How to save water at home
By taking a fresh look at your household habits, you could save many litres of precious drinking water every day. That way, you’ll stop your money – as well as the water – from going down the drain.
A research carried out by DECO PROteste for IKEA in December 2023 shows that a Portuguese household of three* can save €213 per year on water by using more efficient equipment, such as taps, showers and dishwashers. Allowing for savings of 160,100 litres of water per year.
*Household made up of three people, two adults and one child or young person. Both adults work outside the home and the child or young person goes to school or university.
The average value considered of the variable component of water utility services for human consumption, €1.33/m3 according to 2022 prices in mainland Portugal, including water supply and wastewater treatment.Given the differences in the prices charged in the different municipalities, with variation intervals in a proportion of 1 to 7, this average value is not representative of all Portuguese households.
Savings of €23 per year with the tap on the kitchen sink
All IKEA taps have a built-in aerator that mixes air and water, reducing the flow while maintaining the pressure.
Replacing a sink tap without an aerator with an ÄLMAREN tap makes it possible to reduce water consumption, giving savings of 17,500 litres of water in one year.
Assuming that the tap is running for an average of 12 minutes per day for washing dishes and washing fruit and vegetables and that the flow from the sink tap to be replaced is 12L/min, while the flow from the ÄLMAREN is 8L/min.
Filling the sink to wash the dishes instead of using running water can bring savings of 160 litres of water per day.
Savings of €23 per year with the wash-basin tap
Replacing a wash-basin tap without an aerator with a BROGRUND mixer tap makes it possible to reduce water consumption, giving savings of 17,600 litres of water in one year.
Assuming that the flow from the wash-basin tap to be replaced is 9L/min, while the flow from the BROGRUND mixer tap is 5.7L/min. The tap is running for an average of 14.5 minutes a day for a household of three, for washing hands, brushing teeth and shaving.
Savings of €82 per year with the shower head
Replacing a shower head without an aerator with a VALLAMOSSE shower head makes it possible to reduce water consumption, giving savings of 61,300 litres of water in one year.
It is assumed that the shower is running, on average, for 24 minutes per day for this household of three, considering eight minutes per shower, and that the flow from the shower head to be replaced is 15L/min, while the flow from the VALLAMOSSE shower head is 8L/min.
Reducing shower time from ten to five minutes brings savings of 225 litres of water per day.
Savings of €85 per year with the dishwasher
Using a RENGÖRA dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand allows for savings of 63,600 litres of water per year.
Assuming a basic scenario where the dishes are hand-washed with the tap running for 15 minutes every day. And the new scenario where the dishes are washed in the dishwasher three times a week, with no pre-wash and turned on only when full, with water consumption of 12L/cycle.
Installation of an ÅBÄCKEN mist nozzle for mixer taps without this feature.
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