Saving water
Water is a scarce resource so do your part in your everyday life.
With climate change and global warming affecting planet Earth, there is greater impetus for everyone to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Did you know that every single drop of water we use takes energy, chemicals, labour and material to produce? Water is a scarce resource that we all share, so saving water also helps to reduce our collective carbon footprint.
Here are some simple ways to make saving water a way of life:
- While doing routine cleaning, you can easily check if there are leaks at home and fix them early – look for signs of mould, discoloration or peeling paint on walls, flooring or ceiling or sniff for foul odours in an area with no other obvious source. Did you know, for instance that fixing a toilet bowl leak early can save up to 240 litres of water every day? Learn some tips on spotting leaks below.
- Being able to track water usage can help individuals be more conscious of how they use (and save!) water. Good news to share – national water agency PUB has now launched the MySmartWaterMeter, an online web portal where users can login to their account to view daily, even hourly breakdowns of their water consumption data and be automatically alerted to suspected leaks in their premises so that prompt action can be taken. (Note: Customers can activate their accounts only when they have received an invitation letter from PUB, after their smart water meters are installed.) This will go a long way towards cultivating good water usage habits that can help reduce water usage while lowering one’s utility bills in the long run.
- Buy water-efficient equipment when shopping and choose energy-efficient and water-saving appliances. Look out for 3-ticks and 4-ticks water efficiency labeling to help you save more in the long run!
Simply:
- Wash your clothes on a full load to allow you to save up to 288 litres of water every week, or 40 litres of water every day.
- Always use half-flush when possible and save up to nine litres of water every day.
- Turn off shower when soaping and save up to 27 litres of water every day.
- Ensure tap is off when brushing teeth and save up to 23 litres of water every day.
- Rinse vegetables in container and save up to 33 litres of water every day!
PUB has started installing smart water meters in Tampines Central since January this year and will progressively install the rest of the 300,000 meters at Tampines, Bukit Batok, Hougang, Jurong West, Tuas, and new housing estates in Tampines North and Tengah under the first phase of the programme. No details yet on the second phase of installations.
To unlock the full benefits of their smart water meter, customers will receive a letter from PUB to login to activate their MySmartWaterMeter account after their smart water meters are installed.
Here are some key features and benefits of MySmartWaterMeter that customers can look forward to:
- Keep your water bills low– Receive near real-time information on your water usage from wherever you are and set a monthly water goal. Understanding the way you are consuming water and adjusting your water usage habits can help to minimise water usage and save money in the long-term. You can also set personal water usage goals to keep your water bills in check.
- Receive timely alerts– Be alerted to unusual water usage in your household or premises, which could be indications of a possible leak. Through early detection, you can take prompt action to fix the leak and reduce water wastage. Refer to the attached infographic for some useful tips!
- Contribute to a sustainable future for all– Saving water reduces the energy and resources required to treat and deliver it to homes and businesses. With the ability to monitor water usage regularly and access handy water-saving tips via your MySmartWaterMeter account, everyone can take concrete actions to cultivate good water consumption habits and make every drop count.
For more information on the Smart Water Meter programme, go to: www.pub.gov.sg/smartwatermeter/.
(** PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash/CDC)
Water indeed is precious. Being economic in its use is a habit of mind which is applicable in many other areas where we , as individuals and as a society, can make an appreciable difference to the world we all share.