You can save water all over your home and the kitchen is a great place to start. We use around 10% of our household’s water in the kitchen.
Although this is lower than the volume of water we use in the bathroom there are still plenty of opportunities to encourage the whole family to save water when preparing meals and washing the dishes.
Interesting facts about water usage in the kitchen:
Water is a precious resource that’s under increasing pressure. A few easy water saving changes can make a big difference for water conservation. You can see how important it is to save water in the kitchen when you consider these facts:
- Around 10% of the water we use in the home is used in the kitchen. You can save water by thinking about saving water when cooking, cleaning, washing, or drinking (although you shouldn’t be drinking less you can save water by boiling less water in the kettle and avoid dehydrating snacks and drinks).
- The average household needs about 23 litres of water per day to prepare meals – you can reduce this figure by saving water used to clean vegetables. It’s much more water efficient to use a bowl rather than clean food under a running tap.
- Fix leaking taps and save water immediately. A leaking tap can waste anywhere between 30 and 200 litres of water day. A new washer is very cheap to replace and will save you money if you’re on a water meter.
Smart tips on how to save water in the kitchen:
- Rinse your fruit and vegetables. The key to water efficiency is to avoid leaving your tap running. So save water by rinsing your vegetables and fruit in a bowl. Plan ahead too. You can expect to make water saving of up to 20 litres by washing all your fruit and vegetables in advance. So just wash your whole lettuce, rather than the leaves you need, and then wrap it in a kitchen towel and use it when you need it. It’s a great time saver too and means your food will take less time to prepare.
- For maximum water efficiency only turn on your dishwasher when it’s full. Running a half-empty dishwasher wastes water, as it uses the same amount of water no matter how many dishes you have stacked inside. Expect to make a water saving of 5 to 10 litres with every wash.
- Step away from the dishes. If you rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher or prior to washing by hand, then it’s time for a water saving re-think. Why not save water by scraping any leftovers into the bin and then washing the dishes properly. And if you’re dishwasher tablet isn’t up to the job then it’s time to find something more powerful.
- Another way to save water when washing up is to wash or wipe dishes as soon as you can, that way the food doesn’t harden and less water is needed to get them sparkling clean. Also give the dishes a soak first to soften the stubborn bits and then scrub with a brush or sponge – it’s much more water efficient than washing them under a running tap.
- Take the strain off your drains. A sink strainer is a simple water efficient device that stops your food scraps and gunk clogging up your drains.
- Defrosting or melting ice under running water is a waste. Save water by defrosting the freezer or fridge by putting items in a half full sink. Or go and enjoy a cup of tea while everything thaws at room temperature or in the sun. You will be defrosting and saving water all at the same time.
- Take your cooking off the boil. Boiling wastes lots of water, so switch to water efficient cooking techniques like steaming, grilling or roasting. All these methods are better for your health too.
- And when you’ve finished steaming or boiling keep on saving water by using the water for soups and gravy.
- If you really must boil vegetables there are still ways of saving water. Bring the water to the boil first in the kettle, just cover the veggies with the water and put the lid on the saucepan so they boil quicker. This will save you money, water and energy and lead to a water saving of up to 10 litres every day.
- Fry less. Frying isn’t great for conserving water either because fats contaminate the grey water from washing-up, so you can’t save water by re-using it to water your plants.
- Turn off taps tightly. If you’ve got a dripping tap change the washer – it’s a really inexpensive and easy way to save water – as much as 30–200 litres of water per day.
- Only mop the floor once a week, instead dry brush and spot clean the floor. If you sweep up the scraps regularly you can save water by spot cleaning spills rather than washing the whole floor each time.
- Clean up a spill while it’s still wet. It is water efficient because you need to use less water and it requires less elbow grease too.
- Try composting. If you can avoid using your sink’s waste disposal unit it’s not only better for the environment but you can save water – as much as 6 litres every day. Plus your flowers and plants will love the fertile soil.
- Store drinking water in a bottle or jug and cool it in the fridge, rather than running it from the tap, is the perfect way to save water – as much as 10 litres – on a hot sunny day.
- It might sound a bit fishy, but your plants will love the nitrogen and phosphorous-rich water from your fish tank. So on cleaning day, save water and give your plants a treat.
- Just a little squirt. If you’re looking for ways of saving water when you’re washing up only use a small amount of diluted washing-up liquid to reduce the amount of rinsing required.
