The drought threatens to impose restrictions in Spain if the situation does not improve. And the greater ecological awareness also calls for reducing spending, especially unnecessary spending. Two factors that push to change habits at home. The objective is to reduce the 133 liters per day that, according to the INE, each Spaniard spends per day and that this is noted on the receipt.
Contrary to what happens with electricity or gas bills, with water there is no room to change company and save. There are differences of up to 435% in the average cost of the bill depending on the city and the model -public, mixed, private-, according to an analysis by Facua. Murcia, Valencia, Ceuta, Cádiz or Huelva are some of the most expensive. This forces you to focus more on consumption and gestures that reduce the bill to try to save.
From the kitchen to the bathroom, there are tricks that everyone can apply and they show up on the bill. The basic advice is to review the facilities. A small leak in the faucet can be a big problem in the long run. The drop by drop is converted into liters and ends up increasing the bill. Any savings that are achieved will be lost there…
In the bathroom, the shower is the most economical option, spending 80 liters for the 150 that a bathtub fills. Another of the gestures is to collect the water that falls from the shower in a container while waiting for it to come out hot. Then it can be used to water the plants, wash the dishes or to avoid flushing in the bathroom. In the shower it is also advisable to turn off the tap when soaping up.
For other tasks in this room, it is worth turning off the tap when shaving or brushing your teeth, since it reduces consumption from about 40 to 3 liters.
Continuing in the bathroom, double flush cisterns are recommended instead of single, to adjust it to the need and not to discharge more water, as well as to avoid throwing waste down the toilet that could disrupt its operation.
In general, installing flow regulators in taps -aerators or diffusers- helps to reduce the water that comes out of the tap by up to 50%. There are autonomies that support the installation of solutions at home. This is the case of Murcia, where there is a deduction in the income statement of 20% of the investments in domestic water-saving devices in the habitual residence, with a maximum of 60 euros.
Appliances that consume water -such as the washing machine or the dishwasher- should, if possible, have an energy rating of A or higher. “They guarantee a reduction in electricity and water consumption,” says Brita. When using household appliances, the ideal is to start them with a full charge, to make the most of the cycles and the use of water.
Without leaving the kitchen, the company ensures that filtering the water that is going to be drunk from the tap “helps to reduce the overexploitation of aquifers, the use of energy and the generation of waste”, notes Brita.
Beyond gestures, you can try to reduce the bill by accessing aid and discounts. It is necessary to check if you can access discounts for large families or with more than certain cohabitants, as is the case with more than four in Jerez de la Frontera or more than six in Zaragoza. In other towns there are discounts for low-income households, the unemployed, pensioners and retirees. To know the details, you can review the provider’s website or contact them.
Some cities such as Madrid, Córdoba, Palma de Mallorca, Teruel or Seville have discounts based on certain criteria, such as consumption below certain limits, they point out in Facua. Being austere in spending pays off.
Another of the great tips is that in single-family homes the installation of rainwater recuperators should be explored. According to data from ManoMano, sales are increasing at rates of 40%, based on their own figures. They are installed in the roof downspout and reduce drinking water consumption by using the collected liquid for some household tasks. “It can be used to water the plants, wash the car or clean the floor, among other activities,” they comment from the portal.