‘March Ahead’ With New Water Habits
16 March 2021 11:40
Many of us will be spending more time at home than we originally thought, but with Spring finally here, why not ‘March’ ahead and dust off old habits and create some new ones that are good for your pocket and the environment.
Start by thinking how much water you are using each day while you go about your routine. Whether you are washing your hands, cleaning endless amounts of dishes or getting through that mountain of washing, you start to realise just how important water is and the sheer amount we use.
NI Water’s Environmental Outreach & Learning Officer, Anna Killen, explains how we can save water by looking at everyday habits, “It’s amazing to think that each day each person uses around 155 litres of water! However, saving water can be really easy, there are simple things we can all do that can make a huge difference.“Did you know that the average time people in Northern Ireland spend in the shower is 9 minutes, over 50% of people still overfill the kettle and less than ¼ of people have a waterbutt?”
“We want that to change and it’s easy, start by looking at small changes for example, your kettle, since working from home it has have been working overtime, but just fill with as much water as you need. Overfilling can use twice as much energy and water, each time you boil.
“Keeping hydrated has never been more important and drinking water is a great way to improve our overall health. The best way to enjoy tap water is cold, so think about keeping a jug of water in the fridge instead of letting the tap run cold.
“In the garden, fill a watering can and if using a hose, fit a trigger nozzle. Watering early in the morning or late in the afternoon reduces evaporation.
“With the gyms being closed, working out at home is the new norm. If showering after, why not try the 4 minute shower challenge, put on your favourite 4 minute song and see if you can finish before the end.”
*To be in with a chance to win 1 of 20 waterbutts for your garden, simply upload a photo of how you are saving water to twitter, tag NI Water and don’t forget to use the #waterfitNI.
To help you embed with these new habits and ‘Get Water Fit’, complete our online water audit at https://www.getwaterfit.co.uk or take part in water saving challenges and receive your free water saving items including 4 minute shower timer, toothy timers and swell gel bags for the garden.
Some water saving tips:
- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth - A running tap can use 6 litres of water per minute.
- Use a bowl for washing vegetables - You can reduce water waste by using a bowl to wash and prepare your vegetables. Then you can reuse this water for plants.
- Make full use of your washing machine - Half load programmes on washing machines use more than half the water and energy of a full load, so wait until the machine is full before switching it on.
- Fix leaking taps - A dripping tap can waste more than 60 litres of water per week.
NI Water are encouraging customers to sign up to its free text alert service which keeps them updated about anything that may impact on their water supply or any of our other services in the area. Sign up here https://www.niwater.com/register-for-keeping-you-informed/
ENDS
*TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION
- Entries must tag NI Water and use the #waterfitNI
- The photo must show how you are saving water
- Waterbutts are to be collected from Belfast - they are 200L in size so please ensure your vehicle will accommodate it
- Strict collection times; Mon – Fri 9am-4pm – NI Water will contact you with a time slot.
- One waterbutt per winner
- Competition closes world water day 22nd March
- You must be willing to have your photo taken on collection and agree to NI Water sharing your photo online
For more information please contact Press.office@niwater.com