Whether it’s saving on costs, the Earth, or simply snagging a good deal - you know you have truly become a savvy homeowner when you’ve learnt the art of being thrifty.
And with PUB’s raised water prices this month, no time’s better than now to put your scrimping skills to the test - and cut down on your H20 consumption! From shower heads to taps, here’s how you can conserve the environment (and your bank account) with these nifty water-saving bathroom accessories, available at hardware specialist Sim Siang Choon.
1. Low-Flow Shower Heads
Interior Designer: Fuse Concept
No surprise here. Shower heads take up the most in our water consumption, almost one-third of our monthly water usage! Standing under those water jets for a mere 15 minutes can easily use up to 200L with a normal-flow shower head.
Architect: JOW Architects
So, imagine the amount of water (and bills) you can save when you switch to a water-saving shower head. The average normal-flow shower uses about 13 - 15 litres/minute, but a low-flow one can slash those rates by almost half.
What makes a water-efficient shower? PUB has developed a water-efficiency guideline, which is rated by the number of ticks. Simply, the more ticks, the more water efficient a product is.
- One Tick: 7 - 9L/min
- Two Ticks: 5 - 7L/min
- Three Ticks: Less than 5L/min
Check Out:
Hansa’s HANSAVIVA handshower
This sleek handheld shower can be combined with other shower parts (wall mount, overhead showers), and comes with a built-in flow limiter that reduces the water flow to 5 - 6L/minute.
2. Low-Flow Toilet Bowls
Interior Designer: The Scientist
Taking ‘waste’ to a whole new level, toilet flushes also make up a bulk of our water consumption, approximately 16% of our total water usage, according to PUB. Fun fact: old-school toilet cisterns (any models before 1995) can use up to 13.6 litres of water each flush. That’s enough to take a shower in some parts!
Interior Designer: The Scientist
Thankfully, water closets these days come with all types of water saving features, from the dual-flush to low-flow models. But, for a real, water-efficient cistern - your toilet bowl flush rate must be within PUB’s water-efficiency ratings below:
- One Tick: 4 - 4.5L (full flush) or 2.5 - 3L (reduced flush)
- Two Ticks: 3.5 - 4L (full flush) or 2.5 - 3L (reduced flush)
- Three Ticks: Less than 3.5L (full flush) or less than 2.5L (reduced flush)
Check Out:
DREAM Series Toilet Bowls.
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Galassia RimAWAY Toilet Bowls (Dream & Eden Series)
Galassia’s latest range of water closets feature an innovative rim-less bowl design that removes water quicker, reducing the accumulation of dirt, residue and bad smells.
EDEN Series Toilet Bowls.
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In addition, it is exceptionally water savvy, taking up to only 3 litres per flush.
3. Low-Flow Bathroom Taps
Interior Designer: 9 Creation
We might not think much of it, but those times washing your hands or brushing your teeth by the sink all add up.
Interior Designer: Habit
Leaving a running tap could waste up to 10 litres per minute on a traditional normal-flow model. However, low-flow bathroom taps are now commonplace, and the best water-saving ones can cut water consumption rates by 67%! Once again, PUB has phased out any bathroom taps without at least a 1-tick rating. But what warrants a water-saving stamp of approval? Check out PUB’s guidelines below:
- One Tick: 4 - 6 L/min
- Two Ticks: 2 - 4 L/min
- Three Ticks: Less than 2 L/min
Bonus points if these bathroom taps come complete with a whole host of conservation features - like dual flow systems or flow limiters!
Check Out:
Hansa’s DESIGNO range of basin taps
Sophisticated yet user-friendly, Hansa’s classic DESIGNO collection comes with a wide range of basin mixer styles (wall mounted, electronic or the usual basin mounted) that are suitable for all kinds of interiors. The best part? It’s eco-friendly as well - it’s flow rate is capped at a maximum of 6L/minute.
Paffoni's range of bathroom taps
Ahead of the curve, Italian sanitary ware maker Paffoni has incorporated innovative energy and water-saving features in all its bath taps. They come with a built-in flow limiter that allows the tap to work on a reduced flow by default. Users can only unlock a full flow by pushing the faucet over a notch.
About Sim Siang Choon
Boasting 42 brands and more than a thousand items in stock, Sim Siang Choon is Singapore’s leading specialist in kitchen, bathroom and home-improvement products. From sanitary ware, taps to cooker hoods and vanity tops, shop their comprehensive offerings in any of their 4 spacious showrooms at Changi South, IMM Building, Sun Plaza and Balestier Road.
For more information on the purchase of these bathroom items, check out Sim Siang Choon’s website here.
