We can all save water, at home, in our business or in the fields, and consuming less water today will allow us to have more water tomorrow.
Every drop counts; each and every one of us has a responsibility, in our respective fields, to make the best possible use of this valuable resource.
Spain is suffering from a "long-term" meteorological drought that is now entering its third year, according to the new balance made by AEMET, the State Meteorological Agency.
Unfortunately, Spain is not the only one that has to face the drought. Italy, France and other western European countries face a second year of poor rain and snow
Tips to save water at home
There is no doubt that water is a very precious commodity. Compared to the cost of other supplies, the bill is not as burdensome, but with water restrictions, life is more complicated. Managing to rationalize water consumption is good for you… and for your environment.
What can we do to save water? Reducing our water consumption at home is essential both if we want to save and protect the environment. For this, there are simple tips and tricks that we can apply starting today and that will not require much effort.
1. Take a shower instead of a bath
Did you know that 75% of all water use is done in the bathroom? To reduce this consumption, it is better to shower than bathe, since filling the bathtub uses at least 200 liters of water while a 5-minute shower is about 90-95 liters.
2. Save shower water
There are tricks to save in the shower such as putting a bucket to take advantage of the water that runs until it is hot. You can use that water for other things like flushing the toilet or mopping or watering your plants.
3. Turn off the taps when you're not using them
During the shower it is important to turn off the faucet when you soap to reduce water consumption, also while we shave, brush our teeth or wash the dishes. An open faucet can pour 15 liters per minute, so it is important to close it when we are not using it.
4. Take care of the maintenance of the faucets
Make sure that the taps do not leak, and the same with the WC, at the moment you see that it is losing water, try to solve it as soon as possible.
5. Install aerator heads on faucets
With the aerator heads on the faucets you will save at least 50% of water without losing the sensation of flow.
6. Put a bottle in the toilet cistern
The bottle must be full of water and put it inside the cistern, with this trick when flushing the chain consumption is less. The ideal is to have dual model cisterns for full or half discharge.
7. Do not throw waste in the toilet
Every time you flush the cistern it is a waste of water and money and the waste should be thrown into the trash can, not the toilet, as this will avoid clogging and unnecessary waste.
8. Fill the washing machine and dishwasher well
The washing machine accounts for 10% of the water consumption in the home, so fill the drum well and use the eco function. You could save about 2500 liters per month.
If you use a dishwasher, do the same, make sure it is full when it starts working... and don't rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, current dishwashers don't need it.
9. Take advantage of the water from the air conditioning
If you have an air conditioner, collect the water it releases. You can water the plants, for example, or fill the mop bucket.
10. Defrost food naturally
Take them out early enough to thaw out at their own pace rather than under the spurt of the faucet. You can also clean the vegetables in a bucket to use less water when washing them and take advantage of it to water the plants or for the toilet.
And in your garden?
In Spain, single-family homes with gardens consume between 2 and 5 times more water than flats and gardens are therefore usually a large consumer of water.
One of the most obvious options to reduce water consumption in the garden is to use plants that have modest irrigation requirements or that simply do not require watering at all once they have established themselves well, most of the species traditionally used in our Gardens (Mediterranean trees, shrubs and bushes) are very undemanding when it comes to watering.
Replace the lawn or reduce its extension.
Some alternatives:
- Reduce the area dedicated to grass in favor of trees and shrubs, whose irrigation requirements are much lower
- Replace the grass with ground cover plants
- Use coatings (see next tip)
uses coatings
Covering garden surfaces with natural materials such as stones, gravel, tree bark, etc. Water costs are greatly reduced while pleasant aesthetic effects are achieved and, in addition, the coatings prevent excessive heating of the soil, protect against wind and erosion, prevent the appearance of weeds and grasses and facilitate the concealment of the drainage systems. irrigation.
Install efficient irrigation systems
Localized irrigation systems supply water to plants through "droppers" that irrigate at low pressure (drop by drop). These systems allow each plant to provide the exact amount it needs, and avoid water losses through evaporation.
Take advantage of rainwater to irrigate the garden
The rainwater that falls on roofs and patios can be used to water the garden. Once collected by the gutters or by the drainage of the patios, it can be led to a small deposit where it will be stored so that it can be watered later.
It is convenient to place the tank in a high area of the plot, to be able to irrigate by gravity.
Water in the coolest hours of the day
You will avoid evaporation losses and damage to plants. Also, remember that excessive watering makes plants less resistant to dryness and more susceptible to disease.
And on your terrace?
You have to water, but not in any way…..if we want the plants on the balcony and terrace to make the most of watering, there are several fundamental guidelines:
Pour the water slowly . Deep irrigation is important so that the water reaches the roots. Watering little by little helps this to happen and prevents the plants from getting flooded.
Watch out for the schedules . During hot weather, watering should be done early in the morning, in the afternoon when the sun has set, or at night. Watering during hot hours can damage the plants due to the 'magnifying glass effect' that the drops exert on the sun's rays and also supposes a waste of water due to evaporation.
Place containers with water
Placing one or more containers of water near the plants helps transmit moisture to them when it evaporates.
create a microclimate
Grouping plants is a very useful method in times of extreme heat, since microclimates are created to regulate their temperature and humidity. On the terrace or balcony we can achieve this by placing several plants in the same pot or planter or many pots in the same area.
Avoid the direct exposure to the sun
We can prevent plants from burning by placing them in bright spaces but where they do not receive direct sunlight or by placing a protective cloth to serve as a filter and shade them. It is one of the most effective and economical tricks.
Protect the pots
Protecting pots from heat can also be a good idea. As? In various ways: covering them with an arm cloth, placing the pot inside a larger one (so that it does not get direct sun) or moving them away from the walls and raising them a little from the ground so that they do not absorb the heat that they they can pass on.
Protective layer
Placing small stones, pine bark or gravel on top of the substrate or some clay mixed with the soil helps to keep moisture in the plant for longer.
Choose the most resistant species
If we still do not have plants on the terrace but we are thinking of putting them, it would be convenient to take into account, before deciding, which ones are the most resistant to the sun. Some of the most suitable: bougainvillea, oleanders, agaves (succulents), privet, succulents, ceanotus, croton, aromatic plants, petunias, geraniums or lavenders...all Mediterranean plants that need little watering and adapt to heat.
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