Scheme to cut use of water and energy

Pilot project in Sharjah to teach 30 families to conserve natural resources through the use of simple measures

SHARJAH // Housewives will be taught to reduce domestic use of water and electricity in an effort to lower utility bills and be environmentally friendly.

Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority and the General Women Association in Sharjah are cooperating on a pilot scheme that will involve 30 families.

These families will include 10 households who use high amounts of energy, 10 who use low to average amounts of energy, and 10 volunteer families. The scheme aims to show how energy can be saved through the use of simple measures.

“Women are key to raising a generation who are aware of the gift of natural resources and the obligation to preserve as much as possible for the future,” said Ghada Salim, manager of conservation at the authority.

“Mothers teach family members and maids to switch off the light when they leave a room, close the water tap while brushing their teeth. It is the simple things that they can do to preserve the resources we have.” Sewa has trained 10 women for the scheme. They will visit the 30 families, who will be selected next week, to offer advice and monitor their progress.

The families’ use of energy and water will be evaluated and de- vices that reduce water and energy use will be installed at their homes.

The results will be announced before the start of Ramadan. If the scheme proves to be successful, it will be extended.

Rasha Abusitta, a trainer at the authority and a solar energy engineer, said every family could help the environment by thinking of the “three Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle – in their daily lives to preserve our natural resources”.

“For water conservation, every household should use water-saving aerators, which can be installed on every tap. As for gardens, drip irrigation is an ideal technology to save water,” said Ms Abusitta.

“We need to teach children from an early age how to save our natural resources for future generations.”

For conserving electricity, energy-saving lightbulbs last a long time and save up to 70 per cent of the cost of lighting.

Hasna Mahmoud, 29, a Syrian housewife and mother of two, has been using energy-saving lightbulbs at her flat in Al Qasimiya.

“That’s the only thing that I know how to save on electricity use. I’ve never heard of anything that I can use for water conservation,” she said.

In Jordan, people used solar- powered water heaters, said Jordanian teacher Samah Ibrahim. “It’s cheap, reliable and saves a lot in electricity consumption.”

“Here, we live in an apartment and don’t have an option for using it. We use the electric water heater built into the apartment, which definitely consumes a lot of electricity.”