17 measures to reduce water consumption

Only 3% of the planet’s water is freshand of this amount only one 1% of water is accessible for consumption, the rest is in the atmosphere or in places that are too deep or polluted. We must take care of our consumption to preserve the planet’s water and recover the water balance.

How to reduce water consumption

Small everyday steps can have a big impact on your domestic water footprint. You’ll even notice it on your monthly bill.

In the bathroom:

In the showerCollect the water in a bucket until it comes out hot.Install economizer taps (up to 50% savings) in the kitchen and bathroom.Don’t let the water run while you lather up. in the shower or while brushing your hands or teeth.take short showers (no more than 5 min) and use a low-flow head. Do not flush hygiene products or food scraps down the toilet.Repair any drips or leaks (A cistern with leaks can mean 200,000 liters of wasted water per year).

In the kitchen:

Take advantage of the water to wash the vegetables to irrigate.Recycle used oilnever throw it down the drain, and avoid detergents with phosphates, since all this contaminates the water a lot.Choose maximum efficiency appliances (40% savings).When putting the washing machine or dishwasherselect eco or short programs (up to 20% savings).Defrost in the fridgenot under the tap (about 20 liters of savings for each food).

In the garden or terrace:

collects rainwater in deposits.group the plants according to your irrigation needs. Apply the drip irrigation. Choose native plants. The lawn increases water consumption by 50%. Put pine bark in the pots.

How much water does what you eat spend?

A diet change It can also be a great opportunity to save water. It is about replacing foods that have a large water footprint with others that need less water in their cultivation or production.

Food (1kg/1l)………………………………………….. …… Liters of water

Cocoa ………………………………………….. …………… 17,200-24,000 Meat (veal, sheep lamb) ……………… 5,000-10,000Nuts ………………………………………… …………………….. 9,063Pig …………………………………………. ………………………………. 5,988Butter …………………………………………. …………………….. 5,553Chicken meat ……………………………………….. ………………… 4,325Legumes (mean) …………………………………………… ………… 4,000Soy milk ………………………………………….. …………………….. 3,763Rice …………………………………………. ……………………………… 2,497Avocados ………………………………………….. ………………………. 1,981Bread …………………………………………. …………………………………. 1,600Milk …………………………………………. ……………………………… 1,000Pears ………………………………………….. ………………………………… 922Apple …………………………………………. ………………………….. 822Eggplants ………………………………………….. ……………………….. 362Onions …………………………………………. ………………………………. 3. 4. 5Cauliflower, broccoli ………………………………………… …………………….. 285Potatoes …………………………………………. ……………………………… 287Carrots ………………………………………….. ………………………. 195

Sources: MM Mekonnen-AY Hoekstra, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS), IME, FAO, UNESCO