As the reality of #DayZero looms, we Capetonians need to be doing all we can in an effort to save water. So we’ve asked our fellow 99cers what they are doing in their own capacity to help cut back on water usage, and have shared some of their tips below. These are only a few tips, but incorporating just one of them into your everyday life will help in the fight to avoid our taps running dry.
- Stock up on bottled water exclusively for drinking.
- Stock up on baby wipes when freshening up.
- Use dry shampoo or baby powder to avoid washing your hair too regularly.
- Don’t flush after every trip to the bathroom; remember, if it’s yellow, let it mellow! Tip: add a few drops of EcoFlush into your loo – it keeps the bowl fresher for longer.
- Avoid laundry day – concoct a solution of Sta-soft and water to spray your clothes, and hang it up to air-dry.
- Use a small bucket in the shower to catch all the excess water.
- Limit your showers to under 90 seconds, and as 99cer, Berenique, suggests – “I time my showers with a short song. If the song is done, and I’m still covered in soap, oh well…”
- When filling up, avoid having the petrol attendant wash your car windows.
- Reuse your glass (at home and at restaurants) to cut down on washing.
- Use hospital grade hand sanitiser to keep your hands clean and germ free
- Add Milton to water when washing vegetables and fruits. With the listeriosis outbreak, we can’t afford not to wash our fresh produce!
- Stock up on non-perishables and do as much meal prep as possible.
- Use bicarb and vinegar as cleaning supplies that don’t destroy grey water usage.
- Have a sponge bath with a small bucket and sponge.
- Stock up on extra underwear (and cheap sleeping shirts).
- Wash your floors with white vinegar. We know you might be thinking ‘eww’, but it only has a smell when it’s wet, and degreases and cleans without any additional water.
- Throw loo paper in the bin instead of the toilet (this applies to number 1s only).
- Use shaving cream instead of soap and water.
- Eat straight from the braai! No pots or pans to wash.
- Close the tap on your toilet – use only grey water to flush.
- Use apple cider vinegar to naturally deodorise your armpits and skip showering.
- Wear breathable fabrics like cotton to avoid odours developing from sweat and bacteria.
- If you do have to wash your crockery and cutlery etc., clean these with paper towels before washing up.
- Instead of pouring water into the sink, pour some into a plastic tub which you can reuse for flushing the toilet.
- Clean your counters with disposable wipes.
- Where possible, use organic or biodegradable materials to minimise environmental waste. Please also be mindful of your plastic usage.
For more tips and information, please keep yourself updated by watching the news and listening to the radio.
DO YOUR PART, AND LET’S SAVE WATER TOGETHER!
