The Department of Water and Sanitation has issued tips to help residents to save water.

The department stressed that South Africa is a water scarce country, and that every effort must be made to save the precious resource.

Tips

Find and fix leak: Leaks can waste a lot of water, especially if they are undetected or underground and left for a long time.

If you are brushing your teeth or shaving, do not use a running tap. Use a tumbler or only run the tap when you need to rinse.

Take a five-minute shower a day, instead of a bath. This will use a third of the water compared to bathing in a bath tub, saving up to 400 litres a week.

Never leave running taps unattended.

If you are washing dishes, plug the sink and do not wash or rinse your dishes under a running tap.

Kettles should not be filled to the brim but with just enough water for your needs. This will reduce your electricity bill too.

Do not overfill containers like cooking pots, as this may result in using more energy to heat the water;

Fix a leaking toilet, as it can waste up to 100 000 litres of water in one year.

Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other waste in the trash rather than the toilet.

Source: South African Government News Agency