Water Conservation and Preservation Tips

Four basic ways to conserve of water are:

1. Economise
Be conscious of the amount of water you utilise and use less whenever you can.

2. Fix & Report Leaks
A leak of merely one drop per second wastes 2,400 gallons per year! Most leaks are easy to repair with some basic know-how and a few simple tools.

3. Water Saving Devices
There are a number of simple devices that can significantly reduce water usage. These include aerators, flow regulators and displacement devices.

4. Re-use water
Used water from the kitchen sink and the washstand, is often suitable for other purposes. If this ‘grey water’ is used more than once, it saves water for other uses.

In the Bathroom

• Check your toilet for leaks. The rubber bung (also called the plunger ball) in your toilet tank is sometimes the source of undetected leaks, as it wears with age. A leaky toilet can waste as much as 200 gallons /260 litres of water per day

• Purchase water-conserving toilets that do not require as much water as conventional toilets. Do not flush unnecessarily.

• A typical water shower uses 5 – 10 gallons of water per minute. Install showerheads or flow restrictors to reduce waste.

• Use a glassful of water to brush teeth. A basin of water is enough to clean a razor during shaving.

In the Kitchen

• A dripping faucet can waste up to 7,600 litres (2,000 gallons) of water per day. Check for and repair leaks promptly.

• Use a basin or sink full of fresh water to rinse washed plates instead of keeping the tap running.

• Rinse fruits and vegetables in a basin of water.

Outdoor

• Instead of washing driveways, sidewalks, gutters and steps, use a hard broom to sweep these areas.

• Use water left over from rinsing to water vegetable gardens.

• Do not let your children play with pipes or sprinklers.

• Wash your car with a bucket of water and a rag instead of a running hose.

Be vigilant about detecting and repairing leaks. High metre readings and high water bills could be as a result of leakage. Worn washers will lead to leakage. Check them regularly and replace then when they are worn.

WATER PRESERVATION - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

1. Do not throw garbage in gullies, rivers or streams. The maximum penalty under the National Solid Waste Management Act is J$1,000,000.00 and /or 9 months in prison.

2. Do not keep animals near our rivers and streams. Animals can pollute our water. Keep them at least 55 yards (50 meters) away and carry them water to drink.

3. Do not destroy gabion baskets constructed to prevent landslides and flooding. The maximum penalty under the Flood Waters Control Act is 3 months imprisonment.

4. Do not build septic tanks near rivers, streams or underground water sources.

5. Do not carry out agricultural activity where pesticides and chemical can seep into water sources. Rain will wash these harmful chemicals into rivers and streams, which will pollute them.

COURTESY OF THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS COMMISSION