Get the kids involved in the crusade to save water. Here are 10 easy things they can do to help (plus they encourage good water conservation habits too!).
1. Turn off the Taps
When brushing teeth or lathering hands, remind children to turn off the faucet so water isn’t just running down the drain. When they are done, make sure the water is off completely. The same goes when they are in the shower – turn off the water while lathering or shampooing.
2. Take Quick Showers
A quick shower uses much less water than filling up a bathtub. Make it a challenge and set an egg timer for 5 minutes to let kids know when it’s time to get out of the shower.
3. Flush Slightly Later
If your kids just have pee, don’t flush immediately afterwards, especially if you have little ones that frequently use the toilet. Flush after a few hours (unless it’s number 2 of course!)
4. Use a Bin for Papers (not the toilet)
Don’t flush tissues, dead bugs or other waste down the toilet. Encourage kids to place such materials in the trash bin.
5. Ditch the Hose Pipe
Whether washing a bike, a car or the family pet, use a filled bucket and sponge instead of a hose. This saves a lot of water as a running hose can waste 6 gallons of water each minute.
6. Save Unwanted Water
Use water left in cups and bottles to water plants instead of throwing it down the drain. The same goes for water used to boil eggs, after it has cooled. This is a good lesson for kids to understand why it’s important to reuse water whenever possible.
7. Check for Water Leaks
If your toilet has a leak, you could be wasting about 200 gallons (!!) of water daily. Get kids to test for leaks by placing a drop of food colouring into the toilet tank — if the colour appears in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak that needs to be fixed. Also, if your toilet handle sticks and water is continuously running, get a plumber to look at it as this a very common way of wasting water.
8. Watch for Dripping Taps
Get kids to be vigilant about dripping faucets, hoses and pipes. Have them notify an adult right away.
9. Water the Garden Wisely
If your kids help with the garden and watering plants, let them know that the best time to water the plants is in the early morning or evening when it’s cooler outside. Watering when it’s hot and sunny is wasteful because most of the water evaporates before it can be absorbed by the plants. For avid gardeners, The Daily Gardener offers more essential tips for using less water in your green spaces. When the rains start you can always get the kids to set up a water collection point and make this a fun activity on how we can recycle water for the garden.
10. Spread the Word
Have children get their friends on board, encouraging them to do the same while explaining why we especially need to save water right now in Thailand.
Source: Water, Use it Wisely
