Sustainable Water Practices for Expats 

As an expat, you probably want to make the best of your international experience. Whether it’s a single year living abroad, or making a longer-term life change, the ideal expat experience is one where you feel part of your new home, engaged with the community and making the most of the adventure of living in a new country. 

Part of this is being respectful and mindful of your new home country. This is something we discussed in our expat guide to reducing carbon footprint and our tips for sustainable living and your wellbeing.

Water is an issue for all of us, but the shape and size of that need varies from country to country. 

With that in mind, here’s how you can have sustainable water practices in another country, ensuring that you’re pulling your weight and that you’re respectful of your new home.

As mentioned, the effects of water security on your home country might be vastly different from what’s happening in your new home.

Every country has a complex, cultural history and relationship with their environment, and water is no different. For instance, in Jordan, some of the water-saving techniques go back centuries, such as the ‘dew pond’ practise used to capture and conserve nighttime condensation. On a grander scale, the country is in the middle of a huge national awareness campaign for water preservation.

Meanwhile, in Spain, re-use has become a key strategy in tackling their water crisis. Germany is investing in ‘sponge cities’ (green roofs, façades and other green spaces) to tackle flooding and other climate issues. And Australia is one of a number of countries with a ‘green bank’ to encourage climate-friendly investment.

Every country is impacted by water security and climate change, and every one of them has a story to tell about it. Find the story in your new home country.

On a more local level, wherever you are, look for local workshops on subjects like water conservation and volunteering. Talk to locals about the country’s relationship with water, and conservation practices both new and old.  

What’s the popular local food, and where is it farmed? Does it have a big water footprint? Is gardening popular in your expat country? And if so, what are their watering techniques like? 

Is there seawater or freshwater swimming in your home country?

Finding out these things (either in conversation with locals or by researching) will deepen your understanding of that country’s relationship with water.

There are numerous international water preservation initiatives, one of which could be taking place in your new home country. 

Volunteering, in any capacity, helps you ingratiate yourself with a community and gives you a deeper understanding of your new home. If you’d like to make a positive difference, look for places to volunteer in river or beach cleanups, local ethical farms, or other water-based organisations. Volunteering is also a way to make friends, as we mentioned in our blog about how to overcome loneliness as an expat.

Should you want to, you can even contribute financially to local water initiatives and environmental charities. 

Different foods have different water footprints. For instance, meat has a large water footprint because it doubles up: water is used to make the food that’s fed to the livestock, and then the livestock also consumes water in its lifetime. So, water is used multiple times; to grow feed, to feed livestock, and often to keep livestock cool and comfortable. Foods grown in temperate environments tend to have a ‘greener’ water footprint, as they can often depend on local, natural resources (like rainfall). 

Being mindful of the carbon and water footprint of food is a nice idea wherever you’re based, and especially so if you’re an expat hoping to minimize the environmental impact of your stay. 

We’ve discussed this a lot in recent articles, especially Simple Ways to Reduce Your Water Footprint at Home,  Water Conservation Tips for Urban and Rural Homes and Top 10 Ways to Save Water in Your Daily Life. But, in short, here are some handy ways to reduce your water footprint in general:

• Take showers instead of baths
• Use a timer to take shorter showers
• Turn off leaking taps
• Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need
• Only run appliances like dishwashers and washing machines when they’re full

Being mindful of your carbon and water footprint is a good idea wherever you are. So, with these tips, hopefully you can enjoy a deeper understanding of your new home and make a positive impact.

We have more advice on all things water in our water hub.

And, get in touch today to find out about our international health insurance.