Water saving inspiration # 1

The right attitude gets you waaaay ahead of the pack 😁 

What an example this couple is for all of us and they won't find the limit of 25ltrs / person / day a problem because they're already doing it!

‎Michael Byren‎ to WATER SHEDDING WESTERN CAPE.

47 mins · 

A MESSAGE FROM TWO ANCIENT ONES  (Michael and Sylvia Byren)

My wife (82 yrs) and I (84 yrs) have been existing fairly comfortably on an average of 950 litres of water per month between the two of us since 1 November 2017. That’s under 16 litres per person per day. It is not easy, but it is achievable. I realise that as retired folk, our water needs are probably lower than families with small kids or those with active jobs and lifestyles, but if we can happily survive on under 16, the allowance of 50 litres is not beyond your reach.

We live in a small house which has 3 cold water taps and three hot water taps. There is also a cold water tap in the garden and one in the yard. We have a washing machine needing 46 litres per load and a toilet cistern holding 9 litres. We currently have no rainwater tank or well point.

From mid-October, we started recording daily, on a notepad in our kitchen, any tap that is opened/closed measuring the amount of water used to the nearest litre. We have complete figures for the months of November and December.

A consecutive three day detailed example:

Wednesday 6/12/17 – total 21 litres
(breakfast: 1 litre; Tea Time – 1 litre; Lunch – 1 litre; Tea time – 1 litre; Bathroom 10 litres; Toilet – 7 litres)

Thursday 7/12/17 – total 21 litres
(breakfast – 2 litres; maid – 3 litres; Bathroom 2 litres; Toilet – 14 litres)

Friday 8/12/17 – Total 90 litres

(breakfast – 2 litres; Showers – 20 litres; Tea Time – 1 litre; Laundry – 46 litres; Toilet – 14 litres)

Total November 2017 : 900 litres for two people; 

Total December 2017 : 1,000 litres (1 kilolitre) for two people

Monthly average : 950 litres for two people (Added comment: That's  31.7 ltrs / day - FOR 2 ELDERLY PEOPLE)

The City is asking us not to use more than 50 litres per person per day from 1st February 2018, or be forced to queue for 25 litres per person per day. I cannot help but wonder how it is that this is so hard. At our advanced age lack of energy is our biggest problem. One litre of water weighs 1 kilogram, 5 litres = 5 kgs, and 25 litres = 25 kgs. Lugging water around is not as easy as it used to be. I certainly don’t want to be queuing

.

Please remember they are not giving it to us, and if not used, it is NOT carried forward to the next month.

STOP PRESS:

(Allow an old man to give you a bit of unsolicited advice)
STOP feeling sorry for yourself, we are in this together.
STOP moaning. It’s not helping.
STOP asking “why me ?” The whole world is trying to address the same problem.
STOP dwelling on the past – We are here NOW. Move on.
STOP bad mouthing the City of Cape Town which has many responsible citizens working for them who are trying their best to do their job properly.

Ask yourself “what more can I do to help reduce the water usage.”

This is the image that accompanied Michael's post