FAQ

How can I save electricity in my household?
...-Laptops and cell phone chargers that are not in use sucks up power. The main culprits are screensavers floating around on laptops and desktops. Unplug your laptops and charger or switch it off at the power socket when not in use.

TV sets are fitted with a stand-by mode i.e., you do not actually switch the TV off. If you only watch TV when you get home in the evening, imagine how much power has gone to waste. Switch your TV off at the power socket when not in use.

A CD, DVD or Blue Ray players are huge energy wasters. It constantly uses up power unless it is switched off at the power socket. Models that feature LED clocks and run messages across the display, are the biggest culprits.

How do I save electricity in the kitchen?
...Invest in a few multi-plug adapters for your power outlet sockets so that you can effectively and permanently switch off appliances when not in use.

One oven or stove top will use the same amount of power as 17 microwaves. Use the microwave rather than the stove.

Fridges - Always make sure fridge and freezer doors are properly closed. Cold air escapes and it will use more power to cool down again.

Kettles-Only heat the amount of water needed. Do not fill the entire kettle as this will take longer to heat and use more power. Boil water in the kettle before adding it to the pot for cooking. This will reduce the amount of power used by the stove.

How to check if the toilet is leaking?
... A single flush consumes between 9 to 12 litres of water. Leaking toilets could lose up to 3 flushes of water a day, if not detected.
Listen for water trickling into the toilet bowl.
Press a piece of paper against the inside back surface of the bowl. If it gets wet, you probably have a leak.
Put 15 drops of food colouring into the toilet cistern. If after 15 minutes the water in the toilet bowl has changed colour, there is a leak.

How do I control water usage in the toilet?
...Other than making sure that the toilet doesn’t leak, use greywater to flush the toilet. Greywater is wastewater from non-toilet plumbing fixtures such as showers, basins, and taps.

The easiest way to do this is the bucket flush method: Lift the lid of the toilet. Pour greywater directly into the bowl. This will create a siphon affect and the contents of the bowl will empty.

Reuse your water to save water and pay less. At present, most homes use municipal drinking water for practically everything in the house and garden. We are literally flushing our drinking water down the toilet! Close toilets stop-cock (this is the tap/valve next to your toilet). You will save municipal water. By closing this tap permanently, you are forced to use greywater. Collect as much washing water as possible and re-use for flushing toilets.

Reusing greywater for toilet flushing can save approximately 50 L of drinking water in an average household every day.

Water saving tips for the Shower.
...Take short, stop-start showers. Wet your body. Turn off the tap. Soap. Open tap and rinse quickly. Save water and energy by reducing shower times to 4 minutes or less. Cutting your shower time by just 2 minutes can result in a water saving of up to 30%.

Try using a shower timer or your favourite 4-minute song, to control the duration of your shower. Do not let the taps run for too long at full flow.

How much is the Electricity Tariff?
...Electricity tariffs are determined by the municipal area that a person resides in. NERSA declares an annual increase in tariffs and the municipalities apply the new tariffs on 1 July annually.

Some municipalities distinguish between a summer tariff and a Winter tariff. They charge more for electricity in winter (June to August) and then reduce the charge during the summer months (September to May).

All municipalities have their tariff structure available on their websites.

What is pre-paid Electricity?
...It is a metered release of electricity, prior to using electricity. A pre-paid electricity meter gets installed on the electricity supply. This meter cuts off the flow of electricity. The flow is restored when a pre-paid electricity voucher is bought and loaded onto the meter.

What is the difference between three phase and single-phase electricity?
...Single phase power supply is commonly used for households as it is not as expensive as three phase electricity. Three phase is traditionally used for Industrial areas and large structures.

Three phase power supplies 415 volts and single-phase supplies 230 volts. The power transfer capability of three phase power is more and increases efficiency. A single-phase supply will require a lot more wires, for the same power capability.

Is Pre-paid electricity cheaper?
...The municipal tariff for pre-paid electricity is the same as the tariff for post-paid electricity. However, should you buy electricity from third party vendors, you pay service charges and vendor fees. A better option is to buy from an electricity re-seller, or municipality directly.