Greener Living: Saving Water At Home

As a water crisis looms in our country, we are reminded that no matter where we reside, we should take steps in every household to ensure that we don’t have this problem in the future. In Cape Town, D-day is fast approaching, and it could very well become the first major city in the world to run out of water. This is a scary thought, especially for the residents of the Cape of Good Hope.

With this in mind, here are 7 simple water-saving techniques to try and implement in your home.

1. Only flush the toilet when necessary. Do you know that every time you flush your toilet you use around 15 litres of water? That means a family of four can use close to 300 litres a day just by carelessly flushing. There’s a common saying that we were taught as kids that comes to mind here...

2. Cut your showers to two minutes. A standard (non-water-saving) showerhead can use up to 16 litres of water per minute. An average person will shower up to seven minutes. That’s around 112 litres every shower. If you keep your showers to two short minutes, you can save up to 80 litres every shower. Top tip: try turning the taps off while you soap up.

3. Collect your shower, bath and basin water and re-use it to flush your toilet, water your garden and wash your car.

4. Wait for a full load before running washing machines and dishwashers. The rinse water from some washing machines can be re-used for the next wash cycle or to wash your car.

5. Use a cup instead of running taps in the bathroom or kitchen when brushing your teeth, shaving or drinking. Some families can use up to 50 litres of water by carelessly leaving the tap running while they brush their teeth, wash their faces or shave before heading off to work or school.

6. Defrost foods in the fridge or naturally, rather than placing them under running water. Try using your microwave’s ‘Defrost’ function instead.

7. Fix all the little water leaks around the house. You’d be surprised at how much water you can waste as a result of having a faulty tap that drips all day while you are at work.