Each drop counts

Dam levels in many provinces are still low, and government is urging people to continue to save water as another very hot summer is anticipated.

In addition, between October and mid-December this year, the country will experience below-average rainfall accompanied by hot temperatures, thereby raising evaporation levels in the dams.

Small changes in habits will have an impact.

Bucket showers and greywater gardening

Any Capetonian can attest to this method of showering. Keep your showers short. An easy way to do this is to turn the water off while you soap your body, and only turn it on again when you’re ready to rinse.

Put a bucket in the shower to ensure no water is wasted. This is also useful while you wait for the water to warm up. Water collected from your shower bucket can be used to flush the toilet and water the garden. If you have a small shower, find a small bucket and empty the contents into your garden after every wash.

Flush toilets less There is no need to flush the toilet each time you use it, especially at home. Only unpleasant-smelling excrement needs to be flushed. You can also further reduce the amount of water used per flush by putting a one-litre bottle filled with stones in the cistern. This will drastically reduce the amount of water wasted per flush.

Don’t leave taps running

Whether you are washing your face or your hands, or brushing your teeth, close the tap and save up to 37 litres of water a day. Rather use a glass of water when you brush your teeth and fill the basin when you wash your face.

Only do full loads of laundry and dishes

When doing your washing, make sure you do a full load to save water. The same applies for loading Energy Star-certified dishwashers, which save more water than hand-washing dishes.

Check for leaks Leaking taps around your house waste hundreds of litres of water and in turn, spike your water bill. Make sure you check pipes and taps inside and outside your house thoroughly and regularly.

– Caxton News Service