How can households work with domestic helpers to cut water use?

Ask yourself this, how many times have you wasted company resources?

You'll never bother to save as the company isn't your home and you don't foot the bills.

Same with maids working in domestic households. You expect them to finish 101 chores every day, finish fast, and nicely. And now you want them to save water, save electricity for you?

All this while you pay them only a few hundred bucks each month.

So you can spend that extra few dollars during your winter vacation?

Get real please. Want to save water? Then do the chores yourself

Henry Hill

Water use is sure to be high with maids. Every day, they must mop and wash toilets. Some employees make their maid mop twice or thrice a day. It's an employer issue. Some employers cannot deal with their maids sitting around doing nothing.

Ra Chel Teoz

We collect rain water and also the water from the second round of washing clothes for mopping the floors.

We do not leave the tap running non-stop when washing dishes; we turn off the tap to soap all the dishes before rinsing again.

My helper of seven years has managed our water use to below the national average with these measures.

Jacqueline Tan

Given that water-intensive work is done by the helpers, isn't it good for them to learn water-saving tips? Actions that Singaporeans take as second nature - for example, not leaving the taps running - don't come naturally to the helpers.

Not all families who engage helpers are wealthy households prone to water overconsumption. A government-initiated water conservation programme sends out a clear message to the helpers, particularly the recalcitrant ones who criticise their employers as stingy when asked not to waste water.

Jaelyn Lim

Households who employ maids usually need them because they have more people.

Thus these bigger households use more water, showering, drinking more water, washing more clothes, and washing more dishes.

If your maid uses too much water when washing vegetables, teach her instead of complaining.

Kristianne Fajardo