NATIONAL WATER WEEK website

Why we should save water

We all know that water is an essential part of life. We need it daily to live and perform vital bodily functions. Plants need water to grow and, in turn, we get to eat the plant or the organism which ate the plant. It really is an extremely important substance.

Water is all around us: In rivers, lakes and the sea you swam in on holiday or live near to. There seems to be an endless supply. So why do people keep telling us we need to save as much as possible?

You are certainly not on your own if you think this. According to a study, 1 in 4 people admit to taking water availability for granted, with no idea how much water they use daily. 67% feel they cannot use less water than they already do. Residents also underestimate how much water they actually use by 55%. An average household uses 350 litres of water a day, yet people estimate they only use 157 litres a day.

With the advent of the never-ending load-shedding interruptions we find ourselves in, entities like Rand Water are struggling to pump sufficient water into their valves that feed different municipalities in Gauteng and other neighbouring provinces. Therefore, we are all advised to use water sparingly.

Conserving water can also save energy. Energy is required to run the pumps that pump the water from a central facility into your home, garden or office. So, saving water means using less energy, which not only reduces your annual water bill but also your carbon footprint.

What can we do to save water and money?

At home

  • Check and fix all leaks on your property.
  • Take shorter showers and turn off the shower while soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse.
  • Make sure you put a full load into your washing machine and dishwasher before starting a wash cycle.
  • Cut down the amount of water flushed down the toilet by placing a two-litre plastic bottle full of water in the water tank (cistern) of your toilet.
  • When washing dishes by hand, do not leave the water running to rinse dishes.
  • Use greywater (from the washing machine, basins, shower and bath) in the garden.

In the garden

  • Plant indigenous (local) plants which can tolerate extreme heat and require little watering.
  • Group plants with the same water needs together so that you do not overwater plants with different water needs.
  • Put a covering layer (mulch) around trees and plants that will slow evaporation and discourage weeds from growing.
  • Water your garden at sunrise and sunset. Water your lawn long enough for the moisture to soak down to the roots. A light sprinkling can evaporate quickly.
  • Plant in the right season. For winter rainfall areas, you need to plant in autumn and early winter so the plants have a chance to develop their root systems before the dry season. In summer rainfall areas, you can plant in spring and early summer.

The current downpours of rain should not deter us from using water sparingly. South Africa is not yet at a stage where all rainwater can be harvested for domestic and industrial usage.

“There is no life without water because water is needed to make coffee”.

Unknown

 

Sources:

www.westerncape.gov.za

www.wwf.org.za

www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/saving-water-saving-lives

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