Watersaver.co.za

Sea water for Cape residents

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 09:12:05 +0000

By Melanie Gosling
Environment Affairs

Capetonians could be drinking desalinated seawater in four years’ time when our growing demand for water will have exhausted current supplies.

And because desalination is expensive, the cost of Cape Town’s water will increase.

This emerged at a pre-budget briefing yesterday where Water and Environment Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said her department was “forging ahead with unconventional supplies” of water, which included desalination of sea water in coastal towns.

“My view is that desalination must be seen as one of the sources for water supply… We have a coastline of 3 000km. We don’t have enough water and we are facing climate change.

“So in future this is a technology South Africa will need,” Sonjica said.

The Berg River was the last available river in the Western Cape that could be dammed to provide water for the city.

But the Berg River Dam, the newest of the province’s dams, will meet Cape Town’s growing water demand only until 2014.

Asked what the plans were to augment Cape Town’s supply after 2014, Sonjica said this would be addressed in the national water review strategy.

Sonjica’s deputy director-general, Cornelius Ruiters, added: “One of our options for increasing supply to Cape Town is desalination. This will increase the cost of water, but is the only viable option.”

He said Water Affairs was in discussion with the City of Cape Town about the best option for desalination plants to supply the city, “and the cost implication for the City of Cape Town”.

Ruiters said the department was also looking at using water from Voelvlei Dam, and using more water from the Breede River.

“Using underground water from the Table Mountain aquifer is also an option,” he said.

Sonjica said studies suggested that South Africa was using less than 30 percent of ground water resources.

Referring to the dedicated environmental courts that her department wanted to establish to prosecute environmental crimes, Sonjica said they would begin running as a pilot project next month.

“Four in total have been approved for now,” she said. One of these would be in the Western Cape.

Run for water, live earth 18 April 2010

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:25:20 +0000

18 April 2010
6km Run/Walk
100 countries around the world
The Dow Live Earth Run for Water will consist of a series of 6 km run/walks (the average distance many women and children walk every day to secure water) taking place over the course of 24 hours in over 100 countries around the world, featuring concerts and water education activities aimed at igniting a tipping point to help solve the water crisis.

Water scarcity affects one in three people on every continent of the globe. The situation is getting worse as needs for water rise along with population growth, urbanization and increases in household and industrial uses.
•Almost one fifth of the world’s population (about 1.2 billion people) live in areas where the water is physically scarce. One quarter of the global population also live in developing countries that face water shortages due to a lack of infrastructure to fetch water from rivers and aquifers.
•At any one time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from water-borne diseases.
•Over one-third of the world’s population has no access to sanitation facilities.
•In developing countries, about 80% of illnesses are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions.
•1 out of every 4 deaths under the age of 5 worldwide is due to a water-related disease.
•In developing countries, it is common for water collectors, usually women and girls, to have to walk several kilometers every day to fetch water. Once filled, pots and jerry cans weigh as much as 20kg (44lbs).
•Why we need to act
•Only 1% of the total water resources on earth are available for human use. While 70% of the world’s surface is covered by water, 97.5% of that is salt water. Of the remaining 2.5% that is freshwater, almost 68.7% is frozen in ice caps and glaciers.
•Canada controls about 20% of the earth’s fresh water.
•Up to 30% of fresh water supplies are lost due to leakage in developed countries, and in some major cities, losses can run as high as 40% to 70%.
•About 90% of sewage and 70% of industrial wastes in developing countries are discharged into water courses without treatment, often polluting the usable water supply.
•A person living in Sub-Saharan Africa uses about 10-20 (2.6-5.26 gallons) litresof water a day; on average, a Canadian uses 326 litres(86 gallons) a day.

We take it for granted. We waste it. It is the foundation of life, a basic human need.

Full details of the event and its beneficiaries can be found at www.liveearth.org.

Is rioolstorte ons voorland ?

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:50:34 +0000

In Louis Trichardt in Limpopo moet jy góú stort.

Die dorp se rioolstelsel is so voos dat jou buurman se onverwerkte rioolvullis tussen jou tone kan uitborrel.

Mnr. Mike Galvin, ’n inwoner, vertel die dorp se rioolpompe is buite werking en die rioolvullis het onlangs in die pype opgehoop en teruggestoot. Dit het deur sy stortvloer geborrel en ’n deel van sy huis oorstroom. Hy en sy vrou moes self opruim.

Die munisipaliteit se oplossing was om ’n gat in die bogrondse rioolpype naby sy huis te slaan sodat die riool in die veld kan inloop.

Keelvol inwoners weerhou die afgelope drie jaar hul erfbelasting weens soortgelyke probleme.

Volgens mnr. Herman Smith, woordvoerder van die Soutpansberg-belastingbetalersvereniging, is R2,5 miljoen reeds teruggehou en in ’n prokureur se rekening inbetaal. Daar is tans nog hofsake hangende tussen die vereniging en die munisipaliteit.

Veral kroniese watertekorte is ’n probleem.

Die watertekort is die gevolg van ’n geskil tussen die munisipaliteit en ’n swart-ekonomiese-bemagtiging-kontrakteur wat ’n nuwe waterreservoir begin bou het. Dit is halfpad gestaak weens swak bouwerk.

Mnr. Stephen Hofmann, ’n boer, sê dis moontlik dat die belastingbetalersvereniging ’n parallelle munisipaliteit op die been sal moet bring om dienste te lewer.

“Ons is baie bekommerd dat boere se watertoevoer deur die dorp se rioolvullis en landbouprodukte met Escherichia coli (E. coli) en salmonella besmet sal word.”

Me. Eliza Matumba van Tshikota net buite die dorp sê amptenare by die munisipaliteit moet deur bekwame mense vervang word. Haar grootste wens is vir ’n Hop-huis met ’n spoeltoilet. Sy gebruik die veld buite haar sinkhut as ’n toilet.

- In Phalaborwa, waar inwoners sedert Mei 2008 belasting weerhou, is R750?000 reeds in ’n fonds inbetaal, sê mnr. Tommie Marais, bestuurskomiteelid van die belastingbetalersvereniging.

Dié vereniging beplan om die paaie in die sentrale dorpsgebied daarmee te herstel.

Volgens Marais beland onverwerkte rioolvullis uit Phalaborwa gereeld in die aangrensende Krugerwildtuin se riviere. Die saak is by die Groen Skerpioene aangemeld, maar sonder enige reaksie.

Mnr. Oulik Mashego, ondervoorsitter van die belastingbetalersvereniging hier, het ’n groot probleem daarmee dat ’n klein groep mense gedwing word om vir elektrisiteit en water te betaal, terwyl soveel ander dit gratis kry.

- Rapport

Soortgelyke probleme word reeds n geuime tyd in die Boland ondervind en ons mag net hoop Wellington, Paarl, Franschhoek en Stellenbosch hoef nie in die toekoms op n gereelde basis met die tipe probleme opgeskeep te sit nie.

Government worried about future water supply in Western Cape?

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:21:40 +0000

If I listen to government it seems as if we should think carefully about the future of water. They seem to be worried…should we be?

The following snippets are from the 2010/11 budget speech of the Western Cape Department of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning presented, MEC Anton Bredell, Western Cape provincial legislature.

“Mr Speaker, I would like to ask the house a question: What are we going to leave to our children? Will they have municipal infrastructure that gives them clean water, or will it make them sick? Will we pass on the values of honesty, hard work, and transparency or will we set an example of selfish and corrupt behaviour? Will we leave behind efficient, responsive municipalities, or municipalities that waste resources and do not listen to people?”

“Mr Speaker, I asked whether our children will have clean water in the future. A more important question is, will they have water in the future?
The Eden district has been gripped by the worst drought in at least 132 years. My Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) has worked closely with Mossel Bay, George, Knysna and Bitou to deal effectively with this drought.

I am pleased to say that we are not only dealing with the present crisis, but we are also ensuring that our children in the Garden Route have enough water in the future.

Together with Provincial Treasury, my Disaster Management Centre has been able to mobilise R195 million in drought relief funding, and this funding is being used to implement pioneering projects. Knysna has installed its first desalination plant in Sedgefield, and further desalination plants will be built in Bitou and in Knysna itself.

The coastal municipalities are implementing water recycling projects, and 20 percent of their water will come from these projects. Most importantly, awareness campaigns have cut water consumption drastically, by 49 percent in Mossel Bay and 43 percent in George, for example. We will continue to assist these municipalities as they implement their emergency projects during 2010/11.

We have learned a lot from this experience and will share it with other municipalities. We are asking municipalities in the Province to make sure that their tariff policies include emergency tariffs, and we are asking every one of them to develop a drought management plan.”

Issued by: Department of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Western Cape Provincial Government
24 March 2010

Eco-friendly Laundry

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:21:32 +0000

In the process of going green, people need to be informed properly; about available products and which product will suit there needs best. Before making use of your greywater for irrigation purposes, how do you go about making sure that the water being used in the garden will not be harmful to any plants or your lawn? Many atimes, when installing our Garden Rhapsody System, the questions are being raised about what laundry detergent to use and where it is distributed? Even if laundry water is not used onto your garden, shouldn’t it be our responsibility to switch to the greener option for a healthier lifestyle and making a difference to the environment…..?

Why not use conventional laundry detergents?

It is made from synthetic petrochemicals that are hard on the environment, and can leave chemical residues on clothing, so the ingredients constantly brush agains our skin, potentially causing rashes and other reactions. Bleaches are made from chlorine, a known carcinogen. Fabric softeners contains chemicals that can cause allergic reactions. Optical brighteners are chemicals that make your clothes appear brighter by leaving a residue that converts UV light into a blue-white light. They have nothing to do with how clean your clothes are, but have been linked to developmental and reproductive problems as well as causing skin irritations. The same counts for synthetic fragrances; its more like covering up the evidence than proof of anything being clean.

What to look for?

There is really only one way to know if a detergent is eco-friendly, and that’s to look at the list of ingredients on the label or box. Look for products that are made with renewable, plantbased ingredients, that is bio-degradable and environmentally friendly, which means that the washing powder and additives are broken down rapidly by natural processes into harmless substances. Ingredients like: plant-essential oils, sodium laureth sulphate and plant-derived alcohol ethoxylates, sodium carbonates, -bicarbonates, enzymes and plantbased ehtanol, hydrogen peroxide or sodium percarbonate should be listed. Should ingredients not be declared on the packaging, rather try out one that does, its to important to ignore. For environmental purposes, detergents should not contain sulfates or phosphates. Greener detergents are available in both liquids and powders. Powders may be more concentrated than liquids, using smaller packaging. Liquids contain water that adds unnecessary weight, but to the eye; adds more value for your money. Whichever one you might prefer, poor performance of some green products did give green products a bad name in the past, but the modern products now on offer are as good if not better than conventional options. Also being concentrated, many of our locally-produced green products work out to be cheaper load for load. While thinking green, also consider the packaging you purchase. Is it recyclable or made from recycled content? Try to leave out plastic or foil packaging, rather buy products in cardboard boxes and products that proclaim that the box, the plastic bag and the scoop are recyclable. Every bit helps!

Information from Simply Green Magazine and “Watersafe “Eastern Cape and Port Elizabeth

http://www.watersafe.co.za/

Water-wise gardening tips

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:58:47 +0000

The following tips are taken from Water-wise gardening (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and National Botanical Institute, 1998).

• Grow water-wise plants – generally the best suited plants are those indigenous to the area, as they seldom need additional watering.

• Group plants according to their water needs – this avoids wasting water on plants that don’t need it.

• Consider the quality and type of your lawn. Lawns guzzle water, so consider reducing your lawn area. At least use tougher, low-water lawn types such as Buffalo (coastal areas) or Kweek (inland) rather than Kikuyu.

• Maintain your garden – remove unwanted plants, plant more perennials than summer annuals, as they have deeper root systems and so need less watering.

• Improve the soil and mulch. Soil water-holding capacity is improved by higher organic matter content. Mulching (covering the soil with a thick layer of bark, compost, straw etc) keeps the soil much more moist.

• Plant in the right season – For winter rainfall areas this is in autumn and early winter so the plants have a chance to develop their root systems before the dry season. In summer rainfall areas it is spring and early summer for the same reason.

• Water correctly – avoid watering during the heat of the day or in windy conditions.

• The best irrigation system is drip irrigation – it uses 25% of water used by normal irrigation systems with the same effect, and can even be placed under lawns.

Toxic water for your garden?

admin — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:56:35 +0000

You may ask: What are the implications regarding any toxic levels to the plants or animals in your garden using grey water?

Garden Rhapsody
Water Rhapsody has installed more than 3000 grey water systems in Cape Town alone. We recommend low or phosphate free washing powders to use in your laundry. Avoid the use of fabric softeners, and sodium hypochlorite (JIK).

Many of the Water Rhapsody installations date back from 1994, including those of the people who started the Fresh Water Institute at UCT, and Professor Kader and Louise Asmal. They have Fynbos gardens, and these are all green and beautiful.

We never take water from dishwashing machines, so the abrasive nature of the dishwashing detergent is not of concern. All dishwashing water must go into the sewer.

Call today for a quotation and start saving tomorrow !

In case you missed it……Suspended water researcher speaks out

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:45:18 +0000

Save water and money at home…it is a moral decision.

The suspension of a senior researcher by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has not stopped him from speaking out.

Dr Anthony Turton’s keynote presentation A Clean South Africa was due to be delivered at the CSIR’s Science Real and Relevant conference in Pretoria last week, but he was instead charged with insubordination and bringing the council into disrepute.

In his presentation, Turton was to have warned that the country could be headed for a crisis in the water sector, which could fan social instability.

“For us to remain silent is bordering on the criminally negligent,” Turton told Talk Radio 702 on Tuesday morning. (November 2008)

He said he was not an “alarmist” but simply wanted to “bring the facts to the surface” to inform decision-makers “before things get out of control”, reported the Times on Tuesday (November 2008)

On Monday, the Democratic Alliance called on the CSIR to reinstate Turton to his post.

Turton also told the Zoopy video website that he felt frustrated and that “internally, no one listens to us anymore”.

He was forbidden from delivering his keynote address because it contained “unsubstantiated” facts, according to the executive, as well as photographs of this year’s xenophobic attacks, which, the executive added: “may disturb people”.

Turton was to have said that South Africa had run out of surplus water, with 98% of it already allocated.

The CSIR said a statement posted on its website that it acknowledged that South Africa was facing huge challenges regarding water quality and management.

It said it had invested “significant amounts of resources in an attempt to ensure that these challenges are addressed” and it was their view there is a need for “rigorous analyses of data in order to understand the root causes of problems in water provision, water quality and water infrastructure”.

It said Turton’s paper was withdrawn “due to certain statements that were made in the presentation, which could not be sufficiently substantiated, as well as the depiction of burning victims, which could have offended sensitive members of the audience”.

“Dr Turton elected to engage with the media on the matter of the withdrawal of his presentation, despite internal avenues that are available, and in contravention of organisational policy. An internal investigation has been started and Dr Turton was suspended on Friday November 21 2008”.

MATTHEW BURBIDGE | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – Nov 26 2008 11:03

Save water (and money) at home:

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:29:24 +0000

Here are a few easy suggestions how to save water (and money) at home:
- Close the tap when cleaning your teeth (this saves up to 20 litres of water), or when shaving (this saves up to 45 litres!). Alternatively install a Water Rhapsody from Watersaver.
- A bath uses an average of 160 litres of water – a five-minute shower uses 60 litres. Shower rather that bath, but if you have to bath, run a smaller bath or share your bath. Alternatively install a water Rhapsody from Watersaver.
- Ensure your washing machine and dishwasher are fullly loaded before starting them.
- Think before rinsing glasses and cutlery under running water. Alternatively install a water Rhapsody from Watersaver.
- Cut down the amount of water flushed down the toilet pan. Installing a ‘Multi-flush” from Watersaver in the cistern of your toilet could save you up to 7300 litres of water each year.
- Check if your toilet is leaking by adding a few drops of food dye to your cistern – if the colour seeps into the bowl, you have a leak. A toilet leak can waste up to 30 litres of water an hour! (When installing the “Multi-flush” we will check your cistern for leaks)
- A dripping tap (one drop per second) could waste up to 30 litres of water an hour – which adds up to 10,000 litres a year!)
- Make a point of checking for toilet and tap leaks in your home, school or workplace and engage a plumber to repair any problems. – In most instances the money it will cost to repair the leaks can be recovered through lower water bills over a period of time (usually less than a year).
- Do you wash your car with a hosepipe? Consider using two buckets of water to wash your car. This can save you up to 300 litres of water each time.

WATERSAVER IN THE BOLAND

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:36:47 +0000

Watersaver will now represent all Water Rhapsody Products in the Boland area. Call us for all your ‘Grey Water Recycling’, ‘Rainwater Harvesting’, ‘Second Movement’, ‘Grand Opus’ and ‘Multiflush’ needs.