Reduce your water use
Storing, treating and supplying water has a financial and environmental cost. In times of drought, it is even more important that we ensure water is used efficiently and not wasted. There are a number of simple steps that we can each take now, to reduce the amount of water we use today and to protect our precious water resources in the future.
Collect rainwater, reduce your reliance on treated PUC water and save some money. You can connect a tank or other suitable container to the gutter on your roof to collect water during the rainy season. It’s important, however, to regularly clean your roof and gutters to ensure that no dirt gets in your tank. For advice on rainwater harvesting please contact S4S.
Collect rainwater, reduce your reliance on treated PUC water and save some money. You can connect a tank or other suitable container to the gutter on your roof to collect water during the rainy season. It’s important, however, to regularly clean your roof and gutters to ensure that no dirt gets in your tank. For advice on rainwater harvesting please contact S4S.
Collecting rainwater from the roof (PHOTO Sustainability for Seychelles)
Install a water tank for treated water from PUC. This needs to be large enough to supply your entire household in case of a long drought, especially if you live in an area with poor/low water pressure. You also need to ensure that the tank is secure so it is not toppled over by strong winds or damaged by falling trees. Keeping the tank covered will reduce evaporation and keep out lizards, rats and mosquitos.
Wash your car with a sponge and bucket instead of using a hosepipe. This can save as much as 124 litres of water with each wash. Using river water by the roadside can also save you some money, but it is not recommended as the oils and chemicals from your dirty car can flow back into the river and kill the natural freshwater fauna and flora or pollute the water source for families relying on that river.
Water your plants wisely. Rather than watering the air around your plants using a hosepipe and sprinkler system, aim for the roots and use a watering can. You can avoid wasting water through evaporation by watering your plants at dawn or dusk when it’s cooler.
Water your plants wisely. Rather than watering the air around your plants using a hosepipe and sprinkler system, aim for the roots and use a watering can. You can avoid wasting water through evaporation by watering your plants at dawn or dusk when it’s cooler.
Use waste water (also known as grey water) from the kitchen, washing machine, baths or showers to water your garden. While the detergents and soaps are harmless to your plants you need to avoid using bleaches, disinfectants and other toxic products that can contaminate the soil. You should NOT use grey water on anything you plan to eat such as salads and other raw products.
If you have air conditioning, capture the water from the outlet of the air con unit in a bucket and use it to refill the toilet cistern or water your plants.
Avoid taking a bath and reduce your shower time. A bath can hold up to 200 litres of water while most showers use about 9 litres of water per minute which means that a 7 minute shower uses 63 litres. If you turn off the water while you lather up with soap and avoid long showers, you can save up to 45 litres of water.
Fully loaded, your dishwasher or washing machine work more efficiently, allowing you to save water, electricity and most importantly, money.
Toilets use about a third of all drinkable water from PUC. You can put a brick or sand-filled PET bottle in the cistern to reduce your water use by as much as 1 litre per flush. You can also use a bucket of rainwater collected from the roof or from your air con unit to refill the cistern. If you are buying a new toilet, choose a dual flush toilet with ½ and full flush options. For those who wish to take water conservation to the extreme, consider this – “When it’s yellow, let it mellow. When it’s brown, flush it down”!
Turn the tap off when you brush your teeth and save 6 litres per minute.
If you have air conditioning, capture the water from the outlet of the air con unit in a bucket and use it to refill the toilet cistern or water your plants.
Avoid taking a bath and reduce your shower time. A bath can hold up to 200 litres of water while most showers use about 9 litres of water per minute which means that a 7 minute shower uses 63 litres. If you turn off the water while you lather up with soap and avoid long showers, you can save up to 45 litres of water.
Fully loaded, your dishwasher or washing machine work more efficiently, allowing you to save water, electricity and most importantly, money.
Toilets use about a third of all drinkable water from PUC. You can put a brick or sand-filled PET bottle in the cistern to reduce your water use by as much as 1 litre per flush. You can also use a bucket of rainwater collected from the roof or from your air con unit to refill the cistern. If you are buying a new toilet, choose a dual flush toilet with ½ and full flush options. For those who wish to take water conservation to the extreme, consider this – “When it’s yellow, let it mellow. When it’s brown, flush it down”!
Turn the tap off when you brush your teeth and save 6 litres per minute.
You can save water while brushing your teeth (PHOTO Jacques Harter)
Fit flow aerators (e.g. water saving shower head) to your taps and save 4 liters per minute.
Wash/rinse your dishes, fruits and vegetables in a bucket rather than leaving the tap running and save 6 liters per minute.
Avoid hosing down or power-washing your deck/verandas, walkways, or driveway. Use a broom or garden rake.
Regularly look for and fix leaks in water pipes. A leaking tap can waste up to 15 liters of water a day. Report leaking PUC pipes to PUC (Tel: 678 000) or leaking private lines to the owner.
Wash/rinse your dishes, fruits and vegetables in a bucket rather than leaving the tap running and save 6 liters per minute.
Avoid hosing down or power-washing your deck/verandas, walkways, or driveway. Use a broom or garden rake.
Regularly look for and fix leaks in water pipes. A leaking tap can waste up to 15 liters of water a day. Report leaking PUC pipes to PUC (Tel: 678 000) or leaking private lines to the owner.
