WATCH: Do You Leave The Tap Running When You Brush Your Teeth? Because Ben Camille Does And Here’s Why That’s VERY Wrong
If you leave the tap running while you brush your teeth, you need to re-evaluate all your life choices. Not just because it’s a lazy move, but because you can waste up to 150 litres of water a week for absolutely no reason.
As an island, the amount of water we require for domestic use reaches up to 30,000,000,000 litres a year
And in case that’s too many zeros for you to comprehend, that’s thirty billion.
Thirty billion litres of water a year just for domestic use, making up just 40% of the national demand. Meaning we use waaaaay more than 30,000,000,000 litres of water a year.
Each person in Malta consumes around 110 litres of water a day, and only seven litres of that 110 goes towards cooking and drinking. The rest is used for washing and personal hygiene; from washing machines and dishwashers to showers and and washing the car.
There are several steps we can take to decrease this amount.
As Chucky said, it’s important to be aware how much water we’re using so that we know how to conserve it better. Closing the tap while you brush your teeth is an easy one, and applies to washing your face and your hands too.
Other things you can do include washing fruit and vegetables in a bowl instead of using a running tap, and washing your car with a bucket and sponge instead of using a hose.
Water – Be The Change is aiming to educate the Maltese population on conserving water.
Check out their website for tips on how to save water in all aspects of your life, from your home to your workplace. They also gives tips for water conservation in agriculture.
The biggest challenge we face on the island when it comes to water is the scarcity of natural freshwater, as evidenced by the fact that Malta has the lowest natural freshwater availability per capita of all the European Union.
According to the United Nations, Malta classifies as having natural freshwater resources which are below the manageable capability for the country’s sustainable development.
This is because of Malta’s high population density, with about 1,325 people per square kilometre. Together with the increasing number of tourists visiting every year and the dry Mediterranean climate, this leaves some serious pressure on the local water resource.
So the next time you plan on leaving the water running while upper brush your teeth, maybe don’t. Unless you want Chucky to come and bug you in your bathroom.
This project is part-financed by the European Union under the Cohesion Fund – European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020.