The 7 tips you need to save water from home

Robots save water for crops 1:02 (CNN Spanish) — On March 22 of each year, World Water Day is commemorated to focus attention on its care, management and risks worldwide. Whether on this date or on any other day, the following reminder is always necessary: ​​water is a natural resource on Earth that cannot be renewed, which means that if it runs out, it cannot be recovered. Water is used in all aspects of our lives: from food production to personal hygiene. However, despite being the most vital resource on the planet, many people still do not have access to it. “Water is our most precious resource, a ‘blue gold’ to which more than 2 billion people do not have access. It is not only essential for survival, but also plays a health, social and cultural role within communities. human societies”, said Audrey Azoulay, director general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), in the framework of the publication of the United Nations World Report on the Development of Water Resources 2021. Likewise, according to UN-Habitat, while billions struggle to access water, elsewhere it is being used more and more, to the point that a 40% increase in its use is expected by 2030 “thanks to a combination of factors such as climate change, human action and population growth. This refers to access to water in general. As for drinking water – that is, that dedicated exclusively to human consumption – the problem is also great: 884 million people do not have access to this type of water, says UN-Habitat. Water, therefore, has multiple values ​​for life in society. Not fully valuing water in all its different uses is seen as the root or symptom of political neglect of water and its mismanagement. Below, we give you some tips so that you value water properly and help conserve it from home. Tips for caring for water at home 1. How much water should I use per day? All of us, at some point in our lives, have used more water than we should. The problem is that this situation continues to happen and very often. For example, the United States is the country that spends the most water, with an average consumption per person of 575 liters per day, indicates UN-Habitat. They are followed by Australia (493 liters), Italy (386), Japan (374), Mexico (366), Spain (366) and Norway (301). But is it really an excess to consume 575 liters per person per day as in the US? Yes, without a doubt. To give you an idea, that amount would be enough for the daily water consumption of almost 30 people. This means that with 20 liters a day you can cover the basic needs of food and personal hygiene. “Although it seems little, 20 liters of water per day is the minimum amount necessary according to the estimation of the World Health Organization,” explains UN-Habitat. There are buckets that have a capacity of 20 liters. Try at home to use just one of those per person for all your water-related activities at home: showering, flushing the toilet, washing dishes, dental hygiene, drinking water, and cooking. It is a huge but urgent challenge. 2. Reuse of water As already mentioned, the water crisis significantly affects more than 2,000 million people in the world, which represents 36% of the planet’s population. However, the outlook looks even worse in the future if habits are not changed and adequate public policies are not generated. It is forecast that “52% (of the world’s population) will experience severe water scarcity by 2050,” UN-Habitat shows. Issues such as ignoring the potential of groundwater to alleviate the crisis deepen the problem of access to water in the world, revealed the “World Report of the United Nations on the Development of Water Resources 2022”, published in the framework of the Day This year’s World Water Cup. A good way to combat scarcity from home is to reuse water for activities that would lead to spending more of this resource. For example, having a bucket in your shower while you shower will lead to the collection of wastewater, which you can use to water plants or flush the toilet. You can also choose to put buckets on patios or windows when it rains, in order to capture as much water as possible and then reuse it. “Harvesting water in homes and buildings can significantly reduce the demand for drinking water. Reusing wastewater after it has been treated also generates significant savings. Greywater can be used to water plants or recycled for use in toilet cisterns” explains UN-Habitat. 3. Specific recommendations for the bathroom The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is aware of the great expense of this resource carried out by Americans, so it has recommendations for various situations. Several of them focus on specific actions for the bathroom. Never let the water run while brushing your teeth or shaving. For example, with an action as simple as turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, you can save up to 30 liters of water per day. Always opt for short showers instead of taking a bath. A 5-minute shower, for example, uses 38 to 95 liters of water, while a completely full bathtub can take up to 265 liters. Try even shorter showers at 5 minutes or, as we mentioned above, you can add your bathroom to the 20 liters per day challenge. If you prefer the shower, don’t forget to turn off the faucet when you’re lathering up. If you opt for the bathtub, the EPA recommends that you close the drain before turning on the faucet and fill the bathtub halfway. Plus, it’s possible to save more if you bathe toddlers together. READ: It is necessary not to shower every day to take care of the environment. Myth or Reality? 4. Recommendations for the kitchen and laundry If in your country you drink water directly from the tap and you want a cold glass to refresh yourself, do not leave the tap open until it comes out at that temperature. It is better that you store water in the refrigerator beforehand so that it is fresh. It is common to freeze foods, such as meats, to keep them in good condition. When you go to thaw them, do not use water. Instead of that expense, I store the food in the refrigerator the night before. If you have a dishwasher, run it until it’s completely full. By the way, don’t rinse the dishes before putting them in the machine, just clean them instead. As for washing clothes, the recommendation is similar to that of the dishes: only use the washing machine when you are going to put large amounts of dirty clothes, or you can regulate the water level according to the amount you are going to wash. 5. Plumbing and appliances If possible, buy high-efficiency toilets, as they are the ones that save the most water. If not, put a plastic bottle filled with water inside the bath tank; this will cause the level to rise and fill with less water. The EPA recommends the installation of faucets aerators, which use air to increase the pressure of the water and at the same time to lower its flow. A high-efficiency washing machine is not necessarily the cheapest purchase. However, it brings long-term benefits, such as saving more than 50% of the water and electricity used for washing. Important point: Before you consider buying something new, be sure to fix all leaks at home. A leaky toilet, for example, can waste almost 760 liters of water a day. How to detect a leak in the bathroom? “Add food coloring to the tank water. If the colored water appears in the toilet bowl, the toilet has a leak,” the EPA says. 6. Gardening Water lawns and plants in the coolest part of the day (mornings are best). Although it may seem like a small thing, savings are achieved since the water does not evaporate as quickly as when the sun is stronger. It is also useful not to water on windy days. If you use a sprinkler, set it precisely so that it only waters the plants and lawn, and not the streets or sidewalks. Trees and shrubs with deeper roots can be watered less frequently than smaller plants. This also helps save water. To water trees and shrubs, soaker hoses or drip irrigation systems are recommended. When mowing the lawn, raise the cutting height of your mower or, if it is a manual one, do not leave it flush. “Longer grass blades help shade each other, reduce evaporation, and discourage weed growth,” says the EPA. Try to eliminate the use of fertilizers, as they promote additional growth and thus the use of more water. If you’re going to opt for wastewater for irrigation, remember “don’t use water that contains chlorine, dishwashing detergent, or fabric softener,” says the EPA. 7. Additional Tips