Irish Examiner, Wed, 1st October 2014: Some helpful tips to easily reduce your water charges
When thinking about the burning issue of water conservation, a little divine inspiration may be useful.
The students of Building Services Engineering at South East Technological University began the new term with a visit to Longford Cathedral, which is under reconstruction after a devastating fire in 2009.
But while most visitors admire the exterior, some of the most impressive aspects of the job are out of sight — like the rainwater harvesting system that will use the water freely supplied by the heavens to flush toilets and supply other areas where treated water is unnecessary.
“The big issue with water supply in our buildings — commercial and domestic — is that the water has been chemically treated to make sure it’s fit for human consumption, but yet we waste it by using it in the toilet or on the garden or washing the car,” says course leader Tom O’Brien.
“With a rainwater harvesting system, the rainwater is collected and diverted through a filtration system and then up to a pump that feeds it into the toilets. In the average house, about a third of water use is in toilets, so it makes sense.”
And it’s not just to the clouds we should be looking — our sinks, showers, and baths are another ready source of reusable water.
Click here to read the full article from www.irishexaminer.com