How I'm saving water at home
Denise recycling her washing up water
Denise Offen has always been a keen recycler, so when it became clear that the South East was facing a drought, she started thinking of ways to make water-saving part of her family’s daily routine.
The first change was the dishwasher. "The rule now is the dishwasher can't be switched on unless it's full up – and although we have to be a bit more organised, it’s nothing compared to having to collect all our water from a standpipe in the street, which is what could happen if we’re not careful now.”
"We already had a water butt in the garden, so we bought two more – to collect rainwater from the roof of the shed and to put outside the back door for ‘grey water’ left over from the washing up or the tumble dryer. We covered it with an old net curtain, so that any bits are strained out. I fill my watering can from the tap at the bottom and my plants are very happy with their recycled water!”.
Filling up the watering can
Even saving small amounts of water will help if enough people do it. "I keep a 2 litre jug next to the kitchen sink. When I run the tap to get hot water I use the jug to collect the cold that comes out first. Then I tip it into the water butt or fill up the kettle, it’s such a simple thing – and it stops perfectly clean water going to waste."
The next thing on Denise’s list is a toilet cistern bag, which is placed in the cistern and reduces the amount of water needed for flushing. "I’ve just found out you can get them free from most water companies and all you do is put it in your cistern and forget about it. What could be easier?”.
