12 ways to save water this summer

Pakistan is facing sever water shortage and if predictions are correct, the country’s water will reach near dead...

Pakistan is facing sever water shortage and if predictions are to be believed, the country’s water will reach near dead level in the next seven years. Here is a list of 12 ways to save water.

 1. Turn off the taps

PHOTO: HOME TIPS

Don't let your water consumption run out of control. Save six litres of water a minute by turning off your tap while you brush your teeth.

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Fix leaky taps too – and stop what could be 60 litres of water going straight down the drain every week.

2. Boil what you need

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Save water, money and energy by only boiling as many cups of water as you need.

3. Shower with less

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Every minute you spend in a power shower uses up to 17 litres of water . Set a timer on your phone to keep your showers short, sweet and water-saving. Switching to an efficient shower head will allow you to lather up in less water, which means you'll save water and cut your bills.

4. Save up your dirty clothes

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Washing a full machine load of clothes uses less water and energy than two half-loads . This means lower bills as well.

5. Get a low-flush toilet

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The average household flushes the pot 5,000 times per year . Modern dual-flush systems save huge amounts of water. They use just six litres – or six with a reduced flush – much less than the 13 litres for each old-style single flush. If you can't invest in a new loo, get a water-saving bag for your old-style toilet .

6. Eat less meat

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Rearing animals for meat and dairy is incredibly water-intensive. By cutting down on the amount of meat you eat, you can slash your water use drastically.

7. Steam your veggies

PHOTO: NDTV FOOD

Steam your food  to cut water usage and retain more of the natural nutrients. If you do boil, try using the leftover water as a tasty stock for soups. Or let it cool and use it to water plants.

8. Reduce food waste

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It takes a lot of water to produce our cereal, fruit and other food. More than half of the seven million tonnes of food and drink households bin every year could be eaten. Wasting less food could save a person Rs74,000 a year.

9. Time your gardening

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A great water-saving tip is to water outdoor plants in the early morning or at the end of the day. This stops water immediately evaporating in sunlight and heat. Water onto the soil rather than leaves so that the liquid goes straight to the roots, where it’s needed.

 10. Catch rainwater

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Installing water butts saves up to 5,000 litres of water a year . And your plants will thank you for rainwater rather than treated tap water. You can also cut water use by 33% by watering plants manually instead of using automatic sprinklers.

 11. No more washing up

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Incredibly, if you fill up the dishwasher completely each time you run it, you'll use less water than you would doing the washing up.

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Yes, even if you're using a washing-up bowl. What better excuse to go and have a nice sit down?

 12. Be plumbing prepared

PHOTO: READERS DIGEST

Regularly check your kitchen pipes and the dishwasher hose for slow leaks. Find out where your household stop valve is and make sure that you can turn it on and off. Find a contact number for your water supplier, so that if you find a leak you can let them know and stop water from being wasted.



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