A running hose pipe uses 540 Litres of water an hour.  Consider adding a stop cock to your hose and gathering everything you need to wash before you turn the tap on.  Remember to turn off the tap when you have finished.

This summer does not immediately muster up images of water shortages and hose pipe bans and due to the amount of rain we have experienced I am sure conserving water is not something that is on many people minds right now.  However water is still a valuable resource and there are lots of reasons why we should be trying to save as much as possible.  Some of the reasons for water shortage are explained below:-

More of us using water – it has been calculated that the population of London use more water per person than any other city in Europe and in the UK, every person uses 155 litres of water a day - that is roughly 70% more than 30 years ago.

Smaller families and households – when people live together either as house sharers or a family they inevitably share their water consumption in activities such as washing up, clothes washing , cooking and even bathing.  However, family sizes are getting smaller and people are choosing to live in smaller groups, which means the demand on water is increasing.

More Water-Using Appliances – these days there are very few homes that do not own a washing machine and even though we can all live without dishwashers, their ownership is increasing too. Power showers provide a luxurious alternative to your bog standard shower and with the recent growing popularity of gardening; sprinklers and hosepipes are regularly used in gardens across the country. 

With the increased modern day demand on our water supplies it is easy to get by with out realising how much you are using both at home and within your sailing club, training centre or local marina, as well as on board you boat.   Below are listed a number of tips to give you some ideas on how to save water easily and efficiently. 

Tips – In the Galley

• A dripping tap on your boat, either in the galley or the heads, could waste as much as 90 litres a week.  If you are away from the mains supply cruising for a while and relying on your tanks that is quite a considerable amount of your water that is wasted!
   
• Kettles should be filled with enough water for your needs but not to the brim. This will reduce your fuel bills too!
   
• Whilst cruising or at home try to get into the habit of keeping a container of water (a jug or a bottle) in the fridge so that you don't need to run the water down the sink until it's cool enough to drink.
   
• Select the proper size pans for cooking whist out cruising. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary
   
• The most water efficient methods for cooking vegetables are microwaving, steaming or using a pressure cooker. Using lids that actually fit the saucepan also cuts down on the amount of water that just evaporates into thin air.
   
• Use a washing up bowl rather than the sink for the washing up and don't rinse the dishes under a running tap – all you have to do is use another bowl full of clean water to rinse.

Tips – In the Heads

• Brushing your teeth on board with the tap running wastes almost 6 litres a minute. Brushing your teeth with the tap off only uses an average of 1 litre.
   
• Whether you are onboard you boat or using shore side facilities or at home, just taking a five minute shower a day, instead of a bath, will use a third of the water, saving up to 400 litres a week – but be careful as a swish power shower can use more water.
   
• If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, then replace it with a water-efficient showerhead – it’s probably worth checking.
   
• Remember - you use less water by turning the hot tap down, rather than the cold tap up, if you require cooler water.
   
• Turn the water off while you shampoo and condition your hair and you can save more than 50 gallons a week.

Tips – Out on Deck

• A running hose pipe uses 540 litres of water an hour.  When washing down boats, sails or equipment gather everything you need to wash together before the tap goes on and remember to turn the tap off when you have finished.
   
• Trigger nozzles on hoses in marinas, sailing clubs and your gardens can save water by using it only when needed. This can save up to 225 litres a week.

• We're more likely to notice leaky taps indoors, but don't forget to check outdoor taps, pipes and hoses for leaks at your sailing club or marina.

• When washing down you boat or filling your water tank, try not to leave the hose pipe on pouring water over the side.  An easy alternative is to fill buckets for the cleaning and scrubbing instead.

Information from –

Thames Water – www.thameswater.co.uk

BBC News – World – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/2945018.stm

For more information visit www.thegreenblue.org.uk