Eco Bathrooms – Part 5 – Taps

The next article in this Eco Bathroom series looks at the tap, small it may be, but it has the potential for a lot of wasted water.  Replace washers and faulty fittings on the basin, bath or bidet.  If your water is calculated on volumes, this could be costing you money for every drip!  Let alone the environmental problems that wasted water creates – think of the energy and resources needed to produce safe and fresh water to your home CONSTANTLY.

The number 1 crime is to leave the taps on when washing your hands or brushing your teeth – potentially as much as 10 litres per minute wasted.  That′s only with cold water, think of the energy used to run the hot tap frequently – damaging the natural environment and creating more carbon emissions.

Tap fixtures, well two choices – old or new. Second hand taps can be reconditioned and help recycle waste away from landfill.   New taps: look for water saving features.  Self closing / shut off taps are operated by a button stopping the water supply when you release the button.  Try to brush your teeth and leave the tap running with this one – impossible!  Other choices are air sprays, aerators, flow regulators and restrictors to reduce the water flow rate. 

Alternatively controls can be added to existing taps to reduce water usage – avoiding the energy and resources needed for manufacture of a complete set.  Avoid gadgets e.g. infrared taps which operate without touching as they are a waste of electricity.

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