Young man is singing in the shower

Music can help you save water. That was the intriguing message I read a couple of weeks ago coming out of South Africa. In a bid to save water in Cape Town authorities have been putting together playlists of songs that last two minutes to be played while showering. Basically much more fun than a traditional shower timer! What a simple, yet clever, idea.

This struck a chord with me and I started looking for two-minute songs to be used during my own shower.

Here are my favourites that I’d like to share with you during Water Saving Week:

  • Song 2 by Blur
  • Fell in love with girl by the White Stripes

If these are too ‘noisy’ then how about these classics?

  • Not Fade Away by the Rolling Stones
  • All shook up by Elvis
  • The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) by Simon and Garfunkel

All of these clock in at two minutes or under.

Perhaps a two-minute shower is a bit extreme. Fear not – there are plenty of songs to suit your showering needs. I’ll leave it to you to find your own playlist that challenges you to save water, money and expand your musical horizons. Remember if you move from from Bat out of Hell by Meat Loaf at 9 minutes 50 seconds to I Bet That You look Good on the Dance Floor by the Artic Monkies at 2 mins 54 seconds for your daily shower then you could save more than 400 litres of water a week (based on a shower using 9 litres a minute)!

There are loads of other great ways you can save water too. Check out a host of water saving tips at the Water Saving Week opens in new window website, or our own website. Don’t forget that your own water company will be pleased to help you save water and can provide you a load of free stuff to help you get started. Have a fabulous and creative Water Saving Week.

Mike Keil is Head of Policy and Research at the Consumer Council for Water