Jo’burg homeowners stay in the flow with back-up water systems

With persistent water shortages, reservoir repairs and pipe breaks affecting Johannesburg residents, homeowners across the city are scrambling to instal back-up water systems to ensure a more reliable and sustainable supply for their families.

“Even though major efforts are being made now to repair and upgrade the very old and badly maintained water infrastructure in Johannesburg, water outages can sometimes last for days,” notes Denese Zaslansky, CEO of the Firzt Realty group, “and many homeowners are now reacting to the situation as they did to electricity loadshedding – by making sure they have their own water supply.

“The biggest components of these back-up systems are the water storage tanks, which can be filled with municipal water when there is supply, rainwater harvested from the roof or, if you’re fortunate, borehole water. Such tanks are a common sight in other dry cities, especially in Australia, and bearing in mind that SA as a whole is a water-scarce country, it makes sense to conserve water however we can.”

However, she says, if you want to do more than water your garden with the stored water, you will need to filter it and connect the tanks to your kitchen, bathroom and laundry so you can access it in your home. You will also need a pump or two to provide water pressure, and a switching system to switch between the municipal system and your back-up water supplies.  

“And of course that kind of set-up comes at a cost. Experts estimate total water usage for a household of four people for a month is about 20 000L, and cost estimates for whole-house back-up systems range from around R15 000 for a basic system with a 2500L tank to around R70 000 for a 10 000L system.*  

“Investing in such a system will, though, deliver long-term cost savings while giving you peace of mind about coping with supply interruptions and doing your part to conserve water. It will definitely also boost the value and saleability of your property.”

In fact an increasing number of homebuyers, Zaslansky says, are now specifically looking for homes that have solar electricity and water back-up systems already installed – and are sometimes even prepared to pay a premium for these properties. “They know that these homes are going to be more cost-efficient to run because they will be using a lot less municipal electricity and water, and they will weigh the value of those long-term savings against a somewhat higher initial purchase price.

“In addition, we see growing interest, especially among young buyers, in sustainability and in living in homes that are as eco-friendly as possible. Consequently, they see the value when someone else has already paid for solar panels or water tanks or a borehole. As a result, such properties tend to sell more quickly and at higher prices than those without these ‘green’ additions”

Interestingly, she says, buyers – and renters – in sectional title complexes and estates are now also enquiring about power and water back-up systems. “They no longer just want separate water meters and prepaid electricity, but also the peace of mind of knowing that they won’t be left high and dry if there is a municipal outage.

“Nevertheless, home sellers should not be too hasty to add the whole cost of any back-up system they have installed to their asking price, especially if the system is not new. It is very rare for an owner to recoup the whole cost of any home improvement or addition when they sell, and it is very easy to overprice your property if you try to do this.

“Rather work with a qualified and professional estate agent who can give you all the information about the current demand and sale prices in your area and has the expertise to help you set the correct asking price and turn your investment in back-up systems into a draw card for more potential buyers, while recouping as much of the cost as possible. You’ll sell faster and for a better price.”

Issued by Firzt Realty