Recently, areas across Metro Manila have suffered a water shortage problem. According to Manila Water, the East Zone provider of water in Metro Manila, around 52,000 households do not have access to water. 

With how unpredictable water availability is, the best course of action is to conserve water at home. To make sure you’re prepared for anything, here is a list of 10 easy ways to conserve water at home. 

1. 1. Turn off the running water when not in use

   • Whether you’re washing the dishes, brushing your teeth, or washing your hands, make sure to turn off the water when not in use. On average, running water flows at 6 liters per minute, if you leave the water on for just three minutes, that’s already 18 liters of water down the drain… literally!

2. 2. It’s time to get back to the tabo and balde

Again, running water can be such a waste. If you use your tabo and balde it’ll be easier to control the amount of water you consume in the shower.

3. 3. Fix all your leaks

A leak can waste so much water and cost you so much money. A slow drip from a leaking faucet can waste as much as 75 liters in a day, while a leaking toilet can waste as much as 750 liters per day. 

4. 4. Head to a car wash or don’t use the hose for cleaning

Find a carwash that recycles water, that way you can save water as compared to using your hose at home. If you really want to do it yourself, leave the hose and use a bucket and a sponge.

5. 5. Collect rainwater

   • Collecting rainwater in a water barrel is a good alternative supply of water. If you have plants at home, rainwater is a great source to keep your plants hydrated without having to use a hose or sprinkler.

   • 

6. 6. Water your plants early in the morning

   • The air temperature is cooler in the morning, so that means losing less water to evaporation. Do it in the morning because doing it in the evening may lead to mold growth.

7. 7.  Ditch the gel, use soap

   1. Perhaps you prefer using shower gels when you’re in the shower, but this actually requires more water to rinse off! To conserve water, it’s better to get back to soap.

8. 8.  Use a float booster in your toilet tank

   • You can cut down on water waste when using the toilet by using a float booster. You can make your own by putting an inch of sand or water inside two plastic bottles. You fill these bottles with water and put the lid back on. Once you’ve done that, you can put them in your toilet tank, away from the tank operating systems. This can save you as much as 2 liters per flush.

9. 9. Scrape your dishes before washing

   • Maybe you’ve gotten into the habit of washing off the excess food from your plate with water. Well, it’s time to get out of it. You can save water by simply scraping your dishes before washing them.

10. 10.  Do your laundry in bulk

    • Make sure to run full loads of laundry so you can clean your clothes in one go, rather than doing multiple rounds of laundry in a week.