Despite the heavy winter rain of late, City of Cape Town’s dams have not yet been restored to levels recorded in recent years.
Residents have been encouraged to use water responsibly and to renew water-saving practices.
While we still have a few rainy months ahead of us, we are facing the imminent possibility that the damn levels may not be fully recovered. This is a huge concern as water demands tend to increase during our summer months.
The possible implications for residents will be assessed at the end of the season, where decisions will be made over how the system of dams will operate in the upcoming months and whether or not water restrictions will be implemented. Read more about it here.
Here are some possible water-saving tips for consumers to follow:
-taking showers instead of baths
-reducing shower time
-confining watering of gardens to before 10 am or after 4 pm
-covering garden beds with mulch to slow down evaporation
-monitoring water meters for high consumption and possible water leaks
-fitting hoses with trigger sprayer nozzles for watering gardens
-using brooms to sweep hard surfaces instead of a water hose
-using buckets for vehicle washing (informal car washes to use trigger sprayer nozzles and formal car washes to recycle their water)
-re-using the final rinse water from washing machines for the next wash cycle
Photography timeslive.co.za
You can add these to the tips too: (1) When running the tap for hot water, whether it’s the sink or shower, use a bowl or bucket for the water until it’s hot, then water your plants with this water. (2) Don’t leave the water running when brushing your teeth and try to switch it off when soaping your hands to wash them. We’re water wise on this house all the time, irrespective of whether the dams are full or not, just makes sense to not waste water.
Apparently, showers use as much water as baths these days as so many people use power showers… Not a lot in it apparently! Easier to share baths too!