Wake up, people! South Africans are using more water than what is sustainable, says Rhulani Shingwenyana, a water expert at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Shingwenyana says according to the National Water and Sanitation Masterplan (Volume 2, 2018), with the ‘current consumption and available water sources, we are likely to see a 17% gap between what is required compared with what is available’.

“Demand outstrips supply, which means we need to do things differently,” he says.

The country’s current water use per person per day is 234kl, which, he says, is very high compared with international norms of just below 173kl per person per day. 

“We need to both reduce water consumption and look at water sources other than piped water.”

While not everyone is in a position to shift totally off the water supply network, there is plenty that people can do to reduce their water usage and become more self-sustainable.

“Ask yourself: How am I using water, where else can I get water, should I drill a borehole, should I invest in rainwater tanks, and what am I putting in the country’s water system, in terms of harmful, non-biodegradable objects that I flush down the toilet or down the sink?”

He says latex and cotton products (most notably condoms and tampons) do not biodegrade. This causes issues downstream, including infrastructure damage and increased water impurities.

“Some of our pipelines are old and easily blocked; the capacity they were designed for at the time is being exceeded. So things not meant to be flushed put extra strain on the already pressured sewerage system.”

Old appliances and fittings

Old appliances and fittings use more water than modern ones. If you live in an older house, you should get a plumber in to see what can be done to reduce your water usage, says Shingwenyana. The exercise will result in a lower water bill and will more than pay for itself.

“Dual flushing toilets typically use 3ℓ for a light flush and 6ℓ for a heavy flush, whereas old toilets typically use 20ℓ a flush. Modern showerheads use around 4ℓ a minute; old ones use around 9ℓ a minute. Modern basins taps use 1.8ℓ a minute, compared with the 6ℓ of older taps – and old kitchen taps use a whopping 9ℓ a minute. Simply put, new household water fittings use less water.

“If everyone in a four-person household takes a 10-minute shower each day, 360ℓ are being used a day or about 10 800ℓ a month.”

He advises that people limit their showers to three minutes, or five minutes if they are washing their hair. “Also consider how much shampoo you use.”

Shingwenyana says the CSIR recently did a water-saving exercise for a banking client in Midrand and by simply installing modern water fixtures, an estimated saving of 33.4% in water use is expected when implemented.

Harvesting rainwater

If you intend to collect rainwater, he advises that you get an expert to assess your water needs, which will determine the tank size you need.

Although collected rainwater is not suitable for drinking and cooking – unless a filtration and disinfection unit is installed, it can be connected to your washing machine and toilets and used for irrigation. The latter keeps down the cost associated with food gardens. The homeowner must bear in mind that filtration and disinfection units need to be managed.

The pumps needed for rainwater tanks have become more energy-efficient over the years – .25kW as opposed to .75kW, says Shingwenyana, and they only kick in when you open a tap connected to the tank.

A plumber will connect your gutters to your water tanks, and your tank to your mains water supply. “Rainwater must not be allowed to mix with tap water, because of the risk of contamination.”

Shingwenyana’s rainwater harvesting tips include:

• 5 000ℓ tank is adequate for most households.
• The tank must stand on flat ground.
• You need to have gutters on your roof.
• Your roof and gutters must be kept clean.

Groundwater

Government is ramping up efforts to diversify away from surface water supply, through sinking boreholes. In South Africa, groundwater is publicly owned.

Homeowners can use groundwater to supplement their municipal water supply or as their only water source if they want to get off the grid. It can be used for all household purposes – even drinking if tests deem it of suitable quality.

Section 21 of the National Water Act (No 36 of 1998) says that registration/authorisation of groundwater use is not required under Schedule 1 (small-scale use for reasonable domestic and non-commercial gardening and livestock requirements).

However, says the Borehole Water Association of Southern Africa, local municipal authorities have their own rules pertaining to boreholes. “These change from time to time, so we do advise people wanting to drill a borehole to make sure they are familiar with the bylaws.”

Another tip is to talk to neighbours who have boreholes and find out how much underground water there is in the area, and what the quality is.

For more information on boreholes, contact the Borehole Water Association of Southern Africa by emailing info@bwa.co.za.

Greywater

Connect a few flexible pool cleaner pipes to your washing machine, create a filter from a nylon stocking, position the pipes on an area of your lawn, and voilà, when you do your washing, your grass will benefit from a good watering.

Greywater is wastewater collected from basins, showers, baths and washing machines. It is great for irrigation and washing paved outdoor areas. According to the City of Cape Town, typically, 50–80% of indoor water used in the home can be reused as greywater.

Many detergents are biodegradable and safe for the environment. Look out for these if you want to reuse your greywater. While greywater can be used on fruit and vegetables, it must not touch the edible parts of the plants.

You can use a bucket to collect your shower water or scoop out your bathwater, and can easily divert water from your washing machine during the rinse cycle. However, commercial diversion systems can also be fitted.

A small unit that diverts the bath or shower water as it flows through the drain works well for homes. Make sure the system you choose has an overflow pipe or valve, to divert the water back into the sewer in times of excessive rain, illness or if harmful chemicals have been used. Another must is a filter to trap solids, such as hair and soap slithers.

Remember, blackwater from toilets may not be recycled. Greywater should not be stored for longer than 24 hours (to stop bacteria growth and odours) and greywater systems must never be connected to municipal drinking water systems.

“Many greywater innovations resulted from Day Zero in the City of Cape Town,” says Shingwenyana.

Join the self-sustainability revolution

Sustainability is the ability to exist and develop without depleting natural resources for the future.

Imagine a world in which you do not have to rely on anyone for your needs. Eskom outages, water failures, less-than-fresh fruit and veg in stores and other challenges that add to the stress of modern living would simply be shrugged off because you have created a bubble of self-sustainability. People are increasingly going back to the basics of growing their food, minimising their reliance on state services and reducing their carbon footprint. Isn’t it time you embarked on your self-sustainability journey? It starts with baby steps and leads to a lifestyle revolution.