Water Conservation

15 Jun, 2021


This quote by Prophet Muhammed will always be relevant “Do not waste water even if you were at a running stream”. 

And this is how we look at water within the community and for many of us it is a personal perspective as well. Misuse of this precious resource should grate on your conscience like you are parting with your most valuable asset; to see water wasted without cause or concern, or have it polluted by dumping waste in our rivers, seas and lakes should actually give you a migraine.

Our concern begins with collecting and storing water, especially in areas like hills, deserts and other rain deficit areas. A diligent effort right at the planning stage, to capture and store surface run off, reuse clean waste water, maintaining a healthy water table and estimating consumption is essential. The second bit pertains to rethinking spaces like gardens and outdoor areas where use of water can be minimised or avoiding its use altogether. For e.g., planting indigenous plants and trees ensures they are naturally water content in their habitat, or leaving open grounds natural with small navigable pathways versus manicured lawns completely eliminates the use of water for maintenance. Look at using water intelligently – careful use of potable water for drinking, regulating flow in taps, reusing grey water, rethinking lap pools and bath tubs in suites and looking for greener options for the ubiquitous swimming pools.

Lastly, how do we treat the water around us and what we do with the water we have already used contributes to controlling pollution to the water table, soil and water bodies in the vicinity. An audit of detergents, cleaning and sanitising agents used in the kitchens, housekeeping and laundry, and a switch to benign solutions like ethically sourced non-toxic and thoughtfully packaged products will ensure cleaner disposal. It is a fact that all operations are interconnected and automatically lead to a collectively conscious use of resources. While reducing waste, the endeavour should be to think minutely about the impact of every action, product, use and misuse of the hospitality operation. How you dispose your waste water and where, how frequently you wash your linen with the detergent you use speaks about a hotel’s attitude towards water.

Our ‘Save Water’ touch stone is one of those areas which is consciously evolving, the community often debating on the best practises and also sharing solutions. Some of the ideas are inspiring and are natural solutions easily replicated at our homes and in our urban lives.


Very well written. जल है तो कल है |
Sunil Yohannan | 22 Jun, 2021