As water scarcity is a reality, the need for conservation measures during wudu has become essential. YASEEN BARDIEN presents the results of a survey Muslim Views conducted with the support of civic technology organisation, OpenUp.
THIS year’s winter rainfall in the Western Cape saw record-breaking downpours that resulted in flooding which caused major damage to homes, vehicles and infrastructure across the province.
It is a far cry from the extremely low rainfall that led to rationing due to a water shortage crisis in Cape Town from 2015 to 2020.
While the dreaded Day Zero – first mentioned in 2017 – was averted, experts caution residents not to be complacent about water usage. Despite the extreme weather conditions which brought record rainfall, the trend is for drier mid-year months and more water scarcity ahead due to the impact of climate change.
For Muslims, water usage is a critical factor given that wudu (ablution), the ritual purification to prepare for salaah (prayers) – is carried out at various times of the day, every single day.
As water scarcity is a reality, the need for conservation measures during wudu has become essential.
Wudu requires specific steps such as washing your hands, face, arms and feet. Studies conducted by researcher Abu Rozaiza in 2002 determined that the average amount of water used during ablution by worshippers in the mosques of the Holy Sanctuaries in Makkah and Madinah was between three to seven litres per person.
Wudu water usage in Cape Town mosques
In order to understand how our communities are thinking about responsible water usage, Muslim Views visited 12 mosques across the Cape Town metropole.
There was a high awareness to save water in six of the 12 mosques. This, however, did not necessarily translate into high levels of action.
Riedwaan Kenny, an elder musallee at Shukrul Mubeen Masjid in Lansdowne, said that awareness level had dropped in recent years as compared to the period leading up to Day Zero.
‘I will not say that at this stage there is general awareness,’ he declared. ‘We knew we were facing Day Zero, and there was huge awareness. But the awareness was because of the wide coverage in the media. The moment something subsides in the media then people are not as aware anymore.’
Shaikh Ismail Gqamane, Imam at Masjid Murtazaa in Gugulethu, shared similar views, citing the removal of water saving signs as an example.
‘We had [water saving signs displayed] at the time of Day Zero, but over time they were removed.’
On a more positive note, we did find that mosques were increasingly using water saving measures, ranging from low flow taps to grey water systems.
Cassiem Abdullah, the secretary of Auwal Masjid in Bo-Kaap, says that while water usage is still high, the installation of low flow taps has been effective in saving water.
‘We could see that our water saving, account wise, has dropped by about 50% since we put in those devices’.
Financial constraints often limit the extent of water saving measures but rising water costs are motivating leaders to prioritise conservation. The graph below shows the level of impact that water prices have had on mosques.
Water price increases have affected the water usage from mosques but there is room for improvement.
‘Perhaps, if you pay for water then you’re conscious. But people [the congregation], they don’t pay for water [at mosques], so they’re not conscious,’ said Kenny.
Several mosques are taking proactive steps to reduce water wastage in their communities. These efforts include educational programmes, advanced water saving technologies and community workshops on sustainability.
Others are expanding grey water recycling, developing community funded water infrastructure and educating youth about water conservation as they aim to significantly reduce water usage.
Insights into water conservation from mosque attendees
We asked 10 attendees at each mosque about their feelings towards water usage regarding wudu.
Water saving awareness:
The highest level of awareness was at mosques where there were community programmes and specific talks on the subject. The lowest awareness was at mosques that had limited access to resources.
According to environmentalist and an air quality control specialist with a keen interest in climate change, Bhawoodien Parker, more could be done to improve awareness on water usage.
‘It appears to be effective to a limited extent. A central Muslim organisation could perhaps play a more effective role in awareness raising by showing musallees how to use water sparingly when performing wudu. Talking about saving water is not enough,’ he said.
Water saving mechanisms:
Attendees at mosques with advanced mechanisms reported higher water saving, attributing this to the technology’s effectiveness. Mosques with basic mechanisms saw moderate saving but less than those with advanced ones. The remaining attendees struggled with water conservation due to limited or non-existent mechanisms, which were likely due to financial constraints.
Water price comparison:
Attendees from higher income mosques reported significant changes in their water usage due to rising prices. These included more consciousness about water usage and the installation of water saving technology. Meanwhile, other mosque attendees reported moderate changes which driven by greater community awareness rather than finance. Counter-intuitively, in lower income areas, price changes had minimal impact due to financial constraints.
Proposed water saving ideas:
Attendees at mosques with higher awareness and resources proposed innovative solutions, such as grey water recycling and community workshops. Other attendees suggested more practical methods such as shortening wudu times and the use of small containers for water. Meanwhile, lower-income mosques suggested cost effective solutions such as avoiding leaving the taps running and regularly reminding their communities through notices regarding water saving.
Meanwhile, Parker proposes that through demonstrations and wider installation of devices such as low flow taps, a positive start could be made.
‘Awareness raising through demonstrations such as examples of how to shorten wudu time could be a quick start. The installation of low flow taps, push taps and the re-use of wastewater for gardening and the installation of water tanks would also help,’ explained Parker.
Adam Oxford, a data journalist for OpenUp, a civic technology organisation that shares information to empower communities, states that there are promising signs of water conservation already in place, but he believes more can be done.
‘I think the data shows that there is a great opportunity to align traditional practices with sustainability concerns,’ he said. ‘It’s great to see so many leaders and members of congregations thinking in these ways already.’
It is hoped that this will be the first in a series exploring the role local leaders can play in raising awareness and generating solutions to other environmental issues which need addressing. While there are conscious efforts to limit water wastage, not all mosques are being proactive. This could be it out of negligence, unawareness or financial constraints.
‘The data is just the start, and it would be really useful to get a more comprehensive picture from other places over time,’ Oxford concluded.
Despite having a variety of devices and ideas at our disposal, implementing them has not happened on a wide scale. Not all mosques have the same level of funding, and each community has their own challenges. Nonetheless, as individual Muslims, we should try to be mindful of how we use water, not just for ourselves but for future generations.
How do you feel about water usage during wudu?
We spoke to a limited sample of Muslims in the Western Cape but are keen to find out more about how the broader community feels regarding water usage in mosques. Is it a pressing issue that should be addressed, and if so do you feel the mosque leadership and congregants are doing enough? Let us know your thoughts by taking this anonymous short survey in the link below, and we’ll report back with the results.
- Muslim Views gratefully acknowledges the support and participation of OpenUp in this project.
An abridged version of this article was first published in the December 6, 2024 edition of Muslim Views.
