'Is there a tap version of the two-buttoned loo?' blog discussion 9 June 2008 at 12:01PM in Martin's blogs & appearances & MoneySavingExpert in the news 20 replies 3.2K views

Former_MSE_Lawrence

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's 'Is there a tap version of the two-buttoned loo?' Blog.

Click reply to discuss below.

mikenolan

Am I missing something here? My taps have an infinite number of levels between off and trouser-soak - just turn the tap on less!

MSE_Martin

mikenolan wrote: »

Am I missing something here? My taps have an infinite number of levels between off and trouser-soak - just turn the tap on less!

You are of course quite right...

but my point is that on many taps (including mine) the difference between off and full power is very small. Much like the heating based taps, where you need to consciously think to click to go beyond a certain point... do the same with the amount of water used and I suspect most people wouldn't need more...

orange_gerbera

There are couple of water saving tap options you could look at...

A simple water saving tap mixes air bubbles with the water, prior to it coming out of the tap. When you turn the tap on, it looks like there's lots of water gushing out, but much less water is being used.

The high-tech option (which often utilises the above) is to install motion sensetive taps. A qucik Google for 'infra-red taps' should yeild plenty of results.

torbrex

We could end up having systems like in airports where there is a sensor built in to detect any movement below the fawcett but then would it be hot & cold or a mixer type?

Anglian_Lass

Hi,
I have aerators fitted in my house - this reduces the amount of water used. I also have one in my shower - which is brilliant. This is what the poster above described.

I got them from here- www.nrgsavers.com

I'm not affiliated to the company in any way (other than being a customer!) but they do have some other water saving ideas on there.

davidlomax

I had a similar tap idea to yours, whilst brushing my teeth. Most people leave the tap running whilst brushing their teeth wasting 8-10 litres of water. My idea was to have a button on the top of a normal tap (retaining the normal turn on off mechanism) which gives 10 seconds (adjustible) of water. Just enough to fill a glass or rinse your toothbrush.

penrhyn

I've got Tap-Magic gadgets fitted to my bathroom taps. Turn the tap on a little and you get a nice spray adeuate for the toothbrush wetting, turn the tap full on and the spray reverts to a torrent. Got mine from the Centre for Alternative Technology at Machynlleth, (Wales!).

http://www.cat.org.uk/information/aboutcatx.tmpl?init=1 don't think they sell them anymore though, anyhow they have a website:
http://www.tapmagic.co.uk/products.html

Of course you could just turn on tap, fill tumbler, and turn off tap.

DexternDoid

I think a foot operated switch for the tap would be very practical. You could stop and start the water flow instantly only running the water while it is actually needed.

luxor4t

I just wish OH would learn to turn the tap off when he cleans his teeth or shaves. If we were on a water meter he would cost us ££££s - maybe it would be the only way to make him 'remember'.

DaleN

At work they have just installed exactly the kind of tap you want. It has a relatively slow speed to begin with, and then a positive click to open the rest of the way.
No idea where they came from, but at least you know they exist.

As for people leaving the tap running while brushing their teeth, I never realised people even did this sort of thing until one day I heard someone advising not to do it as a money saving tip. Maybe it's because I grew up in South Africa where water is a precious resource not to be taken for granted, but I can't understand why anyone would even think of doing this.