We are all very much aware of the water crisis we currently face, most severely in the Western Cape of course. It has become evident that this is a crisis we need to learn to live with for now. If we want to make a difference, we all need to adapt our lifestyle to reduce water consumption. This blog post serves as a guide for saving water; these tips can help you save large amounts of water so you can make your contribution.

Before we go into detail, remember to monitor your water consumption, daily if possible. It is important to know how much water you are using so that you can use it more effectively and also set limits as to how much you can use per day. Check your water consumption daily and monitor it to see if it is higher than it should be.

1. Fix all water leaks or dripping taps immediately.
2. Only flush when necessary, and don’t use your toilet as a dustbin for things like hair, dust, etc.
3. Make sure your shower lasts for two minutes only. Either put a timer on or download two-minute shower songs, available on the internet.
4. Use a cup or glass when you want to brush your teeth, wash your face or shave, rather than leave the tap running.
5. Collect any left over or running water from your shower or basin and reuse it. How? While you wait for your shower water to heat up, place a bucket beneath the shower head to collect all the unused water. If your shower is in a bath, try to use biodegradable soap and collect the used water. This type of water is referred to as grey water and can be used to flush the toilet, wash your car, water the garden, etc.
6. Reuse cooking water. For example, if you cooked pasta or potatoes in water, let it cool and reuse it in the garden or store it to cook similar items again.
7. Whether you are waiting for water to cool down or heat up, save that water.
8. Install water saving taps and shower heads. Water saving shower heads spray the water more widely and use less water. You can buy water saving taps or use attachments such as a water saving valve.
9. Never switch on your washing machine or dishwasher with only half a load. When it comes to washing clothes, try to reuse clothing items that are not that dirty. With regards to dishwashers, don’t use water to rinse the items before they go in, just ensure you scrape all the food off properly so all your cutlery and crockery come out nice and clean.

So there you go, small things that will make a big difference and contribute to saving water in your community.