 600 litres of water per month.

4. Save water and time by washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower.

5. When you are washing your hands, brushing your teeth or shaving, turn the tap off.

In the kitchen

1. When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink to wash in, and the other with rinse water.

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

3. Don't use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety.

4. Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap, then reuse it to water houseplants.

5. When buying new appliances, consider those that offer cycle and load size adjustments. They're both water- and energy-efficient.

Finally, make sure to monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Your statement and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.