| | | You are here:Home>>News Items>>Water supply falls foul of the freeze | | | | Water supply falls foul of the freeze | | | AFTER the recent flooding and then the big freeze, one of the biggest casualties has been the availability of clean drinking water. As reservoirs all over the country empty at alarming rates, there have been calls for householders to conserve water at every possible opportunity.
On average each person in Kerry consumes 150 litres per day. However in the past weeks, where many householders left taps running, (even at a slow rate), to prevent them freezing and leaking, they may have used up to 6,000 litres in a 24 hour period.
| | | Conserving water is a good habit regardless of the current water shortages. Below are some of the easy actions you can take at home to prevent wasting water.
Instead of letting the tap run when waiting for cold water, fill a jug of water and keep it in the fridge.
Instead of letting the tap run, use a basin to rinse/clean your fruit and vegetables. You can use the leftover water to give your potted plants a drink. |
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| | | Use a bucket of water rather than a hose when, for example, washing the c ar or cleaning windows. A hose uses more water in one hour than the average family uses in a day.
A third of all the water used in a house is flushed down the toilet. Some larger toilet cisterns can continue to work effectively with a smaller flush – just put a displacement device, such as a hippo bag or a bottle filled with water, into the cistern.
Check that your home is leak free. Check for running overflows and fix any dripping taps, cisterns or pipes. If you see a leak in a public place, please report it to your local authority.
Only run your washing machine and dishwasher when they're full. A washing machine on full cycle uses up to 65 litres of water; dishwashers 20 litres. As well as conserving water you'll save money by reducing your energy bill.
Don't leave the tap running while brushing your teeth. This alone can save over 7,000 litres of water per year.
Reduce the time you spend in the shower. A regular shower will use about 35 litres of water in five minutes. But bewarem a power shower will use over 125 litres in the same time.
Know how to turn off your water supply. This could save thousands of litres of water and prevent damage to your home in the event of a pipe burst.
Fill the kettle with only enough as much water as you need. You will save energy too!
| | | Reproduced courtesy of www.corkman.ie
By Mícheál Ó Coileáin Kerry County Council Environmental Awareness Officer
Thursday January 21 2010 |
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| | | | Telephone: (01) 814 0886 | | | Mobile: (087) 814 8588 | | | Email: | alan@3rdtap.ie |
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