Win Water Saving Products
If I got a Euro for every time I heard the phrase “Water Meter Charge” over the past week I guess I would have exactly 127 Euro at this stage!
The household charge, water metering……., 2012 has been a difficult year so far for Irish folk.
2FM were giving away a years supply of Ballygowan, Today FM were offering to pay your first year of water charges so at Purchase.ie we have decided to do our tiny little bit for the long suffering Irish householder.After all we do have a dedicated section on our shop on water conservation products.
We are giving away three water saving products as prizes for the best water saving tips provided to us by you.
To enter the competition simply submit your top water saving tips in the comment box below.
Hey and no copying the answers we provided in our blog on countering the water meters please LOL.
The prizes we are giving away are as follows
1: Ecocamel Water Saving Shower head – Reduces the amount of water that comes out of your shower to 6 Litres per minute without compromising the water pressure.
2: Water Leak Alarm – Detects leaks anywhere in your home of as little as 40ml per minute.
3: Toilet Tummy (2 Pack) -Saves water in your toilet cistern everytime you flush it.
So get your tips in as soon as possible and you could be saving water within the next few weeks.
Closing date to enter is May 14th 2012. Winners will be announced here in our blog.
Further to being invited to speak about water saving tips on the Breakfast with Hector Show on 2FM last week we are also giving a 5% discount on all our products at present when you enter the code Hector at checkout or call 01 8428187 and quote the code.
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Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap
Have a quick shower instead of a bath, make sure no taps dripping, use water sparingly at all times.
wash dishes in basin instead of dishwasher
Water your houseplants and garden from the cold water in your hotwater bottle from the night before
For cold drinks keep a pitcher of water in the fridge instead of running the tap. This way, every drop goes down you and not the drain.
Just use water wisely, have a quick shower instead of filling the bath. Gallons of water wasted this way. Flush the loo at intervals, use your discretion, this also saves a lot of water. Conservation is the key to saving water..
I save the water I run while I am waiting for the tap to run hot in an old plastic milk carton to use for watering house plants and seeds.
For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.
I wash potatoes in a basin of water and then use this water on plants in the garden, and it stops the soil clogging the drain too!!, I have but a small brick in the cistern to reduce the volume of water being used and when washing dishes, fill the sink and wash the cleanest first and the grubbiest last
Have a barrel of water so rain can flow into it, use this for watering plants.
Don’t wash the dishes under a running tap. Fill the sink / basin with water and use this.
When washing your hair in the shower turnoff the shower while your Lathering up your hair and then switch back on when you want to rinsing your hair out. Same applies when brushing your teeth do not let the water run while brushing. When it’s bath time for your kiddies make them share a bath it will save so much time and water.
Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. Shower instead of taking a baths. Gather rain water to water your plants in the garden.
Use your dishwasher and washing machine for full loads only,insulate your water pipes to get hotter water faster and to avoid wasting water while it heats up,rinse your razor in the sink with the plug in,not under a running tap and mulch your plants,that will stop the soil from drying out as quickly,even better buy drought tolerant plants.
Always turn the tap off when brushing your teeth – I have this engraved into the kids heads !
Its a crazy waste of water to leave the tap running for no reason !!
dont flush the toilet every time….when its yellow let it mellow..when its brown flush it down lol
have a family bath every sat night and then keep the water to wash the car ha …stop my hubby drinking tea …only use washing machine on a monday [washday ]and only use the dishwasher at christmas ….
We have the drainpipes off the roof running through a filter made of old tights, into a tank with a valve on the bottom, we hook it up through a power hose (or you can use an electric pump) through a hose extension and up into a rubber pipe with holes cut in it for watering the vegetables. Since switching to rain water, you can literally see how much better the vegetables and herbs are doing.
Check your toilets for leaks. Drop a dye tablet or a teaspoon of food coloring (avoid red) in the tank. If color appears in the bowl after 15 minutes, you probably need to replace the “flapper” valve. (Can save up to 100 gallons a week for each toilet repaired.)
The dual flush toilet are great at reducing the water wasted and we’re now looking to change the other two toilets in the house when we get the money or they break, whichever comes first!
Save the water that you use from boiling your veg. When it cools use it to water your plants – they will get plenty of vitamins from the water !
Place a bottle of water in the cistern as it reduces the amount of water every time you flush.
Keep a container by the kitchen sink and pour run off water into it, plus water from pots (cooking veg) and then pour it into a water butt placed close by the back door / window
Turn off the tap when your brushing your teeth, a lot of people leave it running.
Also, don’t fill the kettle to the top, only fill it to how much water you’re actually going to use, this will not just save water but will not create global warming. Ta-dah!:)
Shower together, not only is it more fun but you save water at the
same time!
I’m telling the truth, I actually did this on Sunday………Washed the car in the rain! On went my husbands huge jacket, hood up and out I went. I washed the car (which was filthy) with an old map from up the side of the house and used the rain water which had gathered in the barrell under the rain shoot to rinse the car down. Usually I’d wash my car in the local petrol station but not this time. I saved the petrol station on their water usage and saved my 7 euro!
Fill up a small freezer bag or an empty capri sun pouch with a tap on the top with water make sure it’s sealed tightly, flush the toilet to make sure the cistern is empty, place the bag on the right hand side a.s.a.p. so when the cistern fills it will fill to the normal level but the freezer bag or capri sun pouch will trick it to think its filling the cistern with the normal level of water but in fact will fill it that much less but will still give the toilet a normal flush to remove everything from the bowl & therefore will save you money on your water charges. Neat tip eh!
To save water, don’t run the cold tap to fill single glasses of water to drink. Fill a jug and leave it in the fridge. This way, it is always very cold and saves you liters and liters!
If you have a condenser tumble dryer save the water it collects every day and use it for watering plants , washing car, washing window etc.
Use the soapy water from dishes, etc. to drench rose bushes and other plants subject to pests. It’s very effective against greenfly and other bugs.
Use a water barrel or even a plastic bin to collect water from drainpipes from the roof.I have done this for years and use this water for house plants and in the flower garden and vegetable patch .It is much better for your vegetables than tap water .
when running the hot tap and waiting for it to get hot…fill up old used but clean bottles or containers and use that water around the house for toilets or plants or outside. fit water butts to every down pipe. fit gutters and water butts to lean to areas or sheds etc…wash all children in same bath…they’ll have more fun together and you will save water
Being a gardener, you can never have enough water butts. Esepcially during a dry spell, these devices save 100s of litres of water.
When running a bath, plug the tub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up
Teach your children to turn off faucets tightly after each use.
When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full.
For cold drinks keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap.
One good way to get a job done and burn calories at the same time is to forget about those energy-wasting jet washes and car washes. Far better to get yourself a bucket and sponge and use some elbow grease – good for you and good for the environment – win win!
Dont leave the tap running when you are brushing your teeth
put the plug in from the start and turn of the shower while shaving,shampooing, conditioning hair. use the water in the bath to rinse the razor..
if hand washing dishes -fill a basin instead of running the taps and then maybe just do a quick rinse to make sure they’re clean before drying..
make sure the taps are properly off so that they’re not dripping when you’re out or all night.
flush the toilet when it needs to be done :/
use a water filter jug and if it fits in the fridge put it in, instead of running the tap to get a cold glass.
boil the kettle with the amount of water you need instead of reboiling a full kettle all the time.
Use this rhyme for flush frequency:- “If it’s yellow, let it mellow; if it’s brown, flush it down. ” It’s not necessary to flush the toilet if you’ve only had a tinkle. Put a dash of cleaner in the pan and put the lid down. If you have guests then suspend the rule until they’re gone.
I use the water from my condenser dryer for my iron, it’s de-ionised when it comes through so doesn’t bung up the iron with limescale, win win
Dont use running water to thaw your food, defrost in the fridge for water efficiency and food safety
Put stopper in bath when having a shower and use the water in the bath for flushing the toilet or washing bath mats etc afterwards
I grew up in an area where the water got cut off regularly. Always have barrels in the garden to collect rainwater. If possible, put a rainwater tap in your kitchen sink and use as much as possible.
dont let the water run,while you wash your teeth!
Only do full loads in washing machines and dishwashers
Keep a water butt in the Garden we get plenty of rain so you wont need to run taps to water your plants
Hi only wash your clothes when you you have a full load
watch for dripping taps, test them and tighten loose ones or replace washers
Save your rain water to rince your hair. it saves water and leaves your hair really shiney and soft as there is no lime or chemicals in it.
Once a week or month, play a game where all family members hunt through the house or yard looking for places where water is leaking, or where water is being wasted. Encourage children to look for leaky faucets indoors and out, as well as leaky hoses or sprinklers.sure to save some uisce that way
turn off icemakers in american style fridges
use an egg timer for showers ( 3 mins)
use a container or barrel with a gauze type cover to collect rainwater
turn off radiators that are not needed
If you have an old toilet and like me can’t afford to replace it at moment put an old, filled water bottle (the square litre bottles fit nicely) in your cistern. This takes up volume in your cistern so toilet thinks its fuller than it actually is so therefore less water is flushed every time. Old toilets have way too big flush so no harm done to loo!
When shaving put the plug in the wash basin, rather than just leaving the tap running
simply be more aware and think twice before all actions
Taking a shower instead of a bath saves water(and saves on water heating bills too)
dont flush toilets every time…if its yellow,let it mellow..if its brown,let it drown.
get a barrell for outside let it fill up with rainwater for all your outside watering and car washing also brill to wash your own hair in give it a fantastic shine
When brushing your teeth, put the plug in the sink, use barrels and every container to collect rain water outside for watering plants and if all else fails make the kids stand out in the rain for a wash lol
Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants.
Don’t overfill the kettle when making a cup of tea. Only fill and boil what you need, this will save you money on your Electricity bill also.
don’t leave the tap running while washing your teeth, and only use your dishwasher/washing machine when you have a full load
Save water by using a steamer to cook your veg !!!
When it rains leave buckets outside near your shoots so that it collects all the rain and then you can use it for washing the car instead of running water for it
Mine would be to only fill the bath half full instead of the full bath as a bath usually takes a tank of water.
Save the water from your shower to water the plants, no waste!!
when defrosting the freezer,use the ice to water house plants and outdoor potted plants.
If its yellow its mellow, if its brown,flush it down.
Recycle water.Stop and think of what you can use it for before you pull the plug!!
Take a shower instead of a bath
When brushing your teeth or having a shave put the water in a cup/ basin instead of letting the water run.
Thanks
Rob
In the kitchen, have salads – no dirty pots to wash and they’re good for you. Have a one-pot dish once a week; a stew or casserole? Less washing up. Boil veggies in just enough water to reach halfway up the largest vegetable; with a tight lid on they will be partly boiled and partly steamed. Consider pre-prepared or frozen veggies – they don’t need washing, cook quickly and are pretty nutritionally good for you these days. Can be expensive though.
Every time you boil an egg save the cooled water for your houseplants. They’ll benefit from the nutrients released from the shell.
parvathi p
1)use taps like if u lift the knob it will give(seen in indian railsway stations) so that it does not leak.
2)use flush in the toilets instead of pouring in buckets.
3)dont let the water out when u r brushing for minutes together.
4)
park ur bike or car in rain so that u can do free car wash or bike wash.
5)water used to clean rice & vegetables could be used to water plants,but dont use water used for washing clothes because the soaps has more chemicals.
6)water used for rinsing clothes could be used to flush toilets,keep the water containers or buckets so that it doesnot get evaporated & u lose them.
7)use banana leafs to have food & avoid washing plates frequently,they r eco-friendly too & dont use plastic cups please
I have a family sized jar of used dolmio pasta sauce filled wit sand in both my toilet cisterns to save water and it works
Think twice about using glass? It could break and the pieces might interfere with the workings of the cistern – hassle you could do without! Nice idea though.
run the washing machine only when it is full.
1.Wash your car using a few basins of water and a sweeping brush – no hose. 2.Turn on and off the tap when washing teeth – no running tap. 3.Collect rain water in a barrel and dip your watering can in it every time you need to water your plants – no hose
I know the first one’s strange, but it’s what I’ve been told before!
1) Pee in the shower lol..
2) Don’t let the water run when you’re brushing your teeth, and
3) Fill the sink and wash your dishes in that water instead of washing them all separately.
Spread a layer of organic mulch around plants as it retains moisture and saves water. When peeling your fruits and vegetables, use a basin of water and don’t run the tap, then reuse the water in the basin to water houseplants. When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants. Install an instant water Electric Hot Water tap on your kitchen sink so you don’t have to run the water while it heats up. This also reduces energy costs. You never run out of hot water and saves running the tap till the water heats up. Saw one of these at the Ideal Homes show a few weeks ago.
give teenagers a rota for the bathroom – if they overstay, deduct their pocketmoney
Collect rain water for pets (no chlorine!) and garden
Take less showers and baths; this will also help your skin retain its natural oils
Use colour catchers in your washing machine to reduce washing loads & use quick wash/economy option
Rather than rinsing dishes one by one let them soak in a basin of water and wipe away heavy dirt before washing or placing in dishwasher when full load achieved
Wash your car with a bucket of water and sponge (great workout) recycle bath (like Charles) or dish water if you want to be even more economical
Well the water butt for the garden goes without saying, but also clever planting ensures you don’t plant something that needs constant watering.
Don’t leave taps running be it for rinsing veg, brushing teeth or showing…
Not every item of clothing needs to be washed after wear, one of my cousins only recently found out her mother used to just fold and iron her jeans, they only got washed every 4-5 wears – not as she thought each time she wore them!
More plants die from over watering than under watering. Only water plants when necessary.
Place ice cubes under the soil in hanging baskets, planters and pots to give your plants cool water and eliminate an overflow of water.
A sprinkler uses more water in one hour than a family of four uses in a day. Use a watering can instead of a sprinkler.
Avoid the use of paddling pools and if you do use them, reuse the water in your garden.
interesting suggestion from brazil
Peeing in the shower Brazilian way means if you are in the shower and you feel like you have to pee, and then just handle your business in the shower. Rather than coming out of the shower to use the toilet bowl and flushing it, it is recommending that you help yourself in the shower so that those gallons of water that would have been wasted while you flushed would be saved, 1157 gallons a year to be exact.
1) Unless you are using harmful chemicals or shampoo/conditioner by the bucket load … use a raised shower stand (homemade) collect your shower water in the basin underneath and use to water the garden/wash the car etc.
2) Use a a vacuum tube/siphon to take used bath water out to the water butt….
I’m sure it’s already been mentioned in many forms, but reuse, reuse, reuse where possible. Water that you use to cook vegetables can be cooled and reused for watering plants, ditto for rainwater collected from your roof.
Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
Thank all 85 of you for your great input. It really is a super array of tips for anyone to have a read through. But there has to be winners and on this occasion we have decided to go with
1st Prize GH Moore: (We also now sell the Electric Instant Hot Water Tapsyou outlined in your post)
2nd Prize Liam Murphy (We got those Dye tablets here too!)
3rd Prize Fiona O’ Neill (Because you made us laugh quite heartily)
As Fathers Day approaches we will shortly be running a new competition looking for Ireland’s Eco Dad of 2012 so keep the eyes peeled. In the meantime read some of our tongue in cheek Father’s Day Gift Ideas Tips