Reduce, reuse & recycle to conserve water

In today’s scenario, water is becoming a global concern and the world would see a widespread drought in the near future if we fail to rationalise its consumption. It is high time we must follow the concept of three R's (reduce, reuse and recycle water) for the well being of our planet and our future generations. We can reduce water wastage by using it wisely. One should keep a tab on leakages around the house as a leaking toilet can waste 25 litres a day or a whopping 9,125 litres of water per year. Further, instead of letting the used water go down the drains, we can reuse waste water for mopping, car washing, irrigation of plants and other household activities. This will definitely decrease the pressure on fresh water required for these activities. Rainwater, which is a source of fresh water, is often drained down into the sewer lines, making it unusable. This rainwater can be harvested to balance the underground water table to combat drought situations. Farms and gardens can be irrigated with this water. Besides, it can also be used for other household activities.  

RAVI CHANDER GARG

Make every drop of water count

Save water, save life should be motto of our life. However, irresponsible wastage of potable water by way of watering lawns, washing cars and overflowing overhead tanks shows that we do not care for this precious commodity. No one even try to close the running water taps on roads or public areas even when there are many cities and villages facing acute shortage of water. In this scenario, conserving water has become more important than ever. Even if you're not living in a drought-stricken region, cutting back on water use means preserving this precious resource for future generations. Cut back on your showers and replace your lawn with water-wise plants to conserve water around the home. If you see water flowing through taps, just close the tap. Every single drop of water is very important. Make every drop of water count. Even a few small changes can add up to hundreds of gallons in water savings each year! Instead of letting the water pour down the drain, stick a bucket under the faucet while you wait for your shower water to heat up. You can use the water for flushing the toilet or watering your plants. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or washing your hands. Reuse your pasta cooking liquid. Instead of dumping that water down the drain, try draining your pasta water into a large pot. Once it cools, you can use it to water your plants. Take your car to a car wash that recycles the water, rather than washing at home with the hose. Don't run the dishwasher or washing machine until it's full. Install a rain barrel. Water outdoor plants early in the morning. Use less electricity. Power plants use thousands of gallons of water to cool. Do your part to conserve power, and you're indirectly saving water, too!  

Shubhangi Sofat

Use waste water for watering plants

Water is considered to be the most important element for survival of humans and other living beings. Unfortunately, the scarcity of water is becoming an alarming problem in India as well as at global level. It becomes our duty to preserve water not for only us but for the coming generations too. If all of us together put efforts to overcome the problem of wastage of water at our homes, we may contribute in saving millions of gallons of water. We should use buckets in our bathrooms while taking bath, instead of using showers. Turn off the taps while brushing teeth and use small mug while shaving. Use toilets which require less water for flushing. We should make sure that not even a single tap in the home is leaking. Don't throw the waste water in the open as the same may be used for watering plants at home. We should plant those saplings which require less water. Water the plants in the morning as these require less water due to moisture. Don't wash cars at home rather it should be washed at car wash centers where water is being recycled. Use dishwasher when that is full with utensils and not for just two or three utensils. Store rainwater and use it for harvesting purposes. Keep a check on water tanks so that these don't overflow.  

Dr Mohd Saleem Farooqui

Conserve water for future generations

The world population will touch more than 7.5 billion mark in near future. The current situation of water is gruesome and it will pose a new threat in near future when millions of people will not be able to get even a single drop of water. We are using water more than our requirement. We are wasting million gallons of water in our homes daily without caring about our future generations. We must take some steps to conserve and save water. We can avoid wastage of water just by turning off taps if water is running waste. One should use shower for bath and use low flush toilets. Use steam instead of water to wash vegetables and meat. Check leakages of water if any at home. Use mug instead of running tap while brushing and shaving. We all must lend our support to make the best and economical use of water and conserve it for our future generations.

Farzana Khan

Use waste water of ROs for household activities

We must minimise water wastage at our homes. Instead of cleaning floors daily, we should go in for mopping it. Avoid washing a small number of clothes in a washing machine as this practice wastes lots of water. Waste water of ROs should be used for washing utensils or other household activities. Instead of shower, use a mug and a bucket for bathing. Do not wash your car daily with water and instead, use a damp cloth to clean it. Avoid watering the lawns and flower pots during day time. These should be watered in the evenings so that they can retain maximum water. While brushing our teeth, we must turn off the tap when we are not using water. All leaking pipes and taps must be repaired at the earliest. Above all, do not allow your small kids to play with water in summers. I am sure that even if few of the measures are adopted, we will be able to save a lot of precious water.

RAVI CHANDER GARG 

Saving water is essential for everybody's life

Minimising water wastage at homes is essential as the groundwater level is decreasing day-by-day. In Punjab, the districts of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, Sangrur, Patiala and Barnala are in the red spot for overexploitation of groundwater. In certain parts of Haryana, such as Sirsa, the groundwater situation is worse than that of Punjab. Turn off the taps when not in use.  Water must be given in the garden area either in the early morning or in the evening. Regularly check your kitchen pipes and dishwasher hose for slow leaks. The government should also help to save fresh water and prevent water pollution by measuring water use and setting targets to reduce its wastage. By obliging large companies to measures and manage the amount of warm water resources and making laws to increase water recycling. If you wash dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing. We must save water because it is essential for everyone's life. We should not save water for present use, but also for the future generations.

Manpriya Kaur 

Get taps, pipes checked for any leakage 

Water is a precious commodity which not only sustains human life, but all the flora and fauna on Earth. Wastage of water is leading us to our end. Our home is where the initiative to converse it must start. Firstly, we must get our taps and pipes checked so that there is no leakage. Secondly, water which we use for washing utensils or cleaning vegetables can be used to water plants. Also water used for mopping or washing cars can be considerably reduced by adopting less water usage techniques to clean vehicles. Water can be further used to replenish in soil or plants. 

Rattandeep Singh Oberoi

Turn off taps while brushing teeth

Living with access to fresh clean water can create the illusion of an infinite natural resource. However, this is not the case. We should reduce water wastage and also reuse waste water. We tend to use large amount of water for numerous activities such as bathing, cleaning and cooking. We need to economise on water like by using low-flow shower heads, taps, toilets and washing machines and aerated faucets that use less water. Plants should be watered by water cans, instead of water pipes, and that too in the morning and evening only, to prevent evaporation. Taps should be turned off while brushing or washing hands. Rooftop harvesting of rainwater is a great way to collect and store rainwater and use when you need it. Avoid using running water to thaw meat or other frozen food items; we can defrost it overnight in the refrigerator. We should check all faucets, pipes and toilets for leakage. Dishwasher should be used only when it is full and similar is for the washing machine. 

Dr Jasdeep Kaur

Rainwater tanks can help in conserving water

Keep a check on your water usage in bathroom. It is one of the easiest ways of saving water in daily life. A lot of water is wasted everyday while bathing or brushing teeth. We should always turn of the taps while brushing our teeth as it can save more than five litres of water per minute. It is estimated that unknown leaks in your bathroom and household can waste up to 3,000 gallons (11,000 L) of water a year. Making minor adjustments and fixing these leaks can save a lot of water. You can easily cut down on your daily water usage by installing a low-flush or dual-flush toilet. A rainwater tank is one of the best ways to conserve water. The water collected from rain can also be put to good uses. You can water your plants using it. 

Chestta Gumber

Educate your wards about importance of water

Water is the nectar of life. Life without water is nothing. It is the most important natural resource made available by mother earth to us. We celebrate World Water Day on March 22. But the question arises, do we implement the purpose of this day in our life? We use water for so many purposes such as washing, cleaning, watering plants etc. While doing these activities, we should be very careful about the wastage of water. Don't let the faucet run while cleaning vegetables. Instead, clean them in a pan of clean water. If water is dripping from faucets, call in your plumber. Keep a bucket in shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Don't take lengthy showers. Reuse water left over from steamed food. Water your garden with a watering can rather than a hosepipe. Install a water butt to your drain pipe and use it to water your plants. Turn off the tap while brushing. Water your lawn only when it needs it. By following these tips, we can make minimise water wastage at home. Parents can contribute to preserve water by educating their children about the importance of water. It's time we should join hands together to conserve water for future generations. Everyone should understand their individual responsibility and try to save water as much as they can.

KAMALDEEP KAUR

Leakages should be fixed on time 

We should avoid taking shower, instead use buckets for taking bath and washing cars. Avoid using pipes while washing vehicles. We should make arrangements for saving rainwater and can use that water for plantation. Even after boiling vegetables, we can use that water for plantation. We should turn off the tap while washing hands or washing utensils. It can be seen many times that most of the tanks keep leaking in houses or factories. Automatic motors should be used which will switch off automatically after filling the tank. Leakages should be fixed well in time.

Ritu Priya

Check water wastage at homes

Shortage of potable water has become a major problem across the country due to falling water table and increasing pollution in natural water bodies. It is high time to check water wastage, especially at our homes. We can reduce water wastage while performing our day-to-day activities  only by turning off water taps in between when not in use. Waste water from RO system can be utilised for mopping floors or gardens. Immediate check on any kind of leakage from taps or tanks can save lot of water from being wasted. Plants should be watered with watering cans and sprinklers for lawns, instead of water pipes. Waste water from kitchen can also be utilised for kitchen garden at home. It's our moral responsibility to save water for our future generations.

Vandna Malik

QUESTION  

Can green and clean Ludhiana be a reality?

OPEN HOUSE COMMENT 
Minna Zutshi 

Create a society that is water conscious

Water wastage is a serious issue and water is everybody's business. Create a society that is water conscious. Let children learn the first lessons of water conservation in the family itself. Conserve water by adopting a zero-waste policy. Teachers can create an awareness in schools about the pressing need for water conservation. Instead of preachy generalisations, a direct approach such as sharing with the children tips on water conservation is more effective. Focus on simple actions such as turning off the tap when not in use, taking shorter showers, being water wise while gardening, watering plants in the morning, fixing promptly a dripping tap. Facts on water wastage and conservation can be shared with concrete examples and pictorial support. Involvement of kids in water saving activities will go a long way in the conservation of water. Water harvesting under expert guidance can be an excellent step towards the conservation of water. All wasteful practices such as watering the garden recklessly, using hose to wash the car are best avoided. On the administrative front, the wasteful practices should invite a punitive action like imposition of fine. Water wastage should also invite social censure.