Top 6 Water Saving Tips And Devices
Water is an extremely abundant resource.
Over 70% of the surface of the planet is water. The problem is that most of it is sea water and therefore very difficult / expensive to extract and use for consumptive purposes.
As the global population continues to grow and get wealthier, more and more people are becoming connected to the water / sewerage grid, leading to an exponential growth in demand for clean water.
This, coupled with the unprecedented increase in droughts caused by climate change, has meant that consumptive water is fast becoming a scarce resource.
Taking action to reduce water consumption is a great way to improve your environmental footprint at home or in the office.
This article outlines our top 6 water saving tips and devices that any home business can quickly and effectively implement to reduce consumption and save on water bills.
6 Water Saving Tips and Devices
No 1. Hippo the Water Saver – saves water each time you flush
No 2. Tap aerators / faucet aerators 
No 3. Waterless urinals – Urinals suffer from two main issues, blockages and odour. To prevent these, most urinals use frequent flushing (sometimes up to every three minutes). Blockages are caused by uric acid build-up (a by-product of urine) and limescale (from water flushing).
Waterless urinals act to prevent blockages by not using water. There are 3 main types of waterless urinals namely, microbiological, barrier and valve systems. Microbiological uses microbes to break urine down into its constituent parts. Barrier systems use an oil based fluid to prevent the odour reaching the bathroom. Valve systems use a one-way plastic valve that when closed prevents odour reaching the bathroom.
All three systems are effective in conserving water. Waterless urinals are great for offices that have hard water. We recommend using a Eco-Cube Waterless Urinal Maintenance Starter Kit 
No 4. Rainwater harvesting – rainwater harvesting is the collection or rain, typically from a roof-top, that can be used for consumptive purposes. The amount of water collected is dependent on the intensity of rain, the area of the roof-top and the size of the collection facility. Rainwater harvesting is a great way to become virtually independent of water supplied off the grid.
No 5. Grey water recycling – grey water recycling systems use waste water from an activity (e.g. showering) to supply another activity (e.g. toilet flushing).
Installing a grey water system requires re-piping of water from a shower, bath or basin to the toilet cistern. The toilet cistern itself is unique as it will empty automatically if it becomes too full or the water is older than 24 hours (i.e. preventing bacterial growth).
In addition, most grey water toilet systems use other precautionary measures such as low ultraviolet light to discourage the build up of bacteria. The system is relatively expensive from a retro-fit perspective but entirely feasible in a new build / renovation scenario.
No 6. Take an integrated approach – If you really want to get serious about water efficiency then you need to take an integrated approach to manage water use from water hitting your roof to drainage to under ground sources and rivers.
Companies like polypipe.com or government agencies like the Environment Agency can help point you in the right direction of integrated water management and piping solutions that maximise efficiency.
About the Author Staff Writer
Our writers come from all over the world, but one thing unites them - their passion for sustainability.