High water consumption The three main causes of high water consumption are:
- A dripping tap
- A running toilet
- Pipe leaks
How to test for internal pipe leaks
- Ensure that high water consumption is not caused by pipe leaks, pressure release valves, dripping taps or running toilets.
- Close all internal taps, including the stopcock at the toilet cistern. • The small wheel on the water meter should not turn.
- Take the meter reading.
- Wait two hours and take the meter reading again.
- Subtract the first from the second meter reading.
- You have an internal leak if result is more than 0.
- Call S60RAPID to repair the internal pipe leak.
Did you know?
- A leaking toilet can waste up to 16 000 litres of water in one year.
- A running tap can waste up to 17 litres of water per minute.
- The bathroom uses about 49% of all water used inside the home.
- An eight-minute shower, using a regular shower head, uses around 120 litres of water. A water- efficient shower head uses less than 72 litres.
- A dripping tap can waste as much as 24 000 litres of water in one year.
- A water-efficient tap with an aerator or flow restrictor uses 50% less water than a standard tap.
How can you keep water bills low?
- Each consumer has full control over his or her account.
- Conserve water to reduce your monthly account.
- Check your water meter readings regularly.
- Fix a dripping tap and a leaking toilet.
- Make sure that external leaks are repaired immediately.
WATER FACTS
- Water facts A five-minute shower uses 30 litres of water.
- A bath uses 90 litres of water.
- Flushing a toilet uses 9 litres of water.
- Washing dishes in a dishwasher uses 40 litres of water.
- Washing the car with a bucket uses 10 litres of water.
- A sprinkler uses 540 litres of water per hour.
- Cleaning your teeth with the tap running uses 6 litres of water.
- Washing your hands and/or face uses 4 litres of water.
- A paddling pool holds 400 litres of water.
- Filling a kettle uses 2,5 litres of water.
- A hose without a trigger nozzle uses 500 litres of water per hour.
This information was extracted from a brochure produced by the City of Tswane.