Play your part in conserving water
MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs anticipates significantly lower levels of rainfall across the province as winter approaches.
AS the water levels continue to decline at dams, leading to the implementation of water restrictions, Jojo Tanks has shared some tips on how people could save water. Everyone should adopt a water conservation approach which is a combination of reducing the amount of water used, conserving water better, recycling as much as they can and being sensitive to the many competing demands placed on this fragile resource.
“Water is the lifeblood of the planet and we have a responsibility to care for it and play our part in conserving it. That is why we need to shift our reliance from expensive centralised water supply lines to cost-effective decentralised water conservation options that includes both rainwater harvesting and greywater harvesting,” said Jojo Tanks.
Rainwater can be harvested
The beauty of rainwater harvesting is that it is a water source available to all of us, and completely free from the sky. When we harvest rainwater at homes or at our offices, we not only cut out the need for expensive infrastructures, we collect water at exactly the point where we will be consuming it and we embark on an altogether more robust, resilient and planet-friendly approach to water consumption. Collecting rainwater from our own roofs may also turn out to be the only way of ensuring an adequate water supply for growing populations, increased pressure on antiquated water supply systems and climate change.
People can harvest grey water
The average family of four uses around 940Lt of water per day (315 840Lt pa) and almost 90 per cent of that water simply leaves the home as wastewater. Added to this, approximately 60 per cent of that household water which leaves the home as wastewater can be reused as grey water and it is perfect to water gardens, wash cars and driveways and flush toilets.
Greywater is generated in homes every day. The basic sources are showers, baths, hand basins and washing machines. This greywater can be harvested using a JoJo tank greywater harvesting system. The greywater can be reused for non-potable water purposes. Re-using greywater results in money savings in the long term, reduces the need to use expensive potable municipal water for non-potable uses is good news in the face of potentially increasing water prices and it also reduces our carbon footprint.
Water tips – Home: Checking for leaks in taps and pipes is an easy way to reduce water wastage. Remember, one leaking tap can waste more than 2 000 liters a month. Prevent taps from leaking by turning taps off lightly and replace washers as soon as they begin to leak.
Office
Office water use can account for 10 per cent of the water consumption of a major city. A moderate sized building of 10 000m2 typically consumes more than 20 000 litres per day or more than seven million litres per year – enough to supply 40 average homes. Audits of office buildings conducted internationally indicate that over 95 per cent of water use in office buildings is accounted for by leakage 26 per cent (taps, urinals, cisterns, piping, valves, pumps); amenities 37 per cent (toilets, kitchenettes, showers) and cooling systems 31 per cent.
Bathroom
Installing one of the latest 3 star/AAA rating shower heads can give you a great shower and save you around 10 litres of water a minute. They also save you energy costs, as you will use less hot water. To rinse your razor, run a little water into a plugged sink. Rinsing your razor under a running tap wastes lots of water. There is no need to leave the tap running while you brush your teeth. Simply wet your toothbrush before you begin and use a glass of water to rinse your mouth. Installing water-efficient taps or tap aerators is a great, inexpensive way to cut your water usage without you even noticing. Put the plug in the sink when washing your hands instead of holding them under running water.
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