The water restrictions imposed by various municipalities still apply and South Africans are urged to use this precious resource sparingly, and to cut their water usage by 15 percent.
“Residents are not only being asked to be frugal with water, but Joburgers will be charged a tariff if their monthly water consumption exceeds 20 kilolitres of water,” said Graham Craggs, the spokesperson for a prominent insurance company.
Homeowners will pay 10 percent extra on consumption between 20 000 litres and 30 000 litres per month, 20 percent extra on consumption between 30 000 litres and 40 000 litres per month, and 30 percent extra for consumption above 40 000 litres.
“This is a significant amount of money to add to your monthly bills,” said Craggs.
“This, plus the fact that South Africa is in a water crisis, should motivate consumers to be frugal with their water usage.”
It is advised to adhere to Level 2 water restrictions if they have been imposed in your municipality. This means residents may not water or irrigate their gardens between 6am and 6pm (this is because water just evaporates), use municipal water to fill their pools, or use hosepipes to wash cars or do things like hosing down paved areas.
Here are some more day-to-day water-consumption tips to ensure better water usage, and to prevent extra tariffs:
- Fix faults in plumbing throughout your property. A leaking tap can waste thousands of litres of water each year.
- Put a brick in your toilet and leave it to mellow. Toilets use more water than is necessary, and flushing can be unnecessary. A brick will substantially reduce water use. Don’t flush the toilet unnecessarily, and rather dispose of tissues, cotton wool, trash etc in the rubbish bin.
- Save electricity. Eskom uses three percent of South Africa’s water, so saving electricity will ease that burden on the environment.
- Shower instead of bathing, and shorten showers and teeth brushing can make a big difference.
- Get the children to shower together instead of separately.
- Turn off the tap while brushing teeth. After brushing your teeth, use a glass of water to rinse your mouth
- Fix any leaking taps.
- Don’t refill the swimming pool, and rather use a pool cover to prevent evaporation.
- Only water your garden when it is absolutely necessary.
- When scrubbing dirty dishes, don’t leave the water running.
- When shaving, use water in the washbowl to clean your razor between strokes, or use an electric razor.
- When using washing machines and dishwashers, make sure they’re on the most water-efficient cycles, and avoid pre-washes.
- Consider long-term “investments” such as dual flush toilet mechanisms and low-flow shower heads.
- Collect rainwater when it rains. Collecting it in buckets or with a JoJo tank can give you a water source for cleaning your car or watering your garden.
Remember that everything you do makes a difference, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.
Source: Budget Insurance
