Don’t be an Irish waster - follow these 13 tips to save water

Water restrictions are in place in a number of areas across Ireland as the country is experiencing a drought after no significant rain for more than three weeks.

The hosepipe ban is still in place nationwide and Irish Water are now planning nighttime restrictions. The night-time water restrictions in the greater Dublin area will begin next week.

So what can you do at home to cut out water wastage? Here are 13 simple ideas:

1. Boiling vegetables for the dinner? Save the water, cool it off and use it to water your window boxes or garden.

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2. Waiting for the shower to warm up? Keep a bucket under the shower head and use the water it collects for your flowers. Some people have been taking a basin or bucket into the shower with them and using the collected water to water the flowers or wash their car.

3. Take a shower instead of a bath, and spend less time in the shower. The average shower uses about 10 litres of water a minute.

4. Turning off your shower while you apply shampoo, conditioner and soap could save huge amounts of water every time you wash yourself.

5. Want a glass of cold water? Keep a jug in the fridge instead of running the cold tap every time you want a drink.

6. Put a filled container, such as a bottle of water , in the toilet cistern so it uses less water each time you flush. Also don't flush the toilet as much. Irish Water advises "if it's yellow, let it mellow". Gross, but still, think of all that water you are not wasting.

7. If you're sticking on the kettle for a cup of tea, only fill it to the minimum level (or however much fits in your mug). You'll save water and electricity.

8. Collect rainwater when we start getting some. Think about collecting it in a large container such as a bin from the downpipes coming off your gutters. You can then use the rainwater to water the garden, wash your car, or even fill up your toilet cistern.

9. Importantly, make sure to fix any leaks and drips you find around the house as soon as possible. According to a tweet from Irish Water's Customer Care account, a dripping tap can waste more than 1,500 litres of water per year. Also, report any leaks you notice in the main system to Irish Water.

10. Turn off the tap while you're brushing your teeth.

11. Wash your dishes in a basin in the sink instead of using the dishwasher.

12. Only use the washing machine for full loads of clothes.

13. If you're watering the garden during the hosepipe ban, you should be using a watering can. On top of that, if you do your watering early in the morning or late in the evening you can avoid losing water to evaporation.