The reduction of water reserves has caused alarm in a large part of the country. And that is that, as has become clear in recent weeks, water is not an infinite resource.
The lack of rain in recent months has significantly reduced much of the water supply for the coming months. This spring, a good part of the country was extremely dry, affecting the reservoirs and wetlands that are located there 48.9% of its full capacity..
This data, along with increasing extreme weather, means that water supplies are becoming increasingly unpredictable as dry spells become more frequent.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Humans need at least 20 liters of water per day for basic hygieneAnd 50 to 100 liters should cover basic needs.
Although the data varies depending on the source of the consultation, the average water consumption in Spain will be around these figures (in some cases they exceed them). according to the latter data According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), in 2020 the average water consumption in Spanish homes was 133 liters per day per inhabitant.
Knowing where the greatest water consumption occurs is key to taking the necessary measures and correcting those that lead to overconsumption. “Two-thirds of the water consumed in the home is used in the bathroom, specifically the toilet flush, which consumes 7.5 to 26.5 liters of water,” he warns. Aquae Foundation. The average consumption of water in the kitchen is 19%.
How to save water at home in a few simple steps
The Catalan Water Agency (ACA) compiled a manual With a number of useful tips that will help us save water at home:
Close the taps if we are not using water: We will save many liters of water if we close the tap while washing the dishes or brushing our teeth. An open faucet loses about 10 liters per minute.
Fix minor leaks: A dripping tap can waste more than 75 liters of water per day. The problem, the scope of which the Aquae Foundation describes as follows: a drip tap in every Spanish home fills a football stadium in 18 days.
Place the flow reduction on tap: these reduction devices are easy to fit and cheap; It is only necessary to pour them into the faucet itself, which will reduce consumption by up to 50%.
Reuse water when cooking: In the kitchen, a good portion of the water we use is for washing or cooking food. We can use this water in a container and use it for irrigation.
· Install dual loading tanks: These are cisterns that allow only half of the water to be emptied if needed. Some models have a mechanism that allows you to voluntarily stop the download. If we do not have this system, we can use a homemade method, which is to put one or two plastic bottles filled with water inside the cistern, which will allow us to save about three liters of water in each flush.
Do not use the toilet as if it were a trash can Because, as mentioned earlier, between seven and ten liters of water are lost with each flush, approximately, depending on the type of toilet. In addition, we avoid possible problems for the sanitary system.
· Avoid baths and bet on showers: Filling a bathtub can mean 200 to 300 liters, and a shower means 30 to 80 liters. We can also use the water that comes out of the shower while it’s still cold and store it in a bucket for other uses, like watering plants.
Fully fill the dishwasher and washing machine: The former usually consumes 18 to 30 liters of water, while the latter involves consumption of 60 to 90 liters. If we have to change them, it is better to choose low consumption, not only in terms of electricity but also water consumption, class A model or higher, because they include saving programs at full load and in the case of a dishwasher 18 liters of water consumption. The appropriate program for the type of washing should be selected. Washing the same amount of dishes by hand will require twice as much water.
According to consumer and consumer organization (OCUWashing dishes by hand twice a day will consume from 60 liters (with a sink full of water) to 120 liters (running the tap), and running a dishwasher will consume about 25 liters of water.
· Install gray water tanks: These are the waters obtained from the kitchen, washing machine, dishwasher or shower. They can be fed into a small tank which then feeds the toilet cistern. However, in this case, it is an event that not everyone can do.
Avoid using hoses To wash the car or water, because it means wasting up to 350 liters of water. Better to take the car to a car wash where they have water recycling. If this is not possible, we can wash the mirrors and glass with a sponge and a bucket of water.
· If we have a Balcony or terrace with plants or a gardenIt is advisable to buy plants that are typical of the climate where we are, natives and that need little water to live: shrubs, palms, conifers or cacti. It is also recommended to install drip irrigation systems and use elements such as pine bark, which help to maintain soil moisture and optimize water consumption. On very hot days, it is best to water at night to avoid water evaporation. If we put the plate down, the water stops there and the plant gets more moist.
Source: El Diario
