British Muslims Urged to Use Less Water During Wudu
The UK water regulator is urging Muslims to save water when performing wudu. At the same time, Asian communities are also being encouraged to reduce water use when washing rice. The move is part of the UK government’s effort to promote more efficient water use among communities with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.
According to Middle East Eye, the initiative funded by Ofwat, the water services regulator for England and Wales, involves water companies, charities, religious groups and a number of other institutions. One of the pilot projects is being held in Cambridge through a partnership between South Staffordshire Water, the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge, and Cambridge Central Mosque, which is known as the first eco-friendly mosque in the UK.
In the project, Muslims are being asked to limit water use for wudu to one litre each time. According to Ofwat, this simple habit has the potential to save up to 55 litres of water per person per day. The calculation is based on the estimate that some people can use up to 12 litres of running water for wudu five times a day.
If applied widely, the trial is estimated to save up to 5,900 litres of water per day in Cambridge.
Beyond wudu, the initiative also encourages the dissemination of water-saving guidance through various channels, including Islamic television. However, the project report reminds water companies to convey the message carefully and not to create the impression that Muslims are more wasteful with water than other groups in society.
The water efficiency programme does not only target wudu practices. According to a report by The Telegraph, another initiative using £270,000 of taxpayer money involves Ping Coombes, the chef who won MasterChef UK in 2014.
Coombes has been brought in to educate people of Asian descent about how to save water when cooking, including when washing rice.
In a YouTube video, Coombes highlights the habit of washing rice multiple times until the rinsing water appears clear.
“It is a common habit to wash rice five to seven times until the water looks clear,” Coombes said. She said she only washes rice twice.