Make every drop count

The Department of Water and Sanitation has issued tips to help residents to save water.

The department stressed that South Africa is a water scarce country, and that every effort must be made to save the precious resource.

Tips

• Find and fix leak: Leaks can waste a lot of water, especially if they are undetected or underground and left for a long time.
• If you are brushing your teeth or shaving, do not use a running tap. Use a tumbler or only run the tap when you need to rinse.
• Take a five-minute shower a day, instead of a bath. This will use a third of the water compared to bathing in a bath tub, saving up to 400 litres a week.
• Never leave running taps unattended.
• If you are washing dishes, plug the sink and do not wash or rinse your dishes under a running tap.
• Kettles should not be filled to the brim but with just enough water for your needs. This will reduce your electricity bill too.
• Do not overfill containers like cooking pots, as this may result in using more energy to heat the water;
• Fix a leaking toilet, as it can waste up to 100 000 litres of water in one year.
• Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other waste in the trash rather than the toilet.

– SAnews.gov.za