It is now viable to harvest rainwater for your whole household. This includes rainwater harvesting, storing and pumping rainwater for bathing, showering, toilet flushing, pool, laundry and irrigation. Rainwater harvesting together with other Water Rhapsody products can save up to 90% of your water bill.
Grey Water
A bath uses 120 litres and a shower 80 litres of water. When used, that water is called grey water. You pay for it, and then it all goes down the drain. Water Rhapsody Grey Water System uses this grey water to immediately irrigate your garden, saving you a substantial portion of your water bill.
watersafe.co.za
Watersafe have become the first Water Rhapsody franchisees to open for business in the very dry and drought stricken Eastern Cape. Water Conservation is fast becoming a way of life and through Water Rhapsody conservation systems we can provide cost effective solutions in the areas of grey water recycling and rainwater harvesting. Please visit our Product Demonstration page to see the annimation of water being conserved and Contact us to come and discuss your requirements with you
Eskom generates about 95 percent of the electricity used in South Africa. The company has been battling with electricity shortage since January 2008, but its problems date a decade earlier and are due to lack of investment in new capacities and in updating the existing power stations. Last year, Eskom increased its tariffs by 31 percent and asked for 35 to 45 percent annual increases for three years in order to scrape together about R400 billion needed to build new power plants.
However, in February 2010 the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) approved lower increases:
24.8 percent for 2010/11 financial year, which will bring the average Eskom electricity price to 41.31c per kWh;
25.8 percent for 2011/12, bringing the average Eskom electricity price 51.68 c per kWh; and
25.9 percent in 2012/13, making the average Eskom electricity price 65.06c per kWh.
Eskom will use part of the money it gets from the higher rates towards increasing its solar water geyser subsidies, from about R2,500 to about R7,000. The cost of subsidizing solar geysers is lower than the cost of building a new power station. With the new subsidy in place, almost half of the cost of a solar geyser will be covered by Eskom. Eskom introduced solar geyser subsidy in 2008, planning to help convert one million geysers over five years. During the first two years of the programme only 2,000 households had taken up the offer. However, one month after the increase of the subsidy, 762 applications were received. About 40 percent of an average South African household’s electricity bill goes to pay for heating the geyser. With new, bigger subsidies, a household will recover its initial investment within five years, and then go on to use free hot water.
“Our aim is to encourage as many South Africans as possible to move away from electric geysers, and replace them with solar heated systems. We estimate that there are currently about 4.2 million electric geysers in the country and only 76 873 installed solar water heating units.”
Eskom announced to SWH suppliers in January 2010, that it would be increasing the rebates for purchasers of systems that were registered under Eskom’s SWH programme
Eskom’s rebate increase announcement sparked renewed interest in solar water heaters, exactly as the state-owned utility intended. However, many consumers are concerned that the rebate amount is nothing but an empty promise from Eskom.
However, since the rebate system was announced in 2008, Selected Energy has been an active participant in the Eskom DSM (Demand Side Management) programme, which aimed to save some 3 000 MW of electricity by 2012 and up to 8 000 MW by 2025. Over 1 600 rebates have been paid out to Selected Energy customers over the past year and a half.
Some R2-billion has been made available through the DSM programme, which will be managed by financial services firm Deloitte & Touche, over the next five years
The utility’s objective was to replace about 900 000 electrical geysers, including new homes being built, with solar systems, thereby creating an energy saving of 578 MW.
The utility said that the energy savings created by using solar power, rather than electricity, would decrease a consumer’s electricity bill by between 20% and 40%, and being a renewable source would contribute to greater environmental objectives.
“Although the response is lower than we had hoped for, we are still absolutely thrilled at the response from consumers and delighted by the support and commitment of our partners,” said Eskom renewable portfolio manager Cedric Worthmann. He added that the rebate increase of up to 120%, in some cases, was in response to present market conditions, and might not be available for an indefinite period of time. The value of the rebate will be evaluated and decreased according to market drivers and energy costs on an annual basis for the next five years.
So contact us at Yes Solar as soon as possible to get a no-obligation quote and advice as so which system and size to install. Install a Solar Water Heating System while you can still benefit from the rebate system.
Using rainwater tanks is the perfect way for you to create the garden of your dreams and keep it green all year round. One of the biggest drains of a city’s water supply can come from people using their water for gardening. Most people enjoy the look of beautiful lawns and lush gardens, however this is using precious water that is needed for bathing, cooking or drinking. Gardens account for most of the water used in the home and is therefore the biggest domestic contributer to the water shortage. No matter what type of water problems you are experiencing and whether you stay in Western/Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Natal or anywhere else in the world for that matter, there is a way to have lush gardens without using up your city’s water supply.
One-half of South Africa’s electricity generation could come from renewable energy sources by 2030, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said in a new report on Tuesday, 10 August 2010.
“Renewable energy is not just an environmental issue anymore. It is about assessing the health of our economy going forward,” said WWF climate change programme manager Richard Worthington.
He said that reaching the 50% renewable energy target by 2030 was distinctly feasible, despite the country’s heavy reliance on coal to produce electricity, and added that it was necessary to ensure low-carbon re-industrialization, which would be required under emission reduction commitments in the climate change arena.
The report, entitled ‘Renewable energy in a just transition to sustainable electricity supply’, argued that South Africa had the potential to rapidly upscale its use of renewable energy, and with a combination of energy-efficiency measures, this would result in cheaper electricity over the medium term.
The report also introduced the sustainable national accessible power planning (Snapp) tool, which was commissioned by the WWF, and was freely available on the Internet. The Snapp tool allowed for interrogation of government’s proposed energy plan, and allowed for the modeling of different energy scenarios, depending on the different inputs made.
The WWF noted that the report aimed at encouraging broad stakeholder participation in South Africa’s policy processes that were currently under way, such as the development of a provisional integrated resource plan, dubbed IRP2010, as well as the review of the renewable energy policy and targets. Both were due by November 2010.
“South Africa faces critical choices around future power generation. The need for increased electricity capacity to meet development objectives coincides with growing awareness of the short-term and long-term implications these decisions will have on the economy, society and the environment,” Worthington stated.
The WWF was also advocating that the construction of Kusile, Eskom’s coal-fired power station to be built after the Medupi power station, be stopped. “At least until the full costs and impacts have been properly evaluated in the Integrated Energy Planning process scheduled for 2011,” said the WWF.
“How we meet base load demand is ultimately a product of how the whole electricity supply system is designed and managed, in conjunction with demand management measures, and should be addressed through comprehensive integrated energy planning. Insisting that a particular type of generation plant, such as nuclear, is essential to meeting base load demand is an anachronism,”
emphasised the report. -SAAEA 18 Aug’10
Solar power is a great choice of renewable energy in sunny South Africa! Here in Eastern Cape, we have sunny winters and sunny summers with rainfall usually occurring occasionally during summer or winter, in the form of soft showers during the night or early morning, clearing up for the rest of the day. Yes Solar Eastern Cape offer a wide range of outstanding Eskom accredited solar geysers/water heating systems (Eskom rebates given on our products) You can reduce your electricity bill by 40% just by switching to a solar geyser.
We also, through Water Rhapsody Conservation Systems, enable our clients to save significant amounts of precious water. Water Rhapsody is no stranger to WWF having won a WWF GREENTRUST award for our systems. Our rainwater harvesting system is cleverly designed to re-pressurise and pump your harvested rainwater from your water tank back into your home for daily use. So during the rainy season, you can be almost entirely independent of municipal water, rather augmenting your own safe, clean fresh water supply.
There are 5 Good reasons to use solar energy in South Africa:
Power Shortage:
South Africa cannot meet the energy demand in the country only with existing power generation capacity.
South Africa must safe 10% on its electricity bill.
Former finance Minister Trevor Manuel announced various steps and measures in his February 2008 budget speech which includes:
¨ Levy on electricity generated from non-renewable sources, such as generators.
¨ Promised to consider tax incentives for clean energy.
¨ Tax relief for generation of electricity from amongst others sunlight.
Eskom has announced delays in quoting and perhaps supplying only part or none of the electricity requirements for new developments and requirements for permits.
2. Rising Energy Cost:
Electricity costs are very low in SA, but Eskom forces a 25% price increase per annum over the next four years.
Diesel price increased more than 200% in the last 4 years and will continue to do so for the unforeseeable future. (Source: Stats AS 2007)
3. Independence from providers:
Solar energy ensures continued power supply on key appliances at home or in the office, thereby mitigating damage during power surges and outages.
It reduces the household reliance on Main Grid Energy supply.
It ensures hot water during load shedding.
4. Free Energy:
Solar Energy is free – monthly costs saving on electricity bill.
South Africa is one of the regions with the highest solar irradiation in the world.
Countries like Germany with a very low irradiation already have installed over 4000MW of photovoltaic systems (SA: est .< 1MW, Source: CSIR, ESKOM, DME 2004)
5. Environmental Footprint:
In South Africa, the most abundant source of energy is coal, which is highly responsible for CO2 pollution.
A 150 litre solar water heater can replace on average 4.5 kWh of electricity per day, resulting in the following environmental annual savings*:
People have been using solar power for many years to heat up their water, light up their homes and for general low-voltage appliances. Solar power energy is now more easily accessible to the public than ever before, and millions of people around the world are installing solar geysers in their homes in order to save money on electricity consumption and thus helping the planet.
Converting your home to use solar power can be a considerable undertaking, but the results are very rewarding. Going solar is a growing trend, but where do you begin the process?
Solar power systems use energy from the sun – which is an unlimited source of renewable energy – and convert it into electricity or heat. The most practical place to start the process of conversion is with the installation of solar geysers on your roof. Solar water heaters use a roof-mounted, heat-absorbing panels (thermal collectors) to heat water with the power of the sun. The heated water is fed into a special solar geyser that stores the water.
Firstly, you should find the most appropriate position suitable on your roof. The solar panels should not be shaded either by trees or any other obstacles. Even if a small section of your solar geyser is shaded, is will result in much less heat production.
Think about the size of the solar power system that you will need in order for it to serve its purpose in both summer and winter. The dark winter months will generate less heat than the bright sunny summer months. You can save money by installing solar panels yourself, or have them installed by professionals. As the price for energy increases, homeowners should ensure that their home are not completely reliant on the mainstream power grid.
By reducing your eletricity dependence on the grid, you become part of a more sustainable and responsible global community of homeowners and enjoy significant electricity & cost savings at the same time.
Phosphate is a nutrient that is essential for plant growth and is found naturally in the environment. But the excess use of phosphates by humans is overloading our water bodies, which can lead to toxic algal blooms.
Have a look at this video to see the effects of overloading our environment with phosphates usually used in washing powders on a daily basis.
All low fruit of water has been harvested and exhausted. There is not a single river that can possibly be damned in the country to augment supply. There are no more augmentation schemes like we know to provide any more water. Simply put 2010 sees South Africa on its last dregs of supply management as we know it. The future is not rosy.
The future:
Worst hit will be the Reef. Ground water will soon be polluted with Acid Mine Water which will enter the water table and erode buildings. Rivers are being polluted with sewerage AMW, and it is not just the acid water that is so toxic to the rivers, but Cyanide, and radioactive substances including isotopes of Radon, Iridium and Uranium. The cocktail of these will make it impossible to use this water for anything whatsoever. Worse still, is that this water will reach the drinking water of the Vaal system and make this water unusable too, soon, within 18 months!
There is not one single sewerage treatment works in the whole country that is able to process all of the sewerage effluent arriving in the pipelines to their works. This means that raw, untreated effluent is flowing into every river around the country, and all over the country people are dying from drinking toxic water, in a septic state for us to drink!
Water outages have become the norm in many municipalities unable to cope with increasing demand. Outages will come to Gauteng by 2013 and Cape Town perhaps sooner.
Cape Town is going into a drought cycle, from which they will only emerge in 3 years time, and will be out of water by 2012. Though the city is way ahead in educational exposure of water matters, the city ignores rainwater harvesting and the water saving aspect of demand management as a tool to provide extra water for the City.
Places like Hartebeest Poort: this is simply an extension of a sewerage treatment works. The water is toxic and even the municipality drawing on this water admit that they are unable to treat this water for potable purposes. Worse is to follow. The AMW has reached this body of water. Rand Water is contracting to provide the diminishing water from the Vaal Dam at a staggering 200 million Rand to the area for drinking quality water.
The good news: Enter Water Rhapsody from the wings:
Water Rhapsody will reduce demand for most if not all buildings by at least 50% and in some instances by 90%. Water Rhapsody too will provide water safe to use in the house by harvesting water from roofs, and pumping under normal pressure to the whole household. Furthermore Water Rhapsody with its proven conservation systems is able to reduce water demand to as low as 80 litres per person per day. Country wide the current demand is 240 litres per person per day. Water Rhapsody does this without getting the user to change his or her lifestyle in any way. The resultant effluent from a user of the Water Rhapsody Systems of Conservation is a fall in sewerage flow of 90%. This reduction over a whole suburb would mean that any sewerage treatment works would be able to cope with the effluent volume, allowing water safe to drink running into our rivers.
Clearly Municipalities as well as Government must take notice that we have a disaster that is currently happening. It is not if, or when this might happen, IT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!!!
The track record and technology for the Water Rhapsody Systems is proven without a single failure ever. The systems have been built into the biggest companies and institutions including Old Mutual in Pinelands and UCT in Cape Town.
The Government and municipalities treat water as a commodity because they sell water for profit but we must never lose sight of the fact that water is a precious resource.
Lastly, though coastal regions are in a better position that inland cities, none of these cities have enough water. The buzz words of using ground water and desalination of sea water are not sustainable. The water for instance in the TMG (Table Mountain Group) aquifer is fossil water from millions of years ago, and be warned – there is a finite amount of water in the aquifer, and the recharge is perhaps thousands of years. As for desalination of sea water – the energy cost of 4 kilowatt hours to desalinate sea water to make one kilolitre of potable water is simply not a cost effective way of providing water. Take the smallest of the large dams supplying Cape Town –Steenbras Lower Dam contains 30 million kilolitres of water which Cape Town would use up in less than 15 days. It would cost Cape Town 120 million Kilowatt hours of power generation to provide the equivalent amount of water as this dam though the desalination process of Reverse Osmosis (RO). Clearly this should not be considered as an option. Cape Town is stressed enough for power supply, and there would not be enough power generation for this option.
Water Rhapsody encourages the public to make use of their natural resources, not taking away of using more energy to try to create something out of existing resources. People must realize the effect of what we’re implementing now, on our future and those of the one’s we leave behind.
This is a good question. Obviously a rainwater tank will not help if there is no rain at all. The thing is that most true drought occur inland whereas most of the population lives near the coast where it does rain. Sure we sometimes have dry seasons where we get below average rainfalls but even if you were to receive half of the average rainfall it should be enough to keep your tanks full for most of the year, if not all of it. This of course depends on the size of your rainwater tank and how much water you use but providing you have a reasonable size tank you should be right.
Rainfall from 1990 – 1999 In Port Elizabeth
1990
441.8
Avg
569.41
1991
451.7
Lowest
441.8
1992
619.5
Highest
772.4
1993
638.7
1994
620.3
1995
513.1
1996
772.4
1997
539
1998
602.1
1999
495.5
For example, if you live in Port Elizabeth, where water restrictions are amongst the most severe the lowest rainfall in recent years was around 400mm, as shown in the table above for the years from 1990-1999. With a roof harvest area of 200 square metres you would collect around 80 000 litres. Port Elizabeth also has a fairly consistent rainfall throughout the year which is great for regularly topping up you tank. From this figure we can determine that it is enough water to supply half of the average homes’ water requirements! One small rainwater tank of around 500 litres can save around 25 000 litres of water per year. Slimline tanks can easily fit down the side of the house or against a wall so you don’t lose valuable space.
Another question frequently asked: ‘If it rains so much (or at least often enough), then why do we have water restrictions?’
Another good question and quite a detailed one. To put it simply, most of the water we drink is stored in dams and they are, but should not be, the only source of water available to a city. This kind of storage does have a lot to do with drought and rainfall. Catchment areas direct water that lands on the soil and directs it towards the dam. Often these catchment areas are further inland where drought and low rainfall is more common than the coast. If it doesn’t rain then the first rain is soaked up in the soil and does not make it into the dams. If it doesn’t rain again for a while then this process repeats itself. Meanwhile the water is still being consumed and unless decent rain falls then it will simply run out. That’s why it is important to get water tanks so you can take responsibility for your water usage and take pressure of mains supply.
Water Rhapsody dealers have become authorized dealers for JoJo Tanks.
Water tanks are available in a wide variety of sizes and dimensions – ranging from 100 litres through to 15000 litres. The most common tanks are the 2500 and 5000 litre tanks. The newest addition to the JoJo range is the Slimline tank, available in a wide variety of colours The elegant JoJo Slimline is 1800mm x 750mm, holts 750lt of water and fits easily through a regular door frame.
Water Rhapsody can install your water tank as well as advise and supply you with the various filters (Rain runners). The full rainwater harvesting system (Grand Opus) is a system that pumps rainwater collected in the water tank, back into your home. For more information contact your Water Rhapsody dealer in the Eastern Cape to get a free quote on tanks or any of our other systems.
Against a global rainfall average of 870mm per year, South Africa receives a pitiful 450mm, making it the worlds 30th driest country. Water Rhapsody, with 16 years experience in water conservation, is number 1 in South Africa in Grey water recycling systems and Rainwater harvesting systems.
Water Rhapsody a WWF Green Trust award winner can save us up to 90% of our municipal water bills.
Against a global rainfall average of 870mm per year, South Africa receives a pitiful 450mm, making it the worlds 30th driest country. Water Rhapsody, with 16 years experience in water conservation, is number 1 in South Africa in Grey water recycling systems and Rainwater harvesting systems.
WWF Green Trust Award
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