Water-saving tips - a MUST READ FOR HOLIDAY-MAKERS

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Cape Town is truly in dire straits as far as water is concerned. This thread will serve two purposes. Firstly, I hope that it will highlight what changes Capetonians have been forced to make in their daily lives, so that holiday-makers realise the seriousness of the situation. Secondly, it will provide a platform for anyone to offer water-saving tips - and I hope that many people do!

 

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Level 5 Water Restrictions from 1 Nov. 2017

From 1 Nov. 2017

"Level 5 water restrictions have hit Cape Town, and this means from now on households are restricted to using 20kl (20,000 litres) per month. Using more than that means the City may fine you between R5 000 and R10 000. Where there’s non-compliance, users can also be subject to an admission of guilt fine or, in accordance with Section 36(4) of the City’s water by-law, a water management device will be installed on the property, which the account holder will be billed for - ranging between R4 560 and R4 732."

Swartland Municipality (where I live) recommends a maximum of 60 litres per person, per day, whether they’re at home, work or school.

EDIT: I've just seen on the Internet that Level 6 water restrictions may be introduced from February 2018.

 

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What does Level 5 mean?
The following has been copied from
http://www.capetown.gov.za/Family a...ices/Residential-water-restrictions-explained

Level 5 water restrictions
The City has approved Level 5 water restrictions, effective from 3 September 2017 until further notice. Level 5 restrictions entail a ban on all use of municipal drinking-quality water for outside and non-essential purposes. Existing tariffs remain unchanged, but domestic properties with usage above 20 kilolitres per month will be subject to excessive water consumption fines.

Insufficient rainfall and fast declining dam levels have led to the current unprecedented water crisis.

Please immediately:

• Cut your water use to less than 87 litres, per person, per day - find out how
• Use municipal drinking water only for essential washing, cooking and drinking purposes, and only use indoors
• Check and fix all leaks on your property

Level 5 water restrictions include the following:

• Use no more than 87 litres of municipal drinking water per person per day whether you are at home, work or elsewhere.
• Individual domestic properties using more than 20kl of water per month will be fined.
• No hosing down of paved surfaces with municipal drinking water.
• No irrigation or watering with municipal drinking water allowed.
• No washing of vehicles, trailers, caravans or boats with municipal drinking water allowed. They must be washed with non-drinking water or cleaned with waterless products or dry-steam cleaning processes.
• Private swimming pools may not be topped up or filled with municipal drinking water.
• Use of portable play pools prohibited.
• Water features may not use municipal drinking water.

 

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How much water does it use?

Shower: 20 litres (2 minutes)
Toilet: 9 litres (per flush)
Dishes and laundry: 9 litres (per sink)
Daily hygiene (hands and face): 3 litres (per wash)
Brushing teeth: 0.15 litres (per brush)

 

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I’m sharing what I do to save water and I hope that you’ll share too. Holiday-makers: please read this and realise how serious the situation is. I truly hope that you’ll take heed of the tips below and those mentioned by other peeps – and I truly hope that you’ll enjoy your holiday in our beautiful Mother City!

KITCHEN
I try to wash dishes only every second day (now that it’s summer I might do the dishes once a day). I no longer fry food so that I don’t have greasy pans to wash. Instead, I roast in the oven and I put 3 layers of tinfoil at the bottom of the roasting pan, so that it doesn’t need to be washed, or I use the microwave.

After using kitchen utensils, crockery and cutlery, I spray white vinegar (which is an anti-bacterial) on them, then wipe clean with a paper towel. Put aside until dishwashing day. Use white vinegar to clean your kitchen surfaces, stove, fridge and microwave. Use white vinegar to clean bathrooms as well.

To save on dishwashing I use paper plates. To save on washing coffee mugs, I insert a polystyrene cup inside a mug (this works only if it’s a narrow mug). It’s difficult to hold a polystyrene mug on its own. Finished drinking, throw the polystyrene cup away. Want a glass of water? Use a polystyrene cup, not a glass!

Use the polystyrene container that pre-packaged fruit / veggies are packed on as a plate or a resting place for kitchen utensils while you’re cooking. Wipe clean with vinegar and put aside until dishwashing day. It can be re-used, thus saving a paper plate.

SPICY/SALTY FOOD
An absolute no-no (much to my regret – love spicy food!), as it will make me thirsty. (Vaping is bad enough!)

WASHING HANDS
Tap water - no. Waterless hand-cleaner - yes. It can be bought from Clicks or DisChem. Why Pick ‘n Pay, Checkers etc. don’t stock it is anybody’s guess.

In the kitchen I use waterless hand-cleaner before preparing food. While preparing food e.g. it’s sometimes necessary to rinse your hands off – or is it? Do you use your hands, or just your fingers? Ah!! I keep a small container of water at hand with a bit of lemon juice added and just rinse off my fingers. Depending on what I’ve been preparing, that bowl might remain there the entire day e.g. if it’s salad, the water bowl can stay. If it’s meat, fish or chicken unfortunately that water must be discarded.

In the bathroom
After using the toilet, wash hands with waterless hand-cleaner.


USING THE TOILET
The water in the cistern is replaced with water collected from the shower (see below), the previous day’s water from the dogs’ bowls and water from the rain-tank (did I say “rain”?) outside. Of course, if it’s yellow let it mellow. In addition, if it’s a No. 1 I throw the toilet paper into a carrier bag draped over the toilet-holder handle. Why? Less flushing is needed.

SHOWER
Obviously having a bath is absolutely taboo.
In the shower: The hot water is set a bit high, so that water isn’t wasted while waiting for the water to heat up and thereby wasting water. Even so, I put a plastic tub under the tap to collect the water until it’s the right temperature. That water is then used for the toilet.

Many people stand IN a plastic tub while showering. I take my hat off to them. I tried it once, forgot that I was standing in a tub and nearly fell when I stepped backwards. Never again. Besides, I shower sooo quickly AND I don’t use soap. Soap requires more water to wash it off. (Actually I stopped using soap many years ago. A doctor explained that it isn’t necessary – water is sufficient and soap dries the skin.)

When I shampoo my hair, I switch off the water, shampoo, then switch the water back on to rinse. I use a conditioner which is applied to the hair AFTER the shower, while the hair is still damp. I got this from the hairdresser.

SHOWER EVERY DAY?
Only if necessary. If it’s not hot and I’m not going out, I don’t shower. My dogs don’t mind. I put waterless hand-cleaner on a wet-wipe and wipe my body down that way. (Ladies: waterless hand-cleaner outside; plain water inside .

CLOTHING
If it's not hot, wash it not. it’s possible to wear the same clothes (outer clothes) a few times before washing. I hang my clothes outside, turning them inside out, so that they can air. Then I spray them with linen spray. Underwear or small items of clothing can be washed every day in the water that was collected from the shower. Again, water only – no detergent. Wipe the insides of your shoes / sandals with waterless hand-cleaner or rubbing alcohol to kill bacteria.

WASHING MACHINE
Always do a full load. I use the Rinse cycle only, which is sufficient as my clothes aren’t really dirty. It’s different if you have babies or small children, or if you do physical, sweaty work. Then the clothes might need to washed on a full cycle, but use the shortest cycle possible.

LINEN AND TOWELS
If possible, wash every second week only. In between, hang them on the line to air. You’d be surprised how effective airing is! However, I rinse my pillow-case out every week, by hand, or include it in a machine load.

DOGGIE BLANKIES
Air them on the line every day; machine-wash on Rinse cycle every second week.

CLEANING THE CAR
You’ll notice that I said “cleaning” and not “washing”. If you have a water-tank in your garden, use that water. However, I usually just wipe my car clean with one of those yellow dusting cloths. Believe it or not, the car looks clean afterwards! I use water only for the windows. NEVER take your car to a car-wash – it wastes too much water. A garage near me no longer washes cars – all that they will do is vacuum the inside. Jolly good!!

And last, but certainly not least …

VAPING
Sometimes our fingers get sticky from the juice when refilling. Please don’t wash your hands! Keep a bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) at hand (you probably already do) and tip some into the palm of your hand and rub your hands together. It will remove the stickiness immediately!

 

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Forgot to mention the garden. What garden? I had my entire property paved a few months ago. All that I have now are 3 palm trees which don't require much water.