Is your rain water drinkable?

With the drought currently affecting KZN and the questionable water quality, many people are resorting to rain water harvesting as their only source of water or to keep their gardens and pools going. Darryl Delange, owner of Pure Soil International said it was vital that we change our behaviour regarding water wastage.

“People should not wait until the water runs out, they need to work together to collect rain water which is pure and most importantly, free.

Delanger said we need to stop relying on the municipality but instead focus on long term solutions.

“Investing in Jojo tanks is the first step.”

However, if you plan to drink your harvested rain water, you need to ensure it is safe to consume.

“The tanks do not contribute to dirty water but the source does. If the water is flowing from your roof into the tank, ensure that your roof is cleaned at least twice a year.”

Kyle Nicholson from Storage Tank Services shared a few tips on improving rainwater storage:

· Regularly check and maintain clean gutters in the roof area to minimise the work that first flush diverters do.

· Install a first flush diverter and size the dirty water container according to the roof catchment area.

· Fit sieves under the tank lids if the water entry is through the tank lid.

· Have a form of disinfectant product such as slow release free halogen based tablets floating in the water and regularly top up.

· De-sludge and disinfect the storage tank at least once per annum, and disinfect the water at least every six months to control the level of coliform bacteria.

· Fit inline filters that are sized correctly, and cleaned or replaced regularly.

· Depending on the final use of the water, when purchasing water to top up tanks, ensure that this water quality is matched to its end use.

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