Top water-saving hacks to reduce your water bill

Using some simple tips to reduce your water consumption will ultimately lower the cost of your water bill.

If you live in an area that relies on the Municipality to facilitate your water usage, you will be charged for water in most Municipalities on a two-tier billing system. You are billed for the water you use and the water that is discharged into the sewer system. Most will assume that 75% of the water used will go into the sewer system. Water is also billed on a sliding scale in kilolitres (1 kl = 1000 litres).

The best plan is to stay under the threshold to save on costs. As an example, in Durban, up to 200 litres per day, you will be charged R39.39* per kilolitre.

Then the following amounts apply:

201-833 litres per day R46.70 per kilolitre

834-100 litres per day R62.17 per kilolitre

1001-1500 litres per day R95.91 per kilolitre

1500+ litres per day R105.39 per kilolitre

Using over 1500 litres a day can get very expensive. There are certain things you can do in the home to reduce the consumption of water, and here are some tips:

Take shorter showers. Spotify has a playlist that has 4-minute shower songs to help. Monitor children in the shower by setting an alarm or making it a game. Shorter showers also save on the electricity needed to heat the water.

Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth. This can save 9000 litres a year in the average household.

Use water-saving devices, such as adding a water displacer to the cistern of the toilet, installing an eco shower head, or kitchen tap aerators.

In the garden, use water-saving connectors on hosepipes, add water-retaining gel when planting, and add a layer of organic mulch to reduce the need for extra water. Install drip irrigation and water weather timers to reduce the need for extra watering. Plant more drought-tolerant plants and use a soil moisture sensor to water houseplants effectively.

Collect rainwater using a water butt or a water tank attached to downpipes.

In the kitchen, fill the kettle less, which also saves electricity as it takes a quicker time to boil. Also, only use a dishwasher when it’s full and use the eco settings that most new dishwashers come with. The same applies to the washing machine, and use the quick and cold water settings. Reuse water from washing vegetables in cisterns or for watering container plants.