Water Wise Watch - March 2022

04.03.22

 National Water Week is an awareness campaign that serves as a powerful mechanism to reiterate the value of water, the need for sustainable management of this scarce resource, and the role water plays in eradicating poverty and under-development in South Africa.

This campaign is aimed at educating the public about their responsibility in water conservation initiatives and raising awareness around the need to protect and conserve the country’s water resources. National Water Week 2022 will be celebrated from 20-26 March, against the backdrop of World Water Day on 22 March.

3 ways to observe National Water Week:

• Find and attend a local event 

• Read Up

• Take Action

Check for leaky taps and dripping toilets in order to conserve water in your own home.

Sources:
SA Government

Planting in raised beds
Raised bed gardening is a system of gardening where planting beds are raised above the surrounding soil. The height of the bed depends on the objectives for the garden. Raised beds can be used in flower gardens and are also popular in vegetable gardening. Raised beds can also be designed for easy access for persons with disabilities. Planting your garden in raised beds has many benefits, one of those being to conserve water. When you plant in raised beds, with plants closer together, you have less area to water. 

In traditional gardening you may end up watering a lot of ground, most of which has nothing growing. You could be potentially wasting hundreds of litres of water every week doing this. With your raised bed garden you have a lot more control over your watering. You can manually use a hose to water, or a drip irrigation system, both of which can be controlled to  only water the box. Raised beds can be as simple as a mound of soil piled higher than the surrounding soil or as complex as desired. Any non-toxic material can be used to make beds that contain and support the soil. Wood frames are the most common. Make sure that the beds are easily accessible, keeping width to about 1 meter or less so that you can reach the veggies in the middle of the box.

Sources:
Imperfectly Happy
Water conservation for lawn and landscape

Leaking taps and how to fix them
Leaking taps can cause various problems in the household; not only can the constant drip make noise but it wastes a lot of water. With water being such a scarce resource, it really is imperative that we save every drop. The amount of water lost from a leaking tap might not seem like much but those frequent little drops of water add up. An average household's water leakage can account for over 7 000 litres of water per year. 

Use this image to learn about the inner parts of a tap before you attempt to repair any leaks. If you are uncertain, rather call a plumber to assist.

Steps to fix your leaking tap:

Step 1 Turn off the main water supply, then turn on the tap you are working with and let excess water run out. Unscrew the  button or screw that keeps the handle attached, remove the handle, and unscrew or remove cover plate. This exposes the body and spindle. If there is water in the top of the spindle, and outer body is wet, the O-ring is probably leaking.		Step 2 Using a spanner, loosen the body and unwind it. Remove the  body washer that remains on the tap base and pull out the jumper valve, which has the washer attached to its base.
Step 3 Wind the spindle out of the tap body as if you are turning the tap off, to expose the damaged O-ring, which sits in a groove. When the O-ring is exposed, cut it out with a utility knife.		Step 4 Wipe everything down so it’s clean, then roll on a new O-ring. Wind the spindle back into the tap body so it’s completely in (tap would be fully on).
		Step 5 Place the jumper valve in the tap body (or in end of spindle) and place the new body washer on the base. Grab the tap body and wind it on. Tighten with a spanner.

Step 6

Reinstall the cover, handle and button, then turn off the tap. Turn on the main water supply and gently open the tap to let out trapped air. Turn off and test for any leaks.

Sources:
Better Homes and Gardens
Worry Free Plumbing

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03 March: World Wildlife Day 11 March: Solar Appreciation Day 14 March: International Day of Action for Rivers 18 March: Global Recycling Day 20 March: World Frog Day 20-26 March: National Water Week 21 March: International Day of Forests 21 March: Human Rights Day 22 March: World Water Day 23 March: World Meteorological Day 26 March: Earth Hour

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