Tapping into water economy

Water is a precious commodity that needs saving. Tony Rheinberg, Marketing Manager of Armitage Shanks, outlines simple changes that can make a massive impact.

 

 

Access to water is man's most basic need, and changes to the climate mean water will become more precious than ever. While it can be tempting to take the issue of water usage lightly, especially in the UK where it seems to rain so often, almost 50 litres of water are wasted each day in household, so it's crucial to act responsibly now to reduce our impact on the environment.

The average person in the UK uses 150 litres each day yet still nearly a third of this water runs straight down the drain without being used, according to statistics provided by Waterwise. We need to staunch this flow. One of the areas where we can make the most impact in the home is in the bathroom, where only 63% of the water piped into UK homes is used.

 

In the UK, we use about 55% more water than we did 25 years ago, and figure is predicted to rise. It is all pure drinking water, yet 63% of it drains away in the bathroom. Although it may seem like a drop in the ocean, paying attention to how we use water in the bathroom can make an enormous difference. Making small behavioural changes, such as having shorter showers instead of baths and not leaving the tap running, make a big difference to the amount of water wasted.

 

Regulation Changes

  

This month, new building regulations around the use of water are being put into place concerning new dwellings created by a change of use of an existing building. Now, recent buildings must not exceed a water efficiency standard of 125 litres per person per day using the 'Water Efficiency Calculator'. This is a methodology and calculation tool for new dwellings that was introduced as part of the Part G regulation to calculate the theoretical water usage per person per day in a domestic building. For example, to keep water usage down, it is recommended that a bath and a shower are both installed in a dwelling. If there is only one bath or one shower, it will be given a very high weighting. Modern WCs often require less water than they used to, and by specifying a dual flush suite the smaller flush will be measured in a 2:1 usage ratio  -  dramatically reducing the amount of water consumed.

 

At Ideal Standard, we aim to make it easy for people to save water and consequently save money and make a crucial difference in their homes by stocking a wide range of water efficient products for both the residential and commercial market. We are actively involved in the Bathroom Manufacturer Association's water efficient labeling scheme and have pledged to add 100 more products to the water efficient labeling scheme by this time next year.

 

Flush Economy

 

As in most areas of water consumption, it is important to balance the optimum use of water against the performance of the product. Because people don't always need a full flush every time they go to the toilet, push button, close-coupled WCs that have dual flush cisterns could be promoted as standard. These cisterns have two buttons - the small button delivers four litres for a short flush, the large button delivers six litres for a long one. This saves over 25% of water versus a six litre cistern. Research by the Environmental Agency indicates that the average domestic toilet is used five times a day, with four uses requiring a short and one use requiring a long flush. Many WCs still use up to 11 litres per flush - by installing a standard six litre cistern customers could save up to 50% of water per year. Some deal Standard WCs now flush on as low as 4/2.6 litres of water (dual flush). Although they perform well to the regulations, it wouldn't be advisable to install these in an old property where the pipework between the house and the main sewer may block if low volumes of water are used.

Water-saving will drive the future of bathroom design. WCs that use less and less water will play a significant role as will more efficient shower valves and kits that deliver an invigorating experience with little water.

All taps and mixers inside the house are measured, and they can account for high water consumption. Whether you need to reduce the flow rate on taps (or mixes) will be determined by the water pressure in the building. Most of our mixes and pillar taps can be fitted with water regulations that regulate the water either into or out of the fitting.

  

Routine Savings

  

When you look at daily routines, taking a shower often saves water compared to having a bath. A typical seven minute shower with a water restrictor can save between 40 and 80 litres of water. However, it is still possible to enjoy a bath without using excessive amounts of water. Water-saving baths, for instance, save water by design - either the overflow is dropped down to reduce capacity or the shape is altered to reduce the bath's capacity but maintain the water depth. For example, Ideal Standard's Concept water-saving bath takes into account that consumers need less space at the foot end of the bath whilst bathing. The bath has a capacity of 116 litres and accounts for only 12.76 litres of water when there is a shower in the house as well. This compares with an average bath of 190 litres, which would use 20.9 litres of water. Consumers (and installers) should always ensure that the house has both a bath and a shower as the water calculator will calculate a high consumption figure if there is only one fixture.

 

Hot on Taps

  

Taps can also be big water prodigals - pumping out eight litres of water per minute on average. It is possible to reduce the flow from taps and mixers to achieve good performance while still reducing the house's  total water consumption. Consumers should consider having different flow rates in different rooms of the house. A cloakroom mixer does not require the same pressure for simple hand washing as a basin mixer that will be used to fill a basin.

Ideal Standard has developed a CLICK technology system, which can save over 5,000 litres of water per year in an average bathroom. The technology gives customers an easy control over how much water they want to use. It is a single lever tap that uses innovative cartridges to help limit the flow of water to 50% if the tap's normal capacity. The tap is lifted until slight resistance is felt, telling the user that the tap is delivering half of its full flow potential. There are two types of flow regulators that can be fitted. Some mixers use outlet regulators that are screwed onto or fitted into (cache) the outlet; other taps and mixers use inlet flow regulators that are fitted into the base of the fitting. Regulators are available in 5, 4 or 2 litres per minute.

 

A Plumbing Priority

  

Sustainable water is a key priority for the bathroom industry but it isn't just about reducing water - it is about using water responsibly. The nest decade will see Ideal Standard at the forefront of developments to enhance sustainability. However, our  efforts will be vain unless it is seen as part of a multi-faceted approach to the problem that combines product innovation, government intervention and widespread consumer education.

 

Source - Installer Magazine

 

Posted Date: 09th Apr 2010