Through a few small measures and the choice of appropriate materials, it is possible to create an environmentally friendly plumbing system.
- Reducing the consumption of drinking water is now a necessity: some tricks on the plumbing system, such as pressure reducers, can help us do this;
- Recovering rainwater is an ecological idea: there are pumping and filtering systems ideal for this solution;
- High-efficiency hydraulic components and the use of stainless steel make our plumbing system decidedly ecological.
How to save drinking water.
Drinking water is an essential resource for life and must necessarily be preserved, especially if we consider that more than two billion people in the world do not have safe access to it (Unicef data). The water emergency, exacerbated by climate change, is a fact that requires us to adopt sustainable lifestyles to contribute to change already within the walls of our homes.
Let's start by considering some data, to better understand how our daily consumption is distributed and consequently think about how we can act to limit waste. Consumption is generally broken down as follows:
- 30% for flushing the toilet
- 41% for personal hygiene
- 7% for drinking and cooking
- 22% for other consumption
There are many possibilities to adopt virtuous behaviour. There are simplest tips, such as preferring the shower to the bathtub (this saves up to 75% of water!) or turning off the water tap while brushing your teeth.
Then there are less immediate but equally important suggestions, such as those concerning our plumbing system. One idea could be the use of pressure reducers, which have considerable advantages. On the one hand, they protect the system from pressure peaks, and on the other they drastically reduce water consumption. It is estimated that the reduction can be around 40-50%!
It is also a good rule of thumb to check your plumbing system for leaks and prefer high quality pipes or hoses,hydraulic valves, fittings and generally high quality plumbing material. Another possibility concerns the recovery of rainwater for uses where drinking water is not required: watering the garden, washing the car, cleaning outdoor areas or flushing the toilet. Building a rainwater recovery system is not complex: essential elements are a collection tank and a suction and pumping system connected to a hydraulic valves and filters.
Valves and pumping systems for highly efficient plumbing.
Besides saving drinking water, there are other aspects of a plumbing system that can make a difference in terms of sustainability. One of these is undoubtedly energy savings. There are hydraulic valves that guarantee low pressure drops, pumping systems with reduced consumption thanks to high-efficiency motors, variable speed pumping systems, pressure switches and pressure flow switches. Today, when designing a hydraulic system, it’s important to consider the importance of hydraulic efficiency. Technology and innovation in the world of hydraulics are increasingly moving in this direction.Stainless steel for plumbing systems: the added value of a sustainable choice.
The use of stainless steel in plumbing components is a real green choice. Stainless steel has many advantages in terms of durability, corrosion resistance and hygiene. But its virtues also include that of being 100% recyclable. In fact, stainless steel products not only last longer, which is why the time to replace them is pushed back; when the time comes to dispose of them, they can be melted down and reused countless times without the material losing its properties.
The theme chosen for WATER DAY 2023, celebrated as always on 22 March, is “Accelerating Change”, “Be the change we want to see in the world”. A commitment to action that must involve each of us, each within our own possibilities, and that has been chosen to be told through an ANCIENT PERUVIAN LEGEND.
One day a fire broke out in the forest and while all the animals were trying to get to safety, a small hummingbird kept flying back and forth, from the forest to the lake. All the larger animals laughed at him as he tried to put out the fire drop by drop. But the hummingbird simply replied: “I am doing what I can”.
At Water Fitters we will make our contribution by providing promotional discounts on all our products from 22 March for a whole week for all our customers.
