Tips on how to save water in your daily life

In the wake of the country running low on water in reservoirs, time is more crucial than ever to save water, tips and measures can be applied to ease the strain on our water supply and do our part to conserve water.

The WWF (World Wildlife Fund) provides the following ways to ease our water usage:

Hygiene:
• Ditch the bottled water – it takes three litres of tap water to make one litre of bottled water.
• Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth and save nine litres.
• Take a 5-minute shower and save up to 100 litres that baths can use.
• Change to a water-efficient showerhead and half your consumption.
• Turn off the water while washing your hair.
• Flush less when you do and put a 2l bottle filled with water in your cistern.
Children:
• Don’t use water-based toys like water guns and water balloons.
• If you want to keep your children cool, use a shallow shell pool.
• If you have a pool, don’t fill it to the top – splashing leads to serious waste.
• Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation.
Household:
• Fix leaky taps – even a slow drip can waste 30 litres a day.
• Only use your dishwasher when it’s full and stop it before the drying cycle so it can air dry.
• If you fill two sinks; one with soapy water and one with warm water for rinsing, this will use less water than a dishwasher.
• Wash your clothes in cold water to save water and energy.
• Sweep away leaves and debris rather than using a hose to spray them away.
• Minimise how often you wash your car.
• Put buckets in the shower for runoff water and underdrains to catch water during rain for your garden.
• Plant a water-wise garden with indigenous drought-resistant plants.
• Water your garden after 18:00.
• Use a watering can to make sure the water goes where it’s needed.

ALSO READ: Local learner awarded bursary to pursue career in water sector

ALSO READ: Rand Water restricts water in Ekurhuleni