Company Announcement - South Africa is currently experiencing its worst drought since 1992. Overall, there has been a marked decrease in stored water in the country’s dams over the last year. Saving electricity has been the focus for quite a few years now due to the constraints on the electricity network. But now the focus should also be on saving water as the two are interconnected. Eskom uses on average 1.35 litres of water to produce 1kWh of electricity. A dripping tap can waste at least 1 litre per hour, depending on how fast the drip is. A household toilet uses anywhere between 6 to 15 litres per flush. So if you think about it, a dripping tap wasting 100 litres could have generated 74kWh, enough to power a 3kW geyser for 24 hours or run your fridge for about 10 days.
Interestingly, according to US studies, running a fridge all day uses about as much water as a 10 minute shower, without a low-flow shower head. One of the simplest ways to save both water and energy is to install water–efficient products which not only save water, but can also help reduce your energy bills.
With the savings from reduced bills, families can use the savings to purchase water-reducing shower heads and taps, geyser blankets, solar panels and rainwater collection tanks.
- Install solar panels if possible. Renewable energy is not only cleaner, but it uses less water, too.
- If you are shopping for a new washing machine or dishwasher, choose energy-efficient ones which are clearly marked and rated in most stores. They use far less energy and water.
- Use hot water only when you really need to. After heating and cooling, water heating is the biggest energy user in the home. Set your washing machines to do cold washes only and use the economic cycles.
By now, South Africans are experts at saving electricity by, amongst others, turning off the lights and making other behavioural changes such as switching off geysers when not in use, especially during peak times. The time has come for us as a nation to start thinking consciously about the way we consume and conserve water every day. Be smart and check your plumbing for leaks and repair immediately and be a good citizen and report leaking taps and pipes immediately. Water and energy go hand in hand – so think twice before you flick the switch or open the tap.