WATER. Too much or too little, we all know that it’s one thing we simply cannot live without. With the water crisis now being declared a National Disaster, many South Africans are watching dams dry up before their very eyes. In these times it’s important to remember what impact small but sustained collective efforts can have in saving precious water resources.

With an average South African family home using about 940 litres of water per day, putting small changes into place at home and teaching kids about how to save water is one of the little things we can do that will make a big difference. To help you on this journey, we’ve summarised some of our favourite tips.

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  • Go back to basics and read up on the water cycle with your little ones. Understanding that water doesn't just come out of a tap but took a long and complicated journey from the clouds to get to you is all part of appreciating how special it really is. 
  • Teach kids to be considerate when running the tap. Don't leave the tap running while you're brushing your teeth or lathering soapy hands. Teach your kids to close taps tightly. 
  • Cistern toilets use about 13 litres per flush and account for 29% of household use. By flushing less and placing a brick in your cistern you can save lots of water. Put up some fun signage that reminds your family to only flush when needed. 
  • Let your kids share a bath, fill it up only enough to cover their knees (if that), or let them take quick showers. Re-use kiddies bath water, or water collected in a bucket to wash dirty pets.
  • When washing your kids or pets, use a biodegradable, non-toxic soap that can be used safely in the garden afterwards.
  • When it comes time to refresh your furry friend's drinking water, don't throw it down the drain. Use it to water houseplants or in the garden  
  • Keep hand sanitiser and wet wipes handy so that messy ice cream clean-ups are easy-peasy and waterless when at home or on the road. 
  • Make water saving fun. Start by showing the kids how we can measure our usage by taking weekly meter readings and recording how much was used. Watch the litres fall away and celebrate when they do!