“We experienced unprecedented demand for water which was not fully expected and this created a temporary drop in water levels in the main service reservoir, which then indirectly affected the whole system supply,” municipal spokesperson Zee Nqala said.

On Friday East Coast radio reported that restaurant managers and places of accommodation lost customers after water cuts on Tuesday.

“There was a 25% increase in average demand [for water] compared to December 2010.”

Nqala said the municipality and its service providers had been working on a bulk water master plan which would secure water provision to the region over the next 35 years.

“We regret the incidences that have lead to this unusual situation and furthermore acknowledge the inconvenience and discomfort experienced by the visitors to our area and residents and business stakeholders.”

The municipality appealed to local residents to save water ahead of the New Year’s peak.

Source: News 24

If an increase in traffic to a city could cause a water shortage, can you imagine how fine the safety factor is for similar metropolitan cities across South Africa. Will South Africans start waking up to the fact that we must conserve water as the country is a water scarce region.

Both Steenbras dams are considerabaly smaller than the big three, roughy a quater of the size of the bergriver dam. 15 Steenbras dams could fit into Theewaterskloof. Below we have a look at the respective dam levels. Values are expressed as percentages.

As one can see, our most important dams are lower than previous years. Should this dramatic drop have occured several weeks ago the City of Cape Town would have been likely to have implemented further water restrictions. Currently the only water restrictions in place through out the greater Cape Town area is an irrigation ban between 10am to 4pm.

It is difficult to predict what the state of our dams will be like in a months time as summer comes into full fruition. We are only left to hope that water is used wisely.

Low-level restrictions are already in place including a ban on watering gardens between 10am and 4pm.

Adding to the low dam levels, rainfall this year has also been below average.

A UCT climatologist said of the past 10 months, eight had had below-average rainfall. May, June and July, usually the wettest months, were “drier than normal”.

Climate models showed this situation was likely to become more common in the years ahead and it could drive up the price of water.

Residents were being urged to conserve water. This appeal comes as climate change is expected to lead to rising temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns.

The City of Cape Town’s water department was due to meet the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry on Wednesday but has not released any details.

The city’s draft annual report says 19 percent of water was “unaccounted for”. This term refers to the difference in the amount of water purchased and in the city’s distribution system, compared with the amount which is sold to customers.

The report for the past financial year calls for measures to prepare for a “water-constrained future”. Some of the alternatives are desalination of sea water and the greater use of groundwater.

According to the draft report, some water-saving techniques are showing results. One of these is a pressure-management system which reduces the pressure of the water supplied to city consumers during off-peak periods.

This results in fewer leaks. A project like this at Brown’s Farm in Philippi produced an estimated saving of R8.2 million annually. After the project was introduced, there was an immediate drop in consumption.

Levels of the six major dams supplying Cape Town are at the lowest they have been in four years. On November 7, levels stood at 86 percent. Last year at this time they were at 93 percent and at 102 percent in 2009. Levels peaked in 2008 at 103 percent and were 99 percent in 2007.

Farouk Robertson, spokesman for the city’s water and sanitation department, said the city had “never relaxed” its appeal for residents to use water wisely.

Robertson said the city had expanded rapidly over the past few years and economic activity had increased.

This had led to more water consumption.

He urged residents to “amplify water conservation efforts”.

One tip was that residents should monitor the moisture of the soil in their gardens and, if necessary, introduce composts which would reduce the evaporation of water.

Another measure was to use buckets to wash cars, instead of hosepipes.

Robertson appealed to home-owners to watch their water meters and report leaks immediately.

“If you are wasting water, you are depriving other people of good quality drinking water. Know what you going to do, before you open the tap,” he said.

Peter Johnston, a climatologist with UCT’s Climate Systems Analysis Group, said for May, June and July, rainfall was less than 80 percent of the long-term average.

Johnston added that as December approached and it got hotter, around 1 percent of the volume of dam water would be used or lost due to evaporation each day. Because, November had been cooler, it had lessened the impact of evaporation.

“This is the sort of thing we can expect. We should get used to this scenario occurring more often and it’s a call for all us to watch our demand and usage.”

The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry was not immediately available for comment.

Source: IOL

The fact that the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry could not be reached may imply one of two things. They were really not available for comment, or they don’t really have the means to do much about the situation other than increase the price of water and hope people start using less.

By reusing your greywater for irrigation and fitting a Multi-flush to your toilet the average household can save up to 50% on their water. Investing in these tecnologies won’t even require a lifestyle change.

The most common water leaks are usually the ones that you cannot see, such as toilets. A leak in your toilet can start slow and will suddenly increase your water bill. One quick way to tell if you have a leak is to listen to your toilet, if it sounds like it’s flushing on its own, then you may have a big leak. Another easy way to detect a toilet leak is to put a few drops of food coloring in your tank, wait about 15 minutes then check the bowl. If you see the color coming down in the bowl you have a leak and will need to replace the flushiung mechanism in your cistern.

Now might be the best time to repace that water wasting flush mechanism with a water efficient one (Multi-Flush from Water Rhapsody) that allows you to control the amount of water that is used to clear the toilet pan.

Water Rhapsody Multi-Flush

The annual Industrial Conservancy Seminar hosted by the Richmond-Mariannhill Industrial Conservancy and the Conservancy of UKZN’s Edgewood campus on August 31 noted that water conservation should be at the top of every South African’s list of priorities. This year’s seminar was titled: “Water Quality in the time of changing climate”.

Human beings will not survive more than seven days if they do not drink. ‘Every year people die from the consequences of unsafe water… especially children under the age of five,’ said Mr Deren Coetzer from the Duzi Umgeni Conservancy Trust. He reminded delegates that water covers 70 percent of the planet; 25 percent of which is fresh water and that only one percent is available for drinking. Of the one percent 13 percent is used by domestic households, 19 percent by industry and 68 percent is used in agriculture.

Among other threats facing freshwater resources, Coetzer highlighted sand mining, acid mine drainage, water hyacinth – an invasive weed from South America – and global overpopulation with over seven billion people in the world.

Coetzer said South Africa should look for the cheapest, easiest and most effective means of prevention and treatment; consider the reconstruction of natural ecosystems; and capitalise on a good education system.

Manager of the Pollution and Environment Branch of the eThekwini Municipality’s Water and Wastewater Department, Mr Chris Fennemore said sanitation is the biggest issue in the city and urged citizens to take responsibility in their water use. He said there is no limit to the population and the city has a lot of sewage − a lot of water to purify.

Factors driving water quality in rivers and beaches include: waste water works, sewer networks, storm water, solid waste, electricity load shedding, informal settlements, agriculture, public perceptions and industry.

‘There will be an overall decrease in water availability,’ said Mr Gavin Heath who lectures on the Edgewood campus. Heath gave an eye-opening address on climate change titled: “The Geography of Water Supply in South Africa”. He highlighted that sea levels would rise and this would negatively impact the coast; there would be an increased occurrence and severity of veld and forest fires; and mass extinctions of endemic plant and animal species among other factors. He proposed an integrated watershed management along with climate change mitigation and adaptation.

A number of students on the Edgewood campus are passionate about conservation. First-year Bachelor of Education student, Ms Nomfundo Mhlongo was excited to present the findings of the students’ evaluation of the Upper Umbilo River.

‘We expose students to a number of environmental activities during the year. Through active participation in these activities, we strive not only to increase students’ awareness of local environmental issues, but we also encourage discussion around possible solutions,’ said lecturer and Chairperson of the Edgewood Environmental Forum, Dr Joy Coleman.

‘I think students can learn a lot from these seminars and be able to make informed decisions. Students can also spread information to others, especially here at Edgewood where most students specialise in education,’ said Mr Sthembiso Mvelase who is studying on the campus.

Source: UKZN

CEO of car rental company Avis, Wayne Duvenage, did not mince his words at the Sustainable Water Resource Conference and Exhibition. The event, held in Kempton Park on 16 and 17 August, was attended by leading water experts and businesspeople and supported by the International Marketing Council of South Africa – among a range of sponsors.

Recycling water for reuse in buildings was the experts’ principal recommendation. Homeowners are also advised to go for recycling technologies.

Avis saved 75-million litres of water in 2010 in its major centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

The Avis scheme kicked off in 2008 with a R1.9-million (US$264 000) investment, and started paying off in 2009 when the company saved 4.2-million litres.

Avis has pumped an additional R1.5-million ($208 000) into the construction of underground water filtration and recycling facilities at its three main depots. The aim is to save at least 95-million litres of water each year.

“We decided to recycle water because that was the right thing to do,” said Duvenage. “We’re recycling water that was going down the drain.”

The company reprocesses grey water from washing machines and baths, which is then used to wash most of its fleet of 20 000 rental cars, while potable water from public sources remains available to employees for hygienic use.

Harvesting rainwater is a focus of Avis’ recycling efforts. “You know how much it rains in Cape Town, so it’s nice to switch off municipal water and use rainwater,” said Duvenage.

It’s always recommended for entities to study the impact of their business on the environment, he pointed out.

Conserving a precious resource

South Africa is water-stressed, experts at the conference revealed. Reports have pointed out that the country runs the risk of facing critical shortages by 2020.

“South Africa is stressed both in the quantity and quantity of water that we have,” Duvenage said.

Alison Groves, a sustainability consultant at WSP Green by Design, said: “In South Africa we need to get beyond the idea that water is always going to be available.”

New solutions are needed to sustain potable water availability, Groves added.

Her consultancy group has established itself as an industry leader in the greening of major buildings, having helped big companies such as Absa, Nedbank and Woolworths introduce water-saving and eco-friendly schemes in their properties.

Banking group Absa’s headquarters in downtown Johannesburg have been fitted with recycling and rainwater harvesting technology that allows it to save at least 43 000 litres of water every day.

Retailer Woolworths’ distribution centre in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, is another facility with a large grey water reclamation system. Groves pointed out that the centre has “irrigation ensured for 10 months per year without using potable water”.

Woolworths saves R1-million ($139 000) in municipal water bills per year thanks to its recycling efforts.

Other companies, such as South African Breweries, are rolling out major water-saving schemes in a bid to help protect the precious resource.

Duvenage pointed out that “business is starting to change its behaviour” in accordance with the green revolution, but there is room for improvement. “We believe business has to act much faster,” he said.

Residences can reduce consumption

It’s not only businesses and public entities that should assume the responsibility of saving water, but homeowners can play a major role as well.

The grey water technology of Cape Town-based Water Rhapsody, a specialist water conservation company, has proven its efficiency in recent years.

Its founder Jeremy Westgarth-Taylor said that water recycled and harvested through its system is suitable for irrigation, toilet flushing, cleaning and washing.

Homes can reduce consumption from 280 litres to “as little as 100 litres per day” and save up to 90% of their municipal water bill by using the system.

“But it’s done in such a way that you don’t change your lifestyle. You just take control of your own supply,” said Westgarth-Taylor.

Water Rhapsody won the WWF Green Trust award in 1998 for product innovation. It’s helped the University of Cape Town reduce potable water consumption by over 90%.

The late Kader Asmal, former Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, told Water Rhapsody, in a 2010 letter to the company, that its water recycling system helped nourish grass and shrubs in the garden of his Cape Town home.

The bill, AB 849, is aimed at clarifying a patchwork of local regulation that has at times prohibited these “non-potable water reuse systems,” which divert drain water for irrigation and other purposes.

If signed by the governor, the new state law would prohibit local jurisdictions from banning greywater systems, which have gained popularity as more municipalities face restrictions on fresh water. It would allow those jurisdictions to enact stricter greywater standards than those of the state only if they provide climatic, geographic and topographic reasons for the tougher regulations.

The state adopted uniform rules for installing greywater systems in 2009, according to an analysis of the bill, which was sponsored by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles).

The Assembly already has approved the bill.

Source: Los Angeles Times