Malaysians Use 27% More Water Than Recommended, Here’s 3 Easy Steps To Recycle Water At Home
Even though Malaysia has a relatively constant supply of rain, it doesn’t mean we are safe from water woes.
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You wouldn’t think that Malaysia, a country with so much rain, should need to worry about the lack of water. Yet drought is a real problem that we will face in the near future.
Due to climate change, many places in Malaysia have faced periods of drought. In fact, the country expects a major drought sometime in 2025, and we are already gearing up to prepare for it.
READ MORE: Malaysia Too Faces Climate Change Issues, Here’s How IWK Offers To Be Part of the Solution
(Credit: Shafwan Zaidon/Malay Mail)
In Malaysia, water is really, really cheap, but that doesn’t mean we should disregard the true value of water! We have a very high rate of water consumption in the country, at 219 litres per person daily, compared with the WHO recommended rate of 160 litres per day.
Naturally, this means not wasting water, so why not try to build a habit of reusing water? Here are some easy steps:
1. Start a rain barrel
This is as simple as it sounds: stick a barrel or bucket (or a simple black plastic trash can) outside your house, or on the balcony, and collect rainwater. It’s how our ancestors used to do it back in the day, after all!
Of course, because this collected rainwater is not treated, use it only for non-potable water activities. This means to use it for things that don’t require clean water, like drinking or cooking.
The safest way to use collected rainwater is to use it outdoors, such as for watering plants and washing your balcony or front porch. If you still have more water left, consider giving your car a good wash too!
(Credit: Freepik)
CAUTION: Dengue is a real concern in Malaysia, so never leave your water barrel open as the stagnant will become a breeding ground for mosquitos. Instead, cover the top tightly and finish using the water within the week.
2. Use rice water for your beauty needs
If you use Asian beauty products, you will notice that a good majority of them feature rice water in it. And since we all eat rice anyway, why not make your own rice water for your beauty needs?
(Credit: Envato)
Rice water is particularly beneficial because it is packed with nutrients and minerals that comes with rice. These nutrients are known to be great for skin, especially effective against harsh weather conditions such as Malaysia’s blazing hot sun and humidity.
Benefits range from skin brightening, anti-aging, boosting skin barrier health, soothing sun mild sun damage, and mattifying oily skin! Plus, you can apply it directly to your skin with a simple spray bottle.
(Credit: jcomp/Freepik)
Of course, if you’re still feeling iffy about it, try putting it in your hair instead for strong, smooth, and shiny hair!
(Credit: Freepik)
So when you’re washing your rice for dinner, don’t drain the rice water down the sink. Instead, collect the rice water in a container. If it is stored in the fridge properly in an air-tight container, it can last for up to 7 days!
3. Reusing washing machine grey water
Did you ever think the soapy, sudsy water from your washing machine can be reused? Yup, it certainly can! This sort of water with soap and dirt is called grey water, which has many uses around the house.
(Credit: BigStock)
How you reuse grey water depends on where your washing machine drains out to. Regardless, it’s just a simple step to adding a large container to collect the grey water.
If your washing machine drains water into a bathroom area, consider taking a bit of time to give your toilet floors a good scrub as the water drains away.
Alternatively, set up a larger container for collection so you can flush your toilet with the grey water. However, never put grey water directly into your toilet’s water tank. Use an open bucket and water pail instead.
(Credit: Fernando Fong/TRP)
If your washing machine drains water out of your house, then it’s a simple job of attaching a hose to the outlet and watering your plants with the grey water. Yup, the magical power of plants will be fine even with sudsy grey water!
However, if you do plan on reusing grey water for your garden, make sure not to use bleach or fabric softeners as sodium, bleach or borax will damage your plants.
Humans need and use a lot of water daily, but only a small percentage of that use requires potable water (suitable for drinking). A majority of our water needs can be met with non-potable water, especially when it comes to things like flushing the toilet or cleaning floors.
(Credit: Envato)
So why let a precious resource go to waste? With a little bit of effort, we can reuse water the right way!
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