South Africa has limited water resources so even at the best of times, we should all be thinking about ways to save water, with the added benefit of reducing our municipal water charges," says Berry Everitt, CEO of the Chas Everitt International property group.
Saving water is every homeowner's responsibility. Here are some easy ways to to do it:
Fix the leaks
Walk in and around your home and check for leaky faucets and pipes. A lot of water can go to waste when a tap is leaking. It might not seem like much for one home, but multiple homes can cause 1000’s of litres of water to go to waste every day.
A dripping tap wastes about a litre of water per hour or more.
Save water in the kitchen
A lot of us are guilty of rinsing cups and dishes under running water even before washing it. The water goes straight down the drain. A viable solution for this is to put a container or bucket under the tap that can collect the water before it goes to waste. This water can be used elsewhere in the home, be it to flush the toilet or watering your plants. Keep water in the fridge, rather than drinking straight from the tap. Only use dishwashers and washing machines with full loads and not small loads at multiple times. See if you can channel the grey water from the rinse cycle to be re-used in your garden.
Related article: Tips to Create a Timeless Eco-Friendly Kitchen
In the Bathroom
Always turn off the tap while brushing your teeth and rather rinse with water from a glass and not from the tap. Limit your time in the shower to 90 seconds if possible. Do not flush the toilet every time you use it but only when required. Use a displacement device in your cistern to reduce the volume of water used in each flush.
Irrigation
Install a Rainwater Harvesting System. Rainwater harvesting is a technique used for collecting, storing and using rainwater for landscape irrigation and other uses. The rain water is collected from various hard surfaces such as rooftops and other man-made above the ground hard surfaces. Rainwater Harvesting Systems have become the number one option for collecting, storing and using water in and around the home. They are easy to install and nearly effortless to maintain and will save you money.
Related article: Living Green around your Home
Cape Agulhas is fortunate in having a wide variety of indigenous plants which are both drought-tolerant and decorative, and the continuing cost savings will more than compensate the gardener who takes the time to learn how to create a beautiful garden in harmony with the natural environment.