According to Karin Kloosterman, founder and editor of the website Green Prophet that covers Middle East green news on various topics, it is not difficult to save water at home. “Some of the easiest things will save you money too,” she told Arab News. “Leaky toilets, for instance, are a huge water waste. Tiny drips inside the toilet bowl can eventually fill swimming pools.”

Kloosterman advises people to buy a dye-based toilet cleaner that lasts about a month and hook it onto the bowl to check if your toilet is leaking. “If there is a leak, you will see a stream of color on the side of the bowl,” she said, adding that leaks look shiny.

The same goes for leaking taps and pipes. Check these from time to time and fix them if necessary. A tap that drips 10 times a minute may not seem like a big deal, but can cost you 2,000 liters yearly.

“In the kitchen,” Kloosterman continued, “you can save water by placing faucet aerators on the sink. These force less water through the taps, while giving you the same pressure when you are cleaning your hands, vegetables and rinsing dinner plates before washing them.”

Using water more efficiently and avoiding water waste is in line with Islamic water management principles, writes eco-Muslim Zaufishan on Green Prophet. Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) already warned against squandering water, even if next to a flowing river. Muslims can make a difference by using less water while performing wudhu (ablution) before prayers. Her “eco-wudhu” goes like this: Instead of keeping the water running, fill a small pot or bucket while making wudhu and use a glass to rinse your mouth.

Zaufishan also recommends checking your wudhu count. “For experimental purposes, time how long it takes for you to complete wudhu while leaving the tap running on normal pressure. Next time, place a bucket under the tap and leave the tap running for the same amount of time it took for you to do wudhu. Measure this water. This is your wudhu count,” she explains on the website.

Turning off the tap is also a good idea when brushing your teeth, shaving or soaping yourself in the shower. Use a glass of water to rinse your mouth and do the same for dipping your razor.

Reducing the time of your showers or taking fewer showers also makes a big difference, remarked Kloosterman. “In the heat of the Middle East, avoid going out during the hottest times of the day to avoid breaking out in a sweat. That way you will take fewer showers.”

However, if you do not want to cut back on showers, taking shorter showers is still very effective. Statistics show that showering one minute less daily saves up to 3,000 liters of warm water a year.

There are numerous other ways to save water. Buying a bucket can be very handy. Use it to save the water you would otherwise waste waiting for it to warm up to take a shower. This water can be used to wash dishes, clean fruits and vegetables, fill the toilet tank, water the plants or wash your car. Using a bucket to clean your car instead of a hose makes a big difference in the amount of water needed. If necessary, only use the hose — with a spray nozzle — for rinsing.

Most new toilets have a water-saving button, but if you have one that doesn’t, place a 1.5 liter bottle filled with water inside the tank. You will save this volume every time you flush the toilet.

If you are one of those fortunate people with a lush, green backyard, make sure you water your lawn either before sunrise or after sunset. This way, a minimum amount of water evaporates, and the sun won’t burn your plants. It is also better to water your yard less frequently but longer rather than every day. This encourages deep root growth and drought tolerance.

We all like the driveway and sidewalk in front of our house to be neat, but why not use a broom instead of a hose to clean them? You will save up to 17,000 liter of water a month only with this!

Make sure you only run your clothes washer as well as dishwasher fully loaded. “Some washing machines have water savings programs,” said Kloosterman. She also noted that you could recycle the “wash” water from some of the less soiled clothing and use it for the heavily soiled stuff. “Don’t worry,” she added, “you will always get a clean rinse.”

Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap. Reuse this to water your plants or to fill the toilet tank. And if you need to thaw food, do not use running water, but defrost it in the fridge. This is also more hygienic and might even help you save some energy, as the frozen food slightly cools your refrigerator.

Overall, try to reduce the amount of water that flows down the sink. Whenever you use water, think if there are ways to collect and reuse it. Often, this water is clean enough to reuse it for the toilet, your lawn, houseplants or your car. Some changes you make may seem small, but all together they will help you save a lot of water and money.
 
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