New calculator for households to help track their water usage

RESEARCH commissioned by Irish Water shows that more than half of Irish households (53%) admit to wasting water, although around eight in ten (78%) know it is important to take action to conserve it.

The research coincides with the launch of Irish Water’s new conservation calculator, which will help households across the country assess their water use habits and find out how much water they are saving on a daily basis. It also offers useful and practical advice on how to reduce water consumption and monitor their progress.

The free tool has been developed in response to research showing consumers want additional tools to help them conserve water and is available at www.water.ie/calculator

The research also highlights that less than one in five respondents report actively conserving water in their homes. However, nearly two in five (40%) say they are interested in future planned water service initiatives.

This new conservation calculator has been developed in response to this interest and will make it easier for households across the country to understand how they use water in their homes, which can lead to better water conservation actions.

By answering a few quick questions about water usage habits, households of all sizes can calculate how much water they are currently saving and what they could do to save even more. The average person’s water consumption is 133 liters per day, and the calculator’s results are based on the water consumption of typical households of similar sizes. The Conservation Calculator provides helpful tips for those who want to ensure they are using water responsibly to improve their score.

Here are some simple tips for saving water:

Keep a carafe of water in the fridge instead of running the cold tap and save six liters a day.

Ensuring the tap is turned off while brushing your teeth saves 84 liters of water per week.

Reducing shower time by 60 seconds saves up to 120 liters of water each week.

250 liters of water per week can be saved by fixing leaky or dripping taps in the garden.

Make sure washing machines and dishwashers are full before you turn them on.

In addition, Irish Water is also continuing its First Fix Free program which helps households who are using above average water levels which could signal a potential leak problem.

The Irish Water team will investigate the cause of the leak and fix the problem to limit any further potential leaks. This is in line with Irish Water’s collaborative approach to water conservation, where everyone works together to preserve our precious water resources.

Speaking at the launch, Ian O Mahoney, Regional Operations Manager for Irish Water, said: “As we enter the summer months, it’s important that we all consider our water usage and that we look at simple yet effective ways to conserve water at home. It can sometimes be difficult to know where to start, but even small changes can make a difference.

The conservation calculator is available at www.water.ie/calculator