South Africa is currently going through one the worst water shortage crisis and droughts in two decades as well as a heatwave that’s sweeping across parts of the country. This combination is pushing larger cities to the brink of water shedding measures.

There are a number of ways you can save water (and money on your utility bill) including products designed to control water flow, which is one of the main causes of wastage. One old DIY favourite is the wrap-a-brick-in-a-bag-and-stick-it-in-your-cistern trick, which reduces the water you use when you flush.

But what if you want something a little more substantial? Here’s a bunch of cool products currently available from as little as R31 to help you conserve water use in the years to come.

Aquatrap Disc Liner

Price R31 each
Get it from Sustainable

Made from recycled car tyres and tubes, the Aquatrap Disc Liner helps you save 50% the amount of water you would normally use to water a vegetable or flower garden.

Discs are installed 250-300mm beneath the surface and create a false water table. Basically, a false water table stops compost, water and nutrients from draining away and can improve improve your vegetation’s growth rate.

Aquatrap Water Dripping System

Price R3 848
Get it from Sustainable

This Aquatrap Water Dripping System is a drop irrigation system helps organisations such as schools, business and community initiatives with small to medium sized gardens trap rain water or water from a tap and distribute it evenly around the garden avoiding over or under using water in patches.

Given the vast number of sprinklers we see spurting water into storm drains around SA suburbs, it’s something a lot of homes with large gardens could benefit from too.

You can also use the system to fertilise your garden. The Water Dripping System requires no electricity or pump and can be used together with the Aquatrap Disc Liner for maximum results.

Water Rhapsody Multi Flush

Price Provided with quote from manufacturers
Get it from Water Rhapsody

The Water Rhapsody Multi Flush replaces your toilet’s ordinary flushing mechanism with one that only releases water for as long as you’re holding the flush handle. This helps you control the amount of water you need for every flush and can also save you a lot on your water bill.

The Water Rhapsody Multi Flush can either be fixed onto a fitted toilet or during the installation of a new one.

Watercon Redwater Diverter Valve

Price R1 508
Get it from Sustainable

In a lot of households, when you turn on a hot water tap, you find that cold water comes out for a certain amount of time before the actual hot water starts coming out. Most times, this cold water, called “redwater”, goes down the drain and is therefore wasted.

Installing the Watercon Redwater Diverter Valve in your home will save the redwater by redirecting it it either to rainwater or storage tank, your garden, pool, or any other outdoor area where you’d want to use water.

The manufacturer reckons that this could save you up to 16 000 litres of usable water every year (we think the actual figure would be lower, but who knows?).

[Image – CC Steven Depolo]