Why do I always have to turn off the tap while I brush my teeth or stop watering my lawn to save water when we’re an island surrounded by water, surely it can’t be that bad?
A. For every minute the tap is running it is wasting 10-28 litres of drinking standard water. Water supplied to our home comes from rain water that’s been taken from a river, chemically treated to drinking standard, and then pumped many miles. With annual rainfall levels starting to drop parts of the UK are now regularly experiencing drought conditions and there isn’t enough water in our rivers to supply everyone’s needs. Water is very heavy and the energy used to get it to your home is impacting on global warming too. You could consider getting a water-butt to collect rainwater for your garden, which is much better for your plants than treated water, and putting a water displacer like a ‘hippo’ or a simple house brick in your toilet cistern to reduce the amount of water being flushed away each time.
Related Questions
- Why do I always have to turn off the tap while I brush my teeth or stop watering my lawn to save water when we’re an island surrounded by water, surely it can’t be that bad?
- What is the temperature of the hot water at the hot water tap when I first turn it on in the morning?
- Can I water my new lawn / garden outside of rostered watering hours?
