Water-saving tips have been drilled into our heads for the longest time. Install a thimble in your tap, use the half-flush, and take shorter showers are all oft-repeated mantras that can be traced back to a time where the chief concern was water scarcity rather than friendliness to the climate.
Still, it’s never too late to think about how much water you could actually be saving if you implemented these strategies, whether they be water-saving habits that become a part of your daily life or upgrades to household appliances with higher water-efficiency ratings under PUB’s Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS).
After all, the price of water will soon be surging by an extra 20 cents per cubic metre next month, followed by a second 30-cent rise in April 2025. This works out to a sizable increase of 18% – no mere drop in the ocean, especially if you’re no longer working or on fixed payouts from CPF Life.
To stem the rising tide, we’ve compiled a list of water-saving hacks ranging from the standard to the unconventional, along with an effort-to-efficiency rating to know how big of a splash you’re making on your water bills.
This way, you can zero in on the most impactful water-saving methods to help keep your head above water without breaking a sweat.
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Plug leaks with these water-saving tips
1. Wash your veggies, then water your plants
It’s common practice to rinse vegetables to get rid of dirt or debris. Instead of letting the water flow straight into the drain, you can collect it in a basin to pre-rinse dishes – or even water your plants. You can also do this with the starchy water from washed rice.
Water saved: Assuming you’re using a two-tick-rated sink with a flow rate of 5L per minute, you can repurpose 15L of water – or almost a full average-sized pail of water – after just three minutes of rinsing.
2. Turn shower time into family time
One of life’s simple pleasures is stepping into a cold shower after a day out in Singapore’s persistently muggy weather. Unfortunately, it is also one of the costliest – at least, in terms of water usage.
According to a survey conducted by PUB from 2021 to 2022, showers account for more than 30% of a household’s total water expenditure. As the single largest category of home water usage, it makes sense to prioritise plugging this leak.
Apart from obvious water-saving tips like taking a shorter shower, consider unconventional hacks like bringing a small load of clothes into the shower with you for a quick wash while the hot water is running. You could even shower the grandkids together when babysitting to maximise family bonding time.
Water saved: One-tick shower heads can have a flow of up to 9L per minute, which means that cutting out one ten-minute shower yields up to 90L of water saved – equivalent to 60 family-sized bottles of soda.
3. Save water on a rainy day
Singapore’s frequent downpours are a valuable resource, not just for our national water supply but also for your home.
Create a simple rainwater collection vessel with recycled bottles or tubs and use the collected water to flush your toilet, water indoor plants or anything else you can dream up. Just remember that rainwater isn’t potable.
You should also check on these vessels regularly to make sure that there isn’t a build-up of mozzie-breeding stagnant water.
Water saved: The average annual total rainfall in Singapore from 1991 to 2020 was 2534.3mm – meaning that for every square metre of space, you can expect to collect more than 2500L of water. Realistically, this means that we can safely expect full pails of water on rainy days.
4. Make spray while the sun’s not shining
Budding plant enthusiasts, this one’s for you. The best time to water your plants and save water at the same time is in the early morning.
The cooler temperature means that more of the water will be absorbed into the plants’ roots instead of being lost to evaporation, benefiting both the plant and your wallet. While late evenings are also cooler, leaving moist soil overnight can lead to rot or fungal growth.
Water saved: Every plant needs a different amount of water, so it’s hard to gauge how much water you’ll be saving with this trick. The efficacy of this trick depends on whether you’re watering your lawn – which would most likely get direct exposure to the sun – or an indoor plant.
5. Go shopping to save money (and water)
Sometimes, you have to spend money to save money. Home appliances degrade and get less efficient over time – especially once they start springing leaks.
Stop-gap measures like plumber’s tape or putty are often a literal band-aid solution to the root of the issue. Instead, opt for a more permanent solution and replace the faulty appliance altogether.
If you can afford it, shoot for newer, highly water-efficient home appliances with three to four ticks under WELS. These use just a fraction of the water compared to lower-rated sinks, taps or water closets. For example, four-tick washing machines use just half as much water compared to two-tick ones.
Water saved: According to the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s website, a kitchen leak can cost up to 10,000L of water a year – equivalent to 200 kegs of beer!
Celebrate Singapore World Water Day 2024 this March
PUB kicked off its annual month-long water conservation campaign in conjunction with Singapore World Water Day 2024 on 9 March.
Themed “Save water. Big ways, small ways. All OK!”, the campaign celebrates all efforts both individual and collective in service of conserving Singapore’s precious water resource
The mass-launch event took place at Jurong Lake Gardens, Lakeside Field. Activities included an inclusive Water Rhythm Mass Dance led by friendly instructors, an exhibition showcasing a water-efficient home, as well as a meet-and-greet with PUB mascots Water Wally and Sally.
