When we think of summer, we think of heat, sun, light…and water! Water makes this season easier to bear in many areas of our Peninsula.
We need more water exactly during the time of year when it is the scarcest. This tricky combination means we need to be especially careful about how we use it.
In Spain, a country with a predominantly Mediterranean climate, we are used to making moderate use of this resource. And with good reason, average water consumption in the home during 2020 was 133 litres per inhabitant and per day, less than the average use of countries in the European Union, which was 142 litres. And in Madrid, we are even a bit more efficient, at 129 litres.
But there is still room for improvement, and all awareness initiatives in this regard are important. Like the recent school contest Siete lemas por el agua (Seven Slogans for Water), organised by Fundación Canal, which sought to invite school students from the Community of Madrid to make a slogan based on sustainable, careful use of water. This initiative was warmly welcomed, with the participation of over 40 different schools. The winning proposals are featured in a spectacular artistic intervention on the front wall of the foundation for the enjoyment of Madrid’s inhabitants and visitors to the city alike.
By making small changes to the ways we consume the most water in our daily routines, we can significantly save without hardly even noticing.
But let’s go step-by-step. One of the places where we consume the most water is in the home, which means this is where we can most easily achieve greater efficiency. Let’s look at how:
Bath and kitchen
This is where the most consumption happens. Of note, showers and baths account for approximately 35% and taps for sinks and kitchens make up another 35%. We can adopt some good habits to use water more responsibly in the home, like taking short showers that last less than 4 minutes, turning off the tap while soaping up, using dual-flush toilets, and fitting aerators to taps, as well as using appliances at full capacity.
Another way to optimise consumption is tochoose efficient appliances with ECO programmes. Not only will you save on water, but also on energy and money.
Watering plants and garden
If you have plants in your home or garden, you can choose local varieties that are better adapted to the environment and climate or select trees and plants that do not consume much water. For example, trees like olive trees, succulents, and aromatics like thyme, rosemary, and lavender. Other suggestions: use drip irrigation systems (more efficient, since it does not lose water to evaporation and reduces weeds) and water during the coolest time of day (first thing in the morning or late in the evening).
Pool
If you have a private or community pool, proper maintenance is key to making it sustainable and also more affordable.
The most effective measure is to keep the basin full year-round, covering it when not in use to prevent evaporation and so you do not have to fill it again. It is also essential to select efficient and sustainable water treatment systems, like active oxygen or saline disinfection equipment. Additionally, closed-circuit purification systems provide significant water savings.
Holidays
During holidays, even if you are not at home, you can keep caring for water with gestures like not washing hotel towels every day or using a reusable water bottle.
Nowadays, many cities have applications that tell you the location of the nearest water sources. You can find a good example in the city of Madrid.
Water managers face the same challenge every summer: meeting water demand in the most efficient way possible.
Take care of water on holiday, too!
