Saving Water in Your Home: Smart Water Conservation Systems You Can Use

While domestic water use only represents 8-10% of total global water consumption, every drop counts in countries facing severe water stress, such as Egypt and Morocco. For example, Egypt consumes about 5.5 Billion cubic meters (BCM) of water for domestic purposes, while Morocco uses approximately 1.7 BCM for drinking, tourism, and industrial activities. These amounts are significant.

Fortunately, many smart technologies are already available to help reduce water waste in homes. Many of these technologies are easy to install and inexpensive. Their long-term use can save significant amounts of wasted water and also contribute to reducing your water bill.

The use of these technologies is widespread in many countries suffering from water stress. In some American states experiencing periodic water supply shortages, such as Colorado, California, and New Mexico, local authorities establish rules regarding the types of showerheads permitted for installation in homes. In the perennially drought-stricken South African city of Cape Town, the government is engaging citizens and businesses in water-saving initiatives that include using efficient showerheads, reducing shower times, and flushing toilets only when necessary.

Smart Water Monitoring Systems

Various smart water monitoring systems are available for purchase. These systems have sensors that collect different kinds of data about your water system, such as water flow and usage patterns. Some systems can even assess the water quality. With this data, you can create a plan to decrease waste and make the best use of water in your home.

Leak Detectors

According to official data, during the fiscal year 2021-2022, 26.5% of the tap water produced in Egypt did not reach the consumers, and in Morocco, approximately 50% of water is lost in public water networks.

There are small gadgets you can buy and install at home, that can accurately detect water leaks at a cost not exceeding $50 (around 2,500 EGP or 500 MAD). These devices can help you save money on your water bill over time and prevent damage to your furniture that can occur due to water leaks.

Smart Faucets, Smart Toilets, and Smart Showers

Showers are among the most water-consuming fixtures in households. On average, power showers consume 13 liters of water per minute, but this can be reduced when using mixer showers, and even further when using smart showers.

Nowadays, there are smart showers that can set the perfect temperature as soon as the water starts flowing, shower sensors that can detect when you step away from the water to apply shampoo and immediately stop the water flow, and there are even smart showers that learn your preferences and prevent you from spending too much time enjoying the hot water.

There are also smart kitchen faucets that can be adjusted to get the right flow of water depending on the purpose of use, faucets with sensors that automatically start and stop water flow, and toilets that can be flushed with a half or quarter flush as needed.

Daily Habits To Save Water

In addition to the smart systems mentioned above, simple adjustments to daily habits can minimize water waste, such as taking showers instead of baths, turning off taps while brushing and shaving, placing a bottle of water inside the toilet tank to reduce flush volume, and using dishwashers only when fully filled. For more information, see this article for additional water-saving tips.

In conclusion, the importance of minimizing water wastage in households is increasing, especially in countries suffering from water stress like Egypt and Morocco. A combination of smart water conservation systems, including water monitoring systems, leak detection devices, smart faucets, smart toilets, and smart showers, are available to assist in this effort. When used alongside wise daily habits, they can achieve significant savings in household water consumption.