Water Savings Ideas – Outdoors.

Water savings ideas:  Outdoors.

Other than possibly for vegetables grown for consumption, nothing that needs water outside the home is likely to be vitally important. If worst comes to the worst you can probably do without almost all of it. It therefore follows that under no circumstances should drinkable water presently be used for any outdoor purpose.

Firstly, note the current restrictions in terms of the prevailing level-5 restrictions:

–  Fresh water may not be used for any washing [or cleaning]. Disconnect all hoses from taps.

–  Plants may only be irrigated using non-potable captured rainwater or with used “grey” water.

–  No watering in any event within 48 hours of soaking rain.

–  Vehicles and boats should no longer be washed down, even using buckets.

–  Pools may not be topped up and covers should be installed and used.

The main outdoor household uses for water that do arise are typically for cleaning, garden irrigation and pool maintainance. Taking these one by one:

Use a hard broom for sweeping outside areas. No hosing permitted.

Consider getting a garden blower/vacuum for cleaning and gathering leaves and debris.

Cover exposed soil around plants with mulch of compost, old straw, bark chips or even torn up newspapers to retain water and retard evaporation.

Clean exterior windows with window washing fluid and newspaper.

When irrigating the garden use only “grey” water kept from the shower or laundry:

–   Water trees and shrubs first to keep them alive (expensive and take years to replace).

–   Then water vegetables and fruit grown for consumption.

–   Finally, water ornamental plants, grass and flowers last if there is any water spare.

Water only around the base of plants – keep “grey” water off leaves and fruit.

Don’t use “grey” water for plants with underground tubers and edible roots (carrots, potatoes). Reserve fresh water for these items.

Always thoroughly wash vegetables and fruit irrigated with “grey” water before eating.

To avoid risk of long-term damage to the soil through increased pH consider switching to an organic washing powder that is low in phosphates and salts.

Reduce all lawn areas to a minimum. Rather replace grass with beds of indigenous fynbos and hardy, drought-resistant Mediterranean plants and herbs (lawns are heavy consumers of water).

–   Larger areas can be covered by gravel or bark chips to suppress weeds.

–   An extreme solution is to replace natural grass with artificial grass (looks good and is comfortable).

Also read collected ideas for saving water indoors here.

Gradually reshape your garden to take maximum advantage of any natural rainfall run-off (read more about this landscaping technique here).

Replace evergreen trees and shrubs with plants that are drought-resistant and have low water demand, such as fynbos and proteas (read more about these here). Deciduous trees like apples, pears, peachs and apricots that drop their leaves in winter are useful as a source of fruit.

Pools are a challenge due to water lost through evaporation as well as when backwashing. Key ways to be able to retain and maintain a pool with minimum water loss is as follows.

–   Install an edge-to-edge pool cover; this cuts evaporation and reduces need for chemicals.

–   Divert rain water or final rinse water from the washing machine to the pool to keep it topped up.

–   Install a suitably sized tank near the pump and filter. Divert all backwash and rinse water into this tank. Add some alum or other flocculant to this dirty water. The flocculant will settle out any dirt. After 48 hours run the clean water from the tank back into the pool. From time to time clear the bottom of this tank.

A pool also acts as an emergency store of water so it is worth keeping this water in good condition.