World Water Day is celebrated on 22 March 2013, and with water resources being more precious than ever, we are encouraging you to join us in becoming water wise and doing your bit to save our planet this month.
From the top of the Western Cape's mountains to the depths of our rivers and oceans, water is all connected to the cycle of life and human activities can severely impact on both the quality and quantity of this resource that will eventually end up in our taps.
For this reason it is vital for us to conserve not only our freshwater areas, but also the mountain catchments, estuaries and marine environments.
CapeNature protects mountain catchment areas that provide the majority of all water resources in the province. We also co-manage six marine protected areas and are constantly removing alien vegetation to free up the available water.
So the next time you are planning a holiday, consider supporting one of the CapeNature reserves as the protection of our natural water sources is a priority.
To help us in the fight to conserve and protect our water resources, try some of the following water saving tips:
- Shower instead of taking a bath (or don't fill the tub if you prefer bathing) – showering uses a third of the water it takes to have a bath.
- Install water-saving toilets and shower heads to reduce the amount of water you use in your daily ablutions.
- Reduce your toilet flush volume. Put a 2-litre cooldrink bottle, filled with water and a little sand to add weight, into the cistern. This can save 20% of total water consumption.
- Fix all your leaking toilets and taps.
- Fill your kettle with only as much water as you need, don't fill it to the top unnecessarily (this will also reduce your electricity bill).
- Don't leave taps running. Close the tap when you're brushing your teeth, shaving or washing your face.
- Use a bucket to wash your car rather than a hosepipe.
- Become a water wise gardener. Get to know your garden and remove alien vegetation. Plant indigenous plants only as they are adapted to our climate and local rainfall patterns. Indigenous gardens will therefore require less watering.
- Water your garden in the cooler early morning or evening hours to avoid rapid evaporation.
- Install a rain-water tank if you can. Rain from the sky is for free and can be used to water your garden or wash your car.
- Everything you buy has been made with water. Simply put, you can lower your water use by reducing your consumerism and becoming a recycler.
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