Most Ecuadorians bathe in less than 10 minutes: is there water savings in Ecuador?

The National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC) developed a study in 2022 to determine the habits and practices in Ecuadorian homes around the environment. A chapter with interesting results was the one on water saving, which shows little interest or lack of knowledge, for example, about drinking water waste control devices.

In 94.4% of homes it is their habit to turn off the tap while soaping the dishes, brushing their teeth or bathing, according to data from 2022; while in the previous survey available (2019), before the confinement by COVID-19, 93.8% did so. The INEC considers it the main practice in terms of water saving.

Have you calculated the time it takes in the shower? 73.7% of Ecuadorians said less than ten minutes. Data from the World Health Organization indicate that 20 liters are spent per minute, so if you manage to reduce five minutes in your daily bath, you would save at least 100 liters of water.

In 2018, 70.5% took ten minutes to shower, and in 2019 the figure rose to 72.5%.

The INEC developed its survey in August 2022, when it made inquiries in 8,962 homes; in October, the survey reached 8,865 houses. For the calculation, households that have water service from the public network and pipes inside the home were considered. This question is multiple choice, according to the summary of the study published at the end of the previous year.

The INEC periodically executes the Household Environmental Information Module as part of the National Survey of Employment, Unemployment and Underemployment (ENEMDU).

In 56.9% of homes a bucket is used instead of a hose, and 49.5% have a jet economizer. In 2019, only 17% said they had these devices, while 59.9% agreed to use the bucket for hygiene activities at home.

As additional data, 34.5% reused water in 2022, and in 2019 45.4% did so.