One of the worst droughts in decades has hit South Africans right where it hurts – in the water table. Cape Town has had it worse than anyone
While Cape Town has been hit the hardest, the rest of the country has faced multiple water restrictions, water rationing and increased water costs. The threat that has always hung over Africa has once again made its mark.
“Our country has low and variable rainfall with high evaporation rates,” says Sputnik Ratau, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation. “It is a threat to our economic development and our livelihoods as water is at the centre of the web that connects food security, trade and energy.”
So, what is the average home owner supposed to do? Chuck it all in and wash the dishes in the pool? Fortunately, technology’s answer to that question is No. Washing dishes by hand may be very vintage and traditional, but why do that when it uses more water than a dishwasher?
It’s true. Using a dishwasher is more sustainable and eco-friendly than washing dishes by hand, and it uses significantly less water. A study done by Bosch Home Appliances found that washing by hand uses an average of 40 litres of water whereas washing with a Bosch Dishwasher will only use around 6.5 litres of water. It also takes only 15 minutes to load and unload the dishes compared with the tedium of dish in, dish out, dish rinse, dish out, dish rack balancing act.
Cut down to the important essentials – a dishwasher can save you 45 minutes per load of dishes. That’s 210 hours more quality time spent reading a book or sitting in the garden or writing your novel. It’s 23 more holiday days a year. It is also 9,200 litres of water saved every, single year.
Before you buy your dishwasher, however, remember that not all are created equal. Here are ten top tips you can follow to make sure you get one that does save you water, lasts you for years and delivers on its promise:
- Glass protection programmes that gently clean and dry glasses.
- Technology which maximises efficiency and ensures environmentally friendly rinsing
- A dishwasher which is quiet, efficient and has a low electricity consumption
- For households with children or allergies it is crucial to look at a dishwasher that allows for increased temperature washing options
- Options for washing half loads without wasting electricity and water
- The amount of water used per wash
- Speed and duration of the wash – consider looking at something with VarioSpeed Plus which allows you to wash dishes faster without compromising the cleaning quality
- An on-board machine care option that removes grease and lime scale from the dishwasher with standard machine care detergent
- Drying options that provide extra heat while the machine is in the drying cycle
- Guarantee and what the guarantee covers and for how long it covers it. Some guarantees, like the Bosch dishwasher, are for as long as four years!
“Although there might be a clear economic incentive in using a water saving technology, the consumer must understand the nature of water scarcity in the country and change their mindset and behaviour to bring about significant water conservation,” Ratau concludes.
Bosch Home Appliance South Africa would like to thank the Department of Water and Sanitation for their contributions to this article.
Bosch
For the past 130 years, Bosch has been synonymous with formidable technology and craftsmanship. Simple yet elegant appliances offer complete solutions for living with innovative designs to fulfil the unique need of unique consumers. True to the brand’s philosophy “Invented for life”, Bosch continues to offer consumers quality and perfect technology for a better life. (http://www.bosch.co.za/en/za/startpage_18/country-landingpage.php)
Provided by Bosch Home Appliance South Africa
