Wash rice twice instead of seven times. Use a one-litre jug rather than a running tap for wudu. England’s water crisis has brought rice-washing habits and prayer-time water use under scrutiny, with a £270,000 taxpayer-funded campaign encouraging South Asian communities to wash rice fewer times and Muslims to reduce the amount of water used for ablution.
Nearly three-quarters of England is experiencing drought after five heatwaves this summer depleted river and reservoir levels. The situation has prompted water regulator Ofwat to fund two campaigns under a project titled “Water efficiency in faith and diverse communities”, aimed at reducing water use in everyday cultural and religious practices.
