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Water use and time analysis in ablution from taps

Applied Water Science • 2016
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Publication Information
Authors Roubi A Zaied
Keywords Ablution action times Ablution water Push-type tap Tap water costs Knee operated tap
Journal Applied Water Science
Publisher Not Available
Volume 6
Issue 19
Pages Not Available
publication.type International
Paper Link Open Link
Supplementary Materials Not Available
Abstract
There is a lack of water resources and an extreme use of potable water in our Arab region. Ablution from taps was studied since it is a repeated daily activity that consumes more water. Five different tap types are investigated for water consumption fashions including traditional mixing tap and automatic tap. Analyzing 100 experimental observations revealed that 22.7–28.8 % of ablution water is used for washing of feet and the largest water waste occurs during washing of face portions. Moreover, 30–47 % amount of water consumed in ablution from taps is wasted which can be saved if tap releases water only at moments of need. The push-type tap is being spread recently especially in airports. If it is intended for use in ablution facilities, batch duration and volume must be tuned. When each batch is 0.25 L of water and lasts for 3 s, 3 L are sufficient for one complete ablution in average which means considerable saving. A cost-benefit model is proposed for using different tap types and an economic feasibility study is performed on a case study. This analysis can help us to design better ablution systems.