In Singapore, the domestic water usage is 151 litres per person per day, mostly in the bathroom. If you find yourself saddled with high water and energy bills, perhaps it’s time to give this often-neglected space a makeover – and help conserve the environment at the same time! With the Government and sanitary-ware manufacturers placing more focus on eco-friendly products in the recent years, greening your bathroom need not be an expensive and complicated affair.
In Singapore, the domestic water usage is 151 litres per person per day, mostly in the bathroom. If you find yourself saddled with high water and energy bills, perhaps it’s time to give this often-neglected space a makeover – and help conserve the environment at the same time! With the Government and sanitary-ware manufacturers placing more focus on eco-friendly products in the recent years, greening your bathroom need not be an expensive and complicated affair.
To reduce water usage without splurging on a new WC, put a brick inside the cistern. This will reduce the capacity of the cistern by the volume of the brick!
Install water-saving fittings with 3-tick Water Efficiency Labels (WELS). A standard showerhead has a flow rate of about 15 litres per minute, while a water-saving one has as little as 3 to 4 litres per minute.
If you don’t have a water-efficient tap or showerhead at home, you can request a free water-saving kit – comprising a set of thimbles with 3 and 4 holes to regulate the flow rates – from the Public Utilities Board. This can reduce your monthly water consumption by as much as 5 per cent.
Flush with less water. Around 16 per cent of the water we use at home is for flushing WCs. Buy a low-capacity cistern with a high WELS rating. Some WC models also come with a dual-flush function that allows you to control the amount of water used.
Re-use hand-washing water. Some sanitary-ware manufacturers have combined the tap with the WC cistern, so the water you’ve washed your hands with is recycled to flush the WC.
Install a low-power extraction fan to reduce the moisture in your bathroom, if the bathroom doesn’t have good ventilation. But get one with a timer switch to ensure it’s off when not needed.
Choose eco-friendly materials such as recycled glass and ceramic tiles, which are also mould-mitigating, for your walls and floors. For painted surfaces, select paints with low levels of volatile organic compounds.
Install solar-powered water heaters that can help to reduce the high energy bills in a landed property.
ECO PICKS
The Axor Starck Organic mixer, by renowned French designer Philippe Starck, has a water flow rate of 3.5 litres per minute, and separate controls for water volume and temperature. Priced from $1,059.50, available at Bretz & Co, #01-02, 1 Nassim Road, tel: 6336-9926.
The Toto Eco Power faucet, winner of the Green Good Design Award, uses a hydro-powered turbine to operate its sensor – eliminating the need for electricity or disposable batteries. Priced from $800, available at W.Atelier, #01-02, 75 Bukit Timah Road, tel: 6270-8828.
The Toto Aerial shower, winner of the Green Good Design Award, infuses air into each water droplet so that you can enjoy the feeling of a full shower with less water. Priced from $680, available at W.Atelier, #01-02, 75 Bukit Timah Road, tel: 6270-8828.
