This Is How Much Water Malaysians Waste Every Day

The Spotlight is sponsored by Indah Water Konsortium. 

According to a 2016 news report, a single Malaysian wastes up to 50,000 litres of water every year. This exceeds the water usage recorded in countries like United States and Australia in the same year. 

The daily water consumption benchmark set up the UN is 165 litres per day for every person. 165 litres of water is enough to meet a person's basic daily needs, such as showering, washing, and drinking. However, the average Malaysian uses almost double that amount daily. 

There are about 844 million people around the world who have no access to clean water, which causes disease and loss in business opportunities. The 135 litres of water that every Malaysian wastes each day could easily meet the daily water requirements of one of these people. 

World Water Day is set on 22 March every year to remind people about the importance of water. Indah Water Konsortium wants to encourage Malaysians to celebrate this day by stopping water wastage. 

Here are some simple things you can start doing:

- Get any pipe leakages fixed ASAP to prevent more wastage.
- Recycle the water you use to wash your rice or pasta to water your plants.
- Don't keep the tap running while you brush your teeth, use a cup to store the water needed instead. 
- Stop taking long showers.
- Only use the washing machine if you have a full load of clothes.
- Use a tub of water to clean your dishes.
- Collect rain water and use it to water your plants or wash the porch. 

Learn more on how you can reduce wastage here.