Dubai: A huge amount of water has been saved from one Dubai mosque after self-stopping taps were installed in the ablution area.
The consumption of water dropped by more than 15,000 gallons of water in one month — an overall saving of 30 per cent.
German bathroom fixtures company, Grohe, donated 20 self-closing mixers to the Abu Hamed Al Gazali Mosque in Dubai and recorded instant water savings compared to a similar period the year before.
The mixer can be adjusted to flow for up to seven, 15 or 30 seconds which limits the amount of water wasted in the mosque's ablution areas. After the expired time, the water flow stops automatically without the user needing to turn off the mixer.
From a consumption of 45,509 gallons in one month, the mosque reduced its water consumption to 30,205 gallons with the new taps.
The Green Mosque pilot project was initiated by Grohe, Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (Dewa) and Sesam Business Consultants in 2009.
The company was nominated for the 2010 Commercial Interior Design (CID) Sustainable Design Award for their donation and installation of the taps and highly commended in the Sustainable Design Initiative of the Year category.
Water consumption in the UAE is one of the highest in the world at around 550 litres per person each year. Despite best intentions, a leaky mixer or tap can waste up to 140 gallons of water a month. It is also estimated that flushing toilets may be using as much as five per cent of available fresh water in the UAE.
"The taps were only installed in the men's ablution areas, but already we could see a serious saving of water. If the women's wash area was also fitted out, the savings could be even more," said Tawfiq Halabi, project manager with Grohe.
The return on investment of installing self-stopping taps could be achieved in 15 months, he said.
The company also launched a WaterCare campaign under the slogan: ‘The more you save, the more you enjoy.'
Drop by drop
- 45,509 - gallons of water used in the mosque in one month with normal taps
- 30,205 - gallons of water used in one month after new taps introduced
