Water Saving Tips
In the Bathroom
- Take showers in preference to a bath (a bath use an average of 80 litres of water whereas the average shower uses only 30 litres)
- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, use just enough water to wet your toothbrush and rinse your mouth - this alone could save up to 10 litres of water each time!
- Repair leaking taps - a constant drip can waste over a 1,000 litres a month!
- When replacing fixtures choose water conserving models - the price is about the same
- Replace old toilets with new low-flush models. Older models can use up to 20 litres per flush in comparison to the 6 litre flush models currently on the market. Alternatively place a brick in the tank to reduce the volume of water used - take care not to interfere with the flushing mechanism if using this method.
- Replace the washer on the ball cock in you cistern and storage tank if you notice an overflow of water
In the Kitchen
- Don't leave the tap running when washing vegetables, use a bowl - and rather than throwing this water out use it to water the plants!
- Keep tap washers in good shape or use washer-less taps
- Store a jug/bottle of drinking water in the fridge rather than running the tap waiting for cool water to flow.
- Choose water and energy efficient appliances (i.e. dishwashers, washing machines, etc)
- Before turning on your washing machine or dishwasher make sure they are full to capacity - or where possible adjust the water level to suit the load you are using.
- Don't boil a full kettle when all you need is one or two cups!
In the Garden
- Use a barrel to collect rainwater for use around the garden and washing the car (make the barrel safe by covering with suitable wire mesh to avoid accidents).
- Lawn sprinklers are discouraged and should not be left on overnight.
- Watering gardens and hanging baskets with a hand-held watering can uses much less water than a hose.
On the Farm
- Repair leaks to drinking troughs
- Protect water supplies by ensuring that silage pits are situated well away from wells, rivers.
- Seal all unused wells and take care when spreading slurry
Please click on the link below for brochures on Water Conservation:
Water Conservation for Farms.pdf (size 2.3 MB)
Water Conservation for Businesses.pdf (size 2.7 MB)
Water Conservation for Schools.pdf (size 2.8 MB)
Visit http://www.taptips.ie/ for more information.