Reuse Household Water

Domestic water consumption makes up 8% of total global water.

As much as it has been advocated for people to cut back on water use and minimising wastage to conserve water, it is even more rewarding to collect and reuse waste water as it ultimately saves water even more. 

Check out some ideas below of how to reuse water at home: 

Use a Basin:  Wash your veggies in a basin or bucket. Most of us rinse our produce under a running tap, allowing the water to go directly down the drain. Or will fill the sink to wash them, and then pull the plug! By washing in a basin, this water can then be used to water your flowers and plants in the garden!  

Reuse boiled water: The same goes when cooking your veggies, pasta or rice on the stove. Once your food is cooked to your liking, instead of pouring the used water down the sink, allow it to cool and then use it in the garden. There is the added benefit of any nutrients that might have escaped into the water while cooking, which could help feed your plants. 

Collect shower water:  The collection of shower water is the easiest and simplest way to reuse water at home. Water from the shower can be reused after a bath by plugging the drain and letting the bath fill up. It can then be manually collected from the bathtub using a bucket. Alternatively, one can stand in a basin or bucket when taking a shower to collect the water. After the bath, the collected water can be reused for watering outdoor flowers and lawns. 

Reuse of water from laundry:  Wastewater from laundry cleaning can be directed for outdoor use. It can be collected from washing machines by removing the discharge hose from the house drain and connecting it to a longer run off hose that can reach the yard which will enable the collection and use of wastewater every time laundry is done. During laundry, the pipe can be moved to different points in the yard to avoid erosion and ensure the lawns are watered evenly. The laundry water can also be used for cleaning the pavements and the driveway. 

Reuse unused drinking water:  Drinking water stored for a long period of time has a stale taste, is murky, and also has a great probability of being contaminated by bacteria. Instead of disposing of it by pouring it out, you can use it for washing utensils and other household chores as it is not that dirty. Stale pet water can also be used on potted plants.