As a conference on water opens in New York, a UN report paints an alarming picture and evokes an “imminent” risk of a global crisis. franceinfo looks at the question: how to gain sobriety in everyday life?
The average water consumption of a French person is 150 liters per day. We consumed 42 liters less in the 1980s. But today, we are beginning to realize that the resource is not infinite, especially after the record of 32 days without rain at the start of the year and the fifteen departments at the barely before the heat even arrives.
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A rare UN conference on water opens Wednesday, March 22 in New York on the occasion of World Water Day. And the United Nations publishes an alarming report warning of widespread water shortages under the pressure of overconsumption and climate change. It recalls that some two billion people are deprived of access to drinking water and 3.6 billion do not have access to safely managed sanitation services.
150 liters consumed per day at home
For a French person, a small shower corresponds to 80 liters of water consumed, 200 liters for a bath. When you flush the toilet, 8 liters go out. Machine wash requires 90 litres. These are daily gestures that we no longer think about, but at the end of the day, nearly 150 liters of water are gone, mainly for personal hygiene and housekeeping since we only drink 1 % of all this water consumed and that no more than 6% is used for cooking.
Simple gestures
Appliances have certainly made progress. For example, when you wash the dishes by hand, you consume 42 liters while the dishwasher will use only 12, a water saving of 60%. There are also obvious things like turning off the tap while brushing your teeth or soaping your hands, otherwise, in one minute, 12 liters of water leak out.
Equipping the shower with an economical shower head that mixes air and water allows the flow rate to be divided by two. In toilets, a two-push flush can save up to 60%.
For the dishes, pre-washing the plates before putting them in the machine is an avoidable mess. And, of course, it is necessary to fill the appliances before they are started, the washing machine like the dishwasher and to favor the eco programs. They use about a third less water if they perform well. The most effective are rated A+++. The possible difference in purchase price can be worthwhile.
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Track the leaks
The enemy to hunt down is leaks. The worst is a faulty flush that can waste up to 600 liters every day, or two euros, or the water consumption of a family of four for 24 hours. A leaky faucet lets 120 liters flow daily.
To find out for sure, just place a sheet of toilet paper along the toilet bowl. It stays dry or it takes on water, the answer is simple. Otherwise, to be sure, it is possible to read the figures of the water meter in the evening and in the morning. If there is a leak, it will be visible. Not only does the planet need it, but with an annual water bill of around 500 euros, your wallet might too.