1. Don't leave taps dripping. Fix leaks immediately and replace leaking washers. A slow dripping tap can waste up to 30 litres of water a day. A new washer can be bought for less than R1.
2. Put a water saving device into the toilet cistern. Each flush of the toilet uses 10-12 litres of water. More than 25% of all water used in a household is flushed down the toilet. Johannesburg Water "Hippo Bags" can be obtained from regional offices. This inexpensive device is fitted easily and will last for years. It will save you at least 3 litres per flush.
3. Invest in a dual flush toilet. They were installed in two Gauteng townships recently and water consumption dropped by 35%. Install toilets that have cisterns with a maximum flush capacity of nine litres.
4. Don't put anything down the toilet besides toilet paper. Don't use your toilet as an ashtray or wastepaper basket.
5. Don't leave the tap running when you brush your teeth, shave or wash your hands. This can waste more than 5 litres of water every minute. Turning the tap off or putting the plug in the sink will reduce water usage. Use a glass of water to rinse when brushing your teeth.
6. It is far better to shower than to run a bath. A bath uses about 200 litres of water while a shower cuts down on water usage by 66%.
7. Shorten your shower by one minute. One person taking a five minute shower every day will use more than 20 000 litres of water per year.
8. Place a bucket in the shower to catch excess water and use this to water your plants.
9. Fill a kettle only with the amount of water that you need. It will help to cut down on water and electricity bills.
10. A washing machine uses up to 100 litres of water. Make sure that you wash a full load every time to reduce water usage.
11. Using a watering can instead of a hose will reduce water demand. A water sprinkler in the garden uses almost as much water in an hour as a family of four will in a day.
12. About 90,000 litres of water fall on a typical roof each year. That's enough to fill 450-200 litres of water. Installing a water drum will save water and garden plants prefer rainwater to tap water.
13. Install washbasin taps with aerator outlets. The aerator mixes air with the water, resulting in a lower flow rate (five to 10 litres per minute, which splashes less and feels quite pleasant on the skin).
14. Vegetables and fruit should be washed in a bowl rather than under a running tap. Re-use this water for cleaning or watering houseplants.
15. Store drinking water in a bottle in the refrigerator instead of turning a tap on each time you want to drink water.
16. Bath your young children together.
17. Most plants die from over-watering than from under-watering. Only water your plants when necessary. Ensure that you only plant indegineous plants. Indegineous plants tend to need less water than other plants.
18. Reuse water. Instead of pouring water down the drain use it to water your garden or pot plants.

Report all significant water losses such as broken pipes, leaking water meters, open hydrants and leaks in the streets to Johannesburg Water's 24 hour Call Line - 011 688 1500.

Information obtained from www.johannesburgwater.co.za