CONSCIOUS WATER USE
USE WELL, SAVE WATER AND CARBON EMISSIONS FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE PLANET

 Our country faces major environmental sustainability challenges, which everyone must be made aware of. Under the Paris Agreement, Portugal pledged to contribute to limiting the increase in the planet’s average global temperature to 2ºC and to make efforts not to exceed 1.5ºC, a fundamental measure in the fight against climate change.

Therefore, each person's role is decisive, especially when we know that together we can make a difference.

Water is an essential asset for life, and it is important to be aware that it is not unlimited. To save hundreds of litres of water per month, you only need to change small daily habits that will not jeopardise your comfort and that will certainly have a positive impact on resource efficiency and the reduction in CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

In Lisbon, each person consumes, on average, 136 litres of water per day. This value is higher (by 26 litres/person) than the value that the United Nations estimates is the amount of water that a human being needs to satisfy their basic daily needs (110 litres).

Becoming aware of the amount of water we use on a daily basis, directly or indirectly, allows us to be more efficient and helps us choose more environmentally friendly alternatives.

TIPS ...

. It is important to bear in mind that mains water is of excellent quality, reaching a level of compliance in excess of 99% in Lisbon and in most of our country.

. About 60% of domestic water consumption is used for daily hygiene activities, which means that the water we use on hygiene, which is the same water we use for drinking, should be used with the greatest of respect.

. Using water well and getting the word out are very important actions for a more sustainable future.
  

FOLLOW OUR ADVICE:

• A tap running for one minute can use 12 litres of water. Always check that the taps are turned off and pay attention to the “drip-drip” as it also has an impact on the monthly bill; 

• Opt for quick five-minute showers and, whenever possible, turn the tap off while soaping. In a five-minute shower with the tap turned on you can use 60 litres, while with the tap turned off, only 24 litres. Long showers or baths make up a significant amount of the waste in a household’s average consumption;

• The same happens when brushing your teeth: with the tap turned on you can use 36 litres, while with the tap turned off only 0.3 centilitres. So, turn off the tap during your daily hygiene activities and remember that with this simple action you save a lot of water and money;

• Also, adjust the toilet flush to the minimum discharge volume and you will reduce consumption. A leaky toilet cistern can waste around 200 thousand litres of water per year, so it should be repaired immediately;

• Do not put rubbish down the toilet. Remember that each unnecessary flush can consume between 10 and 15 litres;

• Only wash the dishes with the dish machine full! Nowadays there are models with lower consumption, with very low averages per wash. Choose more energy efficient ECO programmes. Also use environmentally friendly detergents;

• If you choose to wash dishes by hand, use a bowl to save water and use environmentally friendly detergents;

• Also use the washing machine with a full load. Newer and more efficient models consume less than 50 litres per wash;

• Send in your meter reading regularly: sending in the reading avoids estimated consumption, allowing better control of water expenses. Learn how to read your meter here; 

• In order to monitor your consumption, join EPAL’s innovative waterbeep service that allows you to check expenses and detect any bursts or losses in devices and taps. You can also take advantage of an alert service that will advise you whenever your water consumption is different from normal. See the advantages and conditions here;

• Install flow reducers on taps and you will see a significant reduction in consumption. Search the market for models that best suit your taps;

• When watering gardens, remember that this is intended to supply the needs of plants when there is insufficient rain. Watering with a hose can use 18 litres per minute. To do this efficiently, take advantage of the cooler times of day, before 8 am and after 6 pm, and you will have fewer evaporation losses;

• Washing the car: use ecological service stations, which have timers for using the water, and wash it only when absolutely necessary;

• Use water from washing fruit and vegetables to water indoor plants.

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE WATER FOOTPRINT?

• Saving paper not only contributes to the preservation of forests, but also to saving water. Each kg of paper requires many litres of water for its production. So, a much more sustainable option is to receive your bill by email. Receiving your bill by email is free, and if you have not yet signed up for this, find out about all the advantages here;

• Recycled products consume less water than those produced from virgin raw materials so it is important to know more about the circular economy and how to reuse things more wisely. Here are some tips;

• Nowadays it is also important to understand the water consumption needed in the production of food, clothing and equipment that we use every day and that are essential for our quality of life. This so-called “virtual water” is also an important indicator of our footprint. For example, did you know that one cup of coffee consumes 140 litres of water? A hamburger 2,400 and a kilogramme of rice 2,497 litres? That is why we must not waste things at the table under any circumstances;

• Also, the production of our clothes, although this information is not on the label, consumes large amounts of water. When we buy them, they have already demanded many natural resources – water, cotton, energy – in their manufacture. For example, a t-shirt consumes an average of 2,495 litres of water and a pair of jeans about 9,982 litres of water, which in total already exceeds 10 m3 of water for something so simple;

• It is a lot isn't it? Now look at a computer: 400 litres, or a mobile phone: 900 litres. Therefore, in addition to reducing, it is especially important to reuse, and thus save resources, water and energy and ensure a better planet for generations to come.