It begins with you.......

The global population is out growing the available resources and this coined to the fact that industrialization has caused a significant pollution to the available resources has been a cause for concern. So what does this have to do with the ordinary home owner in the heart of Dar es Salaam? Everything, from being involved in the pollution of the water sources, to using excess water leading to some other communities failing to get the basic amount they need to survive.

The available freshwater resources for use have been estimated to be 0.3% of the 3% that is not saline of which it is store as ice. This means with the absence of desalinization technology in the developing countries Tanzania included it will be necessary to protect the water resources that we have. So next time when you get into the shower mind to save every drop and not to just let the water flow into the drain, because there is someone walking 6 km to get that water that is lost without being used let alone not considering that it is treated.

Today we will just focus on three aspects of water conservation which we can reduce the water that is wasted in the house. Not only does it save the water but also save on the bill as you pay for what you have used.

1.      Check for and replace leaky faucets/tapes. This may not necessarily require removing the whole tape. A leaking tape may be due to the rubber inside being worn out. That can be replaced and the tape is as good as new. If this is not done the cost of the water bill will actually be more than that of faucet that needed to be replaced as an estimated of 135 liters is lost per day. In the case that the tape is to be totally replaced make sure to replace with a faucet that has a faucet aerator which is basically a plastic accessory that spreads the stream into many little droplets. This helps save water and reduce splashing.

2.      Detect toilet leaks by adding leak detector tablets or a few drops of food coloring to the toilet tank. If the tank is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 10–15 minutes. In the case of seriously leaking toilets this will be in a shorter period and hence a revelation of the state of the problem. Flush immediately after testing. Fixing the toilet leak will result in a daily saving of as much as 4500 liters of water per day, which is basically a full tank gone to waste.

3.      When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water. Although it sounds simple a lot of water is lost without being put to use. Using two dishes saves water even when you change the water when it becomes dirty. This also relates to activities like brushing your teeth. An estimated 4500 liters can be saved if you close the tape when you are not directly using the water.

In conclusion the best thing one can do to save on both their pocket as well as the dwindling water resources is apply the simple measures explained above. For any information and inquiries contact anyone from our team on kudzai@urbansolutions.olaari.com. Urban Solutions helping you “Live and Work Better”