Water usage cut by 70 percent!

After the initial indications that Ballito had a water crisis we decided to take steps to reduce our household’s Siza water consumption.

We are three people living in a three-bedroom home on 1 000 sq metre property with fully established garden. No servants. Our initial consumption was about 26 Kl monthly. We water our garden regularly.

STEP 1: Installed a Jo Jo tank to collect rainwater for garden use.

Total cost about R10 000. For this size garden we found the 2 500 litre tank too small so we installed a second tank at a further cost of R2 700. Water usage fell to 15 Kl monthly after using only rainwater in the garden. Our system is connected so that we can use the rainwater in the house in case of emergency.

STEP 2: We bought a few small plastic buckets plus two plastic tubs.

Total cost about R150. The tubs are placed in our showers so that we can stand in them. When taking a shower; we wet ourselves, turn off water, lather with soap, then turn water on again to rinse off soap.

Quick shower.

STEP 3: Use the collected water in the tub to flush toilets using the buckets. NEVER USE THE CISTERN FLUSH. Replace washing machine usage with hand wash where possible. Our water usage has now fallen to 8 Kl monthly.

By implementing these – slightly inconvenient – methods we have cut Siza water usage by a whopping 69%.

HILTON ASHTON

Ballito