The water crisis has us all thinking about our water usage. Long soaks in the bath feel like a distant memory, as in recent months Capetonians have been forced to drop from a do-able two-minute shower to a 90-second one. Somewhat impossible when it usually takes at least 90 seconds for the water to warm up. But with these three water-wise tips you can easily shave down your water usage and boast about achieving the 90-second shower goal.
Get a head start
Start with your showerhead. Place a 2-litre container under your showerhead and see how quickly it fills up. If the container fills up with water in fewer than 11 seconds, then your showerhead is expelling too much water too quickly. The secret is finding an eco-friendly, low-flow aerated showerhead. With water-saving technology, a low-flow showerhead will definitely cut down your water usage. Nicole Russell of Italtile says: “Get all the shower with half the water with the Almar EcoAir showerhead range that supplies water at a flow rate of 6 litres per minute, whereas a regular showerhead’s flow rate is about 12 litres per minute.”
Italtile
Hot or cold
Allowing the shower water to run while waiting for the right temperature before hopping in is one of the most common ways of wasting water. A thermostatic shower mixer that provides an immediate response is the solution. Not only will it supply the perfect water temperature to your liking, but maintain the temperature if you stop-start your showers. Stop-start showers involve wetting your body, turning off the tap, soaping up and then rinsing quickly. This approach to a quick shower/shave/hair wash is also advised when being water-wise.
Collect the grey water
The reality of living in a drought-stricken country involves ensuring that water doesn’t get wasted. Raymond Oliver of Roca Bathrooms highlights: “You can conserve a lot of water in the bathroom by controlling or collecting the water that would otherwise run down the drain.” It’s really about smart thinking and doing your bit to ensure that we will always have running water. Collecting grey water is one of those tasks that is unavoidable. Keep an eye out for basins or plastic containers that you can stand in when showering to collect the water that bounces off you for other purposes, like flushing the toilet. If you plan on using this grey water on your plants, then swop to eco-friendly body-care products that have no harmful chemicals and are kind to the environment.
Roca Bathrooms
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