It sounds very “end of the world movie starring Will Smith” but authorities have recently reported that our water resources are running low… yep, we are on the brink of facing Day Zero. And by on the brink I mean, they say it’s going to happen in the next few months. What is Day Zero, you ask? Well, it’s the day when most taps will be turned off and residents will have to queue for water due to drought and water shortage. There has been no relief for our looming water crisis and authorities have urged residents to continue to be water smart. I mean, can you imagine not having flushing toilets? If you haven’t begun to conserve water, I urge you to do so now. To help you do this, I’ve put together a bunch of really cool tips on how you can get your household to conserve water.
In the kitchen
1. Keep the plug in the sink to collect any extra water (which can be used for rinsing). If you have a double sink, consider leaving a plastic bowl in one of them, to catch any water that can be reused again.
2. When washing dishes, save the water to mop the floor afterwards. Rinse washed dishes in a tub of water which you can reuse to water the garden.
3. Save a small container of water in the fridge to wash fruit in. Water the garden once you’re done.
4. Using paper towels (and not cloth towels, that may need to be washed afterwards) is a good way to conserve water.
5. If you’re using a dishwasher, wait until it is fully loaded before switching it on.
In the bathroom
1. Save your bathwater and use it to flush the loo.
2. Only flush the toilet when absolutely necessary. Some moms have allowed their boys to urinate outside. Yep, the struggle is that real!
3. Use a facecloth to clean your face, and a small cup of water to rinse your mouth, instead of a running tap.
4. Take a shorter shower or hey, have a competition to see who can do it in the shortest amount of time. When showering, turn the tap off while you’re lathering yourself, and turn tap back on to rinse. Want to be extra? Take a bucket with you into the shower, to catch any excess water.
5. Share bath water (usually the kids will hop in first, and the adults later).
Moms, are you teaching your children how to be water smart? Are they aware of the water crises? Are they treating water like the precious commodity that it is? I certainly do hope so! If not, that’s okay. You can always start today. Consider turning it into a little game to see who can save the most water, or come up with the best ways to save water.
If you have any great water saving tips, please do share them below or on the Facebook thread on my Facebook page. We’re in this together guys.