Addressing delegates at the Sustainable Water resource conference in Pretoria, Canadian City of Kelowna Utilities operations manager Don Degen stressed that research has shown that South Africa will have a 6% water supply deficit by 2013, and an 11% deficit by 2019.

Johannesburg Water chairperson Martie van Rensburg confirmed this, and stated that it related to the Vaal River system. She added that Johannesburg Water statistics showed that between 35% and 40% of the water sold by the utility, is wasted.

Degen highlighted that South Africa also experienced six of the major issues regarding water that affected North America. These were: a mismatch between supply and demand; a failure to achieve DSM targets; decaying infrastructure; deteriorating water quality; loss of essential skills; and the undervaluation of water supply.

In 1996, the City of Kelowna had the world’s highest water demand, at 1 000 litres per capita a day. Realising that this was unsustainable, the city undertook an operational assessment and implemented a number of programmes to address this high consumption.

By 2009, the City of Kelowna had reduced consumption to 444 litres per capita a day, and was delivering 2% more water, in spite of the significant population growth in the city.

Sharing knowledge gained by the city, Degen explained that the success of the water sustainability action plan that it developed, was that it was reinforced by seven pillars.

The first of these was DSM, and Degen said that pivotal to successful DSM, was understanding exactly where, and in which sector the water was used in the city, and setting realistic priorities and goals.

The second pillar was public education, which Degen emphasised was brought to the individual level, with utility authorities often visiting every household and discussing their water consumption, measurement and reduction, with them.

Third, was linking water conservation to development and construction approvals. Degen explained that bylaws were instituted to ensure that efficient landscaping and irrigation happened at the design or construction stage. This process was described as difficult and required stakeholder input and legal review.

The fourth vital pillar that was strongly emphasised, was the need to ensure full cost pricing, which was reviewed every year. The true cost of service pricing was important, and yet many municipalities or utilities were said to not even be aware of the real cost of delivering water to consumers.

He also noted that things were very different in South Africa where a large proportion of people could not afford to pay for basic water allowances, and that cost would need to be subsidised. There was also the challenge that many indigent people did not even have access to clean drinking water.

Fifth, was the reduction of water system leakage, and Degen said that the City of Kelowna had developed a tool to measure and identify water leakages, as it attempted to reconcile the total amount of water pumped, with the total amount of water measured through meters.

The sixth pillar, was the creation and implementation of bylaws promulgating the fitment of low-flow water fixtures in all new buildings.

And finally, water reuse, and the treatment of effluent, and capture of storm water was being explored for re-use in developments for nondrinking water.

Degen also reiterated that the programme has been successful because it has been backed by political will, and utilities have realised the importance of having long-term plans which exceed the average four-year or five-year plans, which run as long as political appointments.

He added that utilities must get connected to customers, and properly understand the demand from consumers.

“Who is using what, and at what cost? Once you know that, you can start to make important decisions. The only way that demand is going to be wrestled to the ground, is to change social values and behaviours,” Degen emphasised.

TAKEN FROM ENGINEERING NEWS 

Authorities in Botswana are preventing Kalahari Bushmen from bringing water to their relatives in one of the driest places on earth.

The move suggests the government is stepping up its long-running campaign to force the Bushmen out of their ancestral homeland and into government resettlement camps.

Wildlife scouts have told Bushmen attempting to bring water into the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) for their hard- pressed relatives that they cannot use donkeys to carry the water since these are no longer permitted.

Without access to vehicles, Bushmen wanting to support friends and families inside the reserve rely heavily on donkeys to transport water to them. Despite a High Court ruling that says the Bushmen have the right to live on their ancestral lands inside the reserve, the Botswana government has banned residents from accessing a borehole on their lands. In the dry season this makes them dependent on water from outside the reserve, which is extremely difficult to carry without donkeys.

Last month, the Bushmen went to court in a bid to gain access to their borehole. However, the Bushmen are still waiting for the judge to give his ruling; this is scheduled to be announced on Wednesday, July 21.

Survival International’s director, Stephen Corry, says: ‘When they realise what’s going on, ethical tourists won’t want to go to areas where they have rights explicitly denied to the indigenous peoples. Botswana says it wants more tourists, yet its actions couldn’t be better designed to put them off.”

TAKEN FROM TIMESLIVE

Water Rhapsody products allow you get the most of your water usage through environmentally sustainable practices.  Grey water reuse for irrigation will ensure that your garden remains green throughout the year and this is despite of water restrictions.  Also, during our rainy Cape Town winter we advise on the harvesting of rainwater.  Grey Water Systems in conjunction with our water tank suppliers is currently running a winter rainwater harvesting special.  A 2500 litre water tank with our Rain Runner filter will ensure that you and your family enjoy what is fast becoming known as ‘water security’.  Uncertain times call for forward thinking individuals to make provision to ensure that they are not left without this most precious of resources.  Contact us here for further information on how to save water at home.

Why use Water Rhapsody products to save water in Cape Town?  Well…..we offer year round solutions to water saving.  The reuse of grey water for irrigation negates the need to water your garden with fresh water which saves you money and preserves what is undoubtedly the most precious resource we have here on earth-Our grey water system is thus a must have to ensure an ecologically friendly garden during Summer time.

What about Winter?  How about capturing some of the  free water which has been falling faithfully on your roof and then running silently into your storm water drain?  Grey water Systems is currently offering a Winter Water Tank Special which will enable you to save 2500 litres of water for a…..not so rainy day.  Our rainwater harvesting system is fully upgradeable and fully interchangeable with our other water saving systems.  In essence we are able to get you and your family up to 90% off the grid when it comes to your water usage at home.  A great way to save money and, even better, an awesome way to do your part in the protection of our fragile natural environment.  Please read on below to gain a better understanding of exactly how we capture and reuse your grey water for irrigation and CONTACT US should you wish to receive an obligation free site visit.

Grey water is made up of bath, shower, bathroom sink and washing machine water, it is not advisable to use your kitchen water as this is damaging to plant life because of the fat content and the abrasive nature of dish washing liquid.

The average South African household (family of 4) will use between 200-3001 of reusable water on a daily basis.   This water is paid for by and then wasted-we ask, with tears in our collective eyes if this makes any sense whatsoever?  The residues, soaps etc in the water in diluted quantities can provide useful sulphates and nitrates which some experts say is more beneficial to the garden than clean tap water.

We advise that our clients use biodegradable products in the washing machine and, perhaps more importantly, a phosphate free washing powder. The average suburban garden accounts for about 35% of domestic water consumption. Most of the concerns about grey water are to do with the hygiene aspect and odours of the water, but both these aspects are eliminated if the water is re-used as soon as possible and bacteria has not been given the the to produce.  Our Grey water system (GARDEN RHAPSODY) does exactly this:  Our system is fitted with an automated float switching system which initializes the pump after 30 litres of grey water has entered the pump chamber.

The second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project will supply Gauteng only in 2020, although, according to experts, SA’s major Vaal River system is already in deficit, as is the Umgeni system.
Negotiations were still under way with the government of Lesotho regarding the flagship project, the Department of Water Affairs said on Friday.

“It is expected to take more than nine years to prepare for and implement the project,” the department said. Once implemented, this second phase would be able to transfer 479-million cubic metres annually to SA.

However, until this project was completed, SA ran the risk of severe water restrictions in the event of a critical drought in the next 10 years, said engineer Dr Chris Herold, a council member of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering.

Dr Herold said there was a mismatch between water demand and new sources of supply, resulting from a failure to stem water losses in the system.
Having a deficit in the Vaal River system was an unacceptable risk to run for the next 10 years, he said. The system, which supplies Gauteng, already had a 2% supply deficit, which would progressively worsen to an 11% deficit by 2019, he said.

Water theft by farmers in the area has worsened the situation, with 175-million cubic metres taken from the Vaal River every year, increasing the supply deficit to about 8% a year.

The Umgeni River system in KwaZulu-Natal has only a 92% assuredness of supply, with a one in 13 risk of water restrictions. The rivers supply water to regions generating two-thirds of SA’s gross national product.
About 30% of water intended for domestic use was lost through leaking or burst pipes, according to industry estimates quoted by previous water affairs minister Lindiwe Hendricks. The minister announced a water conservation and demand management programme in 2007 which aimed to achieve a 15% saving in demand, by plugging leaking pipes.

Demand management, however, has to be implemented by municipalities. Many smaller municipalities are in poor shape with few or no engineers or technical staff.

Joburg Water has set aside R830m for a pipe replacement programme, with priority given to suburbs with the worst incidences of burst pipes.

Joburg Water’s chairwoman, Martie Janse van Rensburg, said water use patterns needed to change. “People need to be aware that water is scarce.” More efficient technologies should be considered, along with the reuse of water, she said.

Taken from all Africa.com

We suggest that you take matters into your own hands and begin to both reuse grey water for irrigation and harvest your rainwater.
Water Rhapsody specialises in both these water saving techniques and has agents throughout South Africa.
Water Saving forms the basis of our business operation and, with our help, South Africa can remain a
shining example for the rest of the world when it comes to sustainability and sustainable practices in
the living environment.

Nanotechnology is the act, science and engineering for manipulating objects at the nano scale. We are talking minute sales here – one nanometre is about one million times smaller than a millimetre.

At this size materials often take on unique and sometimes unexpected properties. Nano-sized gold, for example, can appear red rather than metallic yellow. Nano-sized carbon tubes are many times stronger than the same weight of steel, while bulk carbon (such as graphic or coal) can be very brittle.

This means that at the nano scale, materials can be ‘tuned’ to build faster, lighter, stronger and more efficient devices and systems, as well as new classes of materials. In the water sector, nanotechnology can be applied to develop more cost-effective and high-performance water treatment systems as well as instant and continuous ways to monitor water quality, among others.

Until recently, nano-scale research and development has been rather on a small scale in South Africa, driven mostly by individual researchers’ interests. However, this is expected to gradually change following the development of government’s National Nanotechnology Strategy, which aims to coordinate nano-scale research and development at a national level.

South Africa is one of the first countries to have an official nanotechnology strategy. It is an ambitious long-term plan which seeks to position the country as a player in this emerging area of science and technology. The focus areas are water, energy, chemical and bioprocessing, mining and minerals, and advanced materials and manufacturing.

South Africa’s first two Nanotechnology Innovation Centres (NICs) were launched at CSIR and Mintek last year. The activities at these centres are strongly aligned with government’s national strategy.

At the CSIR, the focus is on the design and modelling of novel nano-structured materials. The centre at Mintek, which is collaborating with the WRC, the Medical Research Council, as well as the universities of Johannesburg, the Western Cape and Rhodes, is focusing on research in the fields of sensors, biolabelling and water nanotechnology.

How big is nano?

One nanometre (nm) = one billionth of a metre

One DNA molecule = 2 nm

Virus = 50 nm

Visible colour = 400-700 nm

E.coli = 2 000 nm

Red blood cells = 5 000 nm

Hair diameter = 75 000 nm

Water Rhapsody UPWS

Saving Water is a concept which will gain more weight in the coming years.  One only has to do a small amount of research to find that global fresh water resources are declining and this is especially so in sub-Saharan Africa.  The question is:  ‘What can YOU do about it?’.  For one thing, it will be a wise investment to get a water back-up in the form of a water tank.  In Cape Town’s winter rainfall area we are perfectly poised to take advantage of hundreds of thousands of litres of free water falling on our roofs during the months of June-August.  Just one 2500 litre Water Tank with our Rain-Runner solid filter will provide you with a solid back-up in case of reductions in municipal pressure supply.  This water can be used in Summer for irrigation\car washing or kept for emergencies.  2500 litres of water in your tank will provide you with peace of mind and the knowledge that, should Cape Town’s water supply reach critical levels (as we are all warned it will), you and your family will at least be able to bath\shower and flush the toilet.  Contact us today for an obligation free quotation.

DIMENSIONS FOR 2500 litre WATER TANK

Enjoy water security this winter in Cape Town by getting a 2500 litre water tank, complete with our Water Rhapsody Rain-Runner (solid filter), all piping, overflows and a tap at the bottom of the tank for less than R5000.00-With the water supply here in the Cape  dammed to capacity and our municipal supply on the verge of complete breakdown, now is the time to secure yourself a back-up of 2500 litres.  We are offering our clients this fully upgradeable option for a limited period only.

Save Water and Make Greener Lifestyle Choices

in both Asia and Africa from pollution and depletion of natural water resources

Depleting water supplies are increasing the risk of both internal and cross-border conflict as competition between industry, agriculture and consumers increases, according to an assessment of world most vulnerable countries.

The report from the analysts Maplecroft, says that the ten countries most at risk are: Somalia (1), Mauritania (2), Sudan (3), Niger (4), Iraq (5), Uzbekistan (6), Pakistan (7), Egypt (8), Turkmenistan (9) and Syria (10).

The ranking was based on an assessment of access to water, water demands and the reliance on external supplies with countries like Mauritania and Niger more than 90 per cent reliant on external water supplies.

Dam conflict

Egypt, ranked eight by the report, is dependent on water from the Blue Nile, and is in the midst of an ongoing dispute with Ethiopia over the construction of the Gibe III dam in Ethiopia, which it claims will further deplete its water resources. The dam, which would be the largest in Africa, has also faced opposition from NGOs who claim it will devastate fisheries in neighbouring Kenya.

A separate report has highlighted the worsening problem of water scarcity in the Himalayan sub-region of India, Bangladesh, China and Nepal.

Although none of these countries made Maplecroft’s top ten list, the Indian-based Strategic Foresight Group (SFG) say they will have to cope with 275 billion cubic meters less water within 20 years – more than the total amount of water currently available in just one of the countries – Nepal.

It says that while global warming may take two centuries to seriously deplete the Himalayan glaciers, some impacts will be visible sooner. The Yellow River in China and the Ganges (with its tributaries) in India are expected to become seasonal rivers by the second half of this century.

The high water demands of agriculture in both India (where it accounts for 90 per cent of water usage) and China (where it accounts for 65 per cent of water) will lead to a drop in wheat and rice yields of between 30-50 per cent by 2050, according to the report. It said both countries would be forced to import 200-300 million tonnes of crops.

Water pollution

In addition to natural depletion, the report also pointed out the increasing scarcity of water resources due to pollution. The Yellow River Conservancy Committee estimates 34 per cent of the river is unfit for drinking, aquaculture, and agriculture. An estimated 30 per cent of the tributaries of Yangtze River are extremely polluted and in India, 50 per cent of the Yamuna River, the main tributary of the Ganges is extremely polluted.

Data for rivers in Bangladesh are not available, but a study published recently in the Lancet medical journal said up to 77 million people in Bangladesh had been exposed to toxic levels of arsenic from naturally contaminated groundwater supplies.

In total, SFG says that more than 30 per cent of the major Himalayan rivers are biologically dead and unfit for people or fish.

Water Rhapsody products offer water saving solutions to the residents of Cape Town.  We are able to get you to use less water and save money whilst doing this.  In addition, our ability to source cheap and structurally sound water tanks straight from the manufacturer puts us head and shoulders above the competition when it comes to water saving.  Get some peace of mind when you get a water tank.