Image: worldwaterday.org
World Water Day, held on 22 March, every year since 1993, celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. This international observance day encourages people to take action against the global water crises we are currently facing.
Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash
When you consider that every drop of water that gets flushed into the system is water that must also be treated by that system, it is easy to understand the importance of conserving as much water as possible. Here are some ways to save water at home.
Photo by Curology on Unsplash
Don’t over flush your toilet
Recent data shows that South Africa has an average total water consumption of 183.89 litres per person per day – that’s 67,119.86 litres a year. By emphasising water conservation, that same household can cut their water usage by 35%! The septic owner’s goal should be to flush as little water as possible into the system and to flush it gradually, rather than all at once. Overwhelming the system can interfere with its ability to adequately treat wastewater. It can also lead to potential contamination of groundwater, nearby lakes and streams, and even your home’s drinking water. The best way to limit the amount of water entering your system is to practice water conservation throughout your home. Try and reduce the number of times you flush your toilet daily. Every flush sends between 3 and 11 litres of water, literally, down the drain. So, remember the age-old nursery rhyme you may have learned in kindergarten: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.”
Adjust Your Toilet Fill Valve
A common mistake, when it comes to saving water, is adding a brick to the cistern to displace water. But this puts pressure on the cistern (since bricks can’t evenly distribute pressure like water) and can lead to cracks over time. Most modern toilets allow you to adjust your toilet fill valve, allowing you to lower the water level needed to flush your toilet.
Stop using your toilet as a dustbin
With every tissue, cigarette butt, joint, or piece of cottonwool (which you shouldn’t ever be putting down the toilet anyway), you flush away up to eleven litres of water! Stop that! Here is a pic of a septic tank we recently emptied because it was blocked up with cigarette butts and joints.
Look after your septic tank systems
It is crucial to care for your septic systems so that they don’t become a source of water pollution. Avoid flushing condoms, tampons, cigarette butts, paper towels, or anything that’s not biodegradable down the toilet. Avoid pouring any paint thinners, solvents, weed or insect killers down the drain – these poisonous substances can threaten your neighborhood water supplies. Read more about the correct septic tank maintenance here.
These tiny tips can help save countless litres of water in your household daily. Imagine if we all implemented these small ways to save water, then together, we could combat the world water crises! For more advice on septic tank management or installation, contact the team at Shadai – your industrial and residential septic tank specialists.
