The water crisis in Cape Town and other surrounding areas has brought about a new appreciation for water and we are all now looking at each other to find new ways to save and preserve what little water we have, said David Cooper, MD of Hansgrohe South Africa.
The Hansgrohe Group is a leading innovator in technology, design and sustainability within the sanitation sector.
According to Cooper, “While the City of Cape Town has announced that Day Zero has been pushed out to 11 May, the #WaterCrisis in the Western Cape continues. The drought has drained water supplies – from the dams in the area to the bottled water at local stores – and across the city, people are doing whatever they can to make every drop count.
“Limiting water usage to 50 litres a day per person seems drastic and incredibly difficult. However, the reality – not only for Cape Town but every other city in South Africa – is that the only solution is to use less water – permanently.
Water brings us joy, it replenishes the soul and body and is our life source. At Hansgrohe we are passionate about water – savouring it and appreciating its beauty, responsibly.”
He added that in Cape Town, tourism has been impacted, which could have a knock-on effect on the economy. There are also fears about the impact of water rations on health and safety. Cape Town residents are being urged to ensure that their hygiene standards are not compromised by the drought. Typhoid cases have reportedly doubled in the past year and the city is also said to be fighting a listeriosis outbreak.
So how can each one of us make every drop count and develop a mentality of ‘less is more’ – not only during a crisis, but as a long-term approach to combatting the exploitation of a precious resource?
With innovation and sustainability as key goals in the 21st century, there are not only technologies that can be employed to save water, but also simple measures that, once put in place, will significantly lower your water usage:
• First – check for leaks:
A leak can result in the loss of litres and litres of water, so make sure your home and office spaces don’t have any leaking taps or geysers.
One leaky tap at home could result in 20 000 litres of water being wasted a year – that’s the size of a small swimming pool and enough to sustain a small vegetable or food garden for over five years!
• Second – save the rain:
You don’t need a drought to appreciate rain water. Make sure that you have some way to collect rain or storm water when it rains.
You’ll be surprised at how much water you can collect during even a short shower. Place a tank in your garden or a large bucket on your balcony. This rain water can be used for cleaning the floors in your home, flushing the toilet and even watering plants.
• Third – invest in innovative sanitary ware
There are superb water-wise sanitary ware products on the market that ensure water usage is as efficient as possible.
Water-wise sanitary ware can make a big difference, considering that an average ten-minute shower using conventional sanitary ware can use 150 litres of water. A smart move is to install water-saving shower heads as the first and easiest way to cut down on water usage.
You should also limit showers to under two minutes. In fact, we are encouraging 60 second showers using only six litres!
Basins should have EcoSmart taps installed or tap aerators fitted, adding air into the water flow. You’ll experience a full, bubbling jet of water but you’ll be using only five litres a minute.
In fact you may be shocked by how much water can be saved using such products and a great way to see the results for yourself – before investing in a product – is to use a water-saving calculator.
Toilets should also be installed with technology that is designed to use less water per flush – some as little as three litres per flush. It is also a good idea to turn the plumbing to your toilet off during the drought and use grey water to flush rather than fresh water.
• Fourth – get savvy about your appliances
Did you know that a dishwasher can use 29 litres of water while a washing machine can use 112,5 litres of water per load? Yet there are many appliances on the market designed to be more water efficient.
Some washing machines, for example, use less than 50 litres of water per wash while some of the dishwashers use less than nine litres of water per wash. The answer is to do your homework before purchasing. Don’t only look at price and design but arguably at the most important aspect in today’s climate – the product’s eco status.
You should also recycle the grey water from your washing machine cycle, by collecting the water from the outlet pipe. The water from the first rinse cycle will be soapy and can be used as grey water to flush the toilets. The water from the second rinse cycle will be cleaner and can be used for house cleaning and plant watering.
You can even invest in a grey water system for your home, allowing you to save water from showers, bathroom sinks, washing machines and taps. The grey water is collected in one large tank and can be reused, depending on your water needs.
• And lastly, never forget
Being constantly aware of the fact that we are experiencing a drought and that we need to be water wise is key.
What’s more, it shouldn’t take a drought for us to be looking at water-wise products and practices. Across the country, we should all be conscious about the amount of water that we use and make an effort to use this precious resource sparingly.
By each one of us being mindful of all our water resources, we can work towards a more sustainable, long-term future for our country and our planet.
Are you making every drop count?
For more information on water saving and Hansgrohe SA visit https://www.hansgrohe.co.za
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (please remember to include your contact details in the email) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
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