This year, the theme for World Water Day according to the United Nations (UN) is “Water for Peace.” “When this resource is scarce or contaminated, or when people have unequal or no access, tensions between communities and countries can increase,” they explain. Therefore, everyone’s cooperation is necessary to use it in favor of peace, “laying the foundations for a more stable and prosperous future,” they point out within the framework of this day.
Taking care of this resource is especially important in a time of drought like the one we are experiencing. Below, we list some tricks to save water in the kitchen, one of the most wasted spaces in the house:
When boiling foods such as vegetables or eggs, the water used is usually poured down the sink. As watering restrictions are still in force in many cities, taking advantage of it to care for plants is a very useful option, as long as it is salt-free. In addition, the plants will grow healthier and more nourished. In the same way, to wash the fruit, you can fill a basin with water and then use it to water.
The bad habit of defrosting food under tap water to speed up the process is still very present in some homes. In order not to waste these large quantities of water, it is better to leave them in the refrigerator the day before consuming them and let them defrost without any extra consumption.
Using the dishwasher, with a full load, uses less water than washing dishes by hand. Furthermore, it will always be better if the appliance has a high energy classification (A or A) and/or ecological programs.
If you don’t have a dishwasher, there are ways to waste less water by washing by hand. For example, first using a basin to soap and then using water to rinse. Leaving the pans to soak before washing them is another way to save this resource, because less water will be needed to remove all the food remains.
There are flow reducers that can be useful to use less water in faucets in the kitchen and throughout the house. The OCU proposes a method to see if this option can be useful: check the current water flow and compare it with that offered by these devices.
To measure the flow, you must calculate the amount of water that comes out of the tap for 5 seconds and multiply that volume of water (in liters) by 60 seconds with the help of a meter. This result, divided by the timed time, gives the flow rate in liters/minute, a comparable data to make the decision of whether or not to buy flow reducers.
Following the line of the previous advice, another option to reduce the pressure of the tap water is to slightly close the stopcock. The difference will be almost imperceptible, but you will be saving a good amount of this resource per day. Likewise, during vacations or if you spend days away, it is advisable to close it completely to avoid leaks.
This last piece of advice, which seems logical, is not the most common. It consists of leaving a jug in the refrigerator so that, when cold water is needed, it is available instantly, thus avoiding leaving the tap open for a long time until the desired temperature is obtained.
