Rainwater Harvesting
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.
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Category Archives: Grey Water Recycling
What is Climate Change?
Outline of the potential problem of climate change and its cause as understood by the South African Weather Service The climate of the world varies from one decade to another, and a changing climate is natural and expected. However, there is a concern that the human industrial and development activities of the past two centuries have caused changes over and above natural variation… What is climate change? Climate change is the natural cycle through which the earth and its atmosphere are going to accommodate the change in the amount of energy received from the sun. The climate goes through warm and cold periods, taking hundreds of years to complete one cycle. Changes in temperature also influence the rainfall, but the biosphere is able to adapt to a changing climate if these changes take place over centuries. Unfortunately, human intervention is currently causing the climate to change too fast. (Climate models predict that the mean air temperature over South Africa will increase by an estimated 2°C over the next century.) Plants and animals may not be able to adapt as quickly to this rapid climate change as humans can, and therefore the whole ecosystem is in danger. What causes climate change? … Continue reading
Posted in Climate Change, Dam Levels, Green, Grey Water Recycling, Rainwater Harvesting, Renewable Energy, safe water, Solar Energy, Water Conservation, Water Tanks
Tagged Climate Change, Dam Levels, Global Concern, Rainwater Harvesting, Saving water, Water Conservation, Water Rhapsody, Yes Solar
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Grahamstown: Limited Water
“Serious water shortage in Grahamstown causes some areas to have access to water only one hour per day. It is especially rural settlement Vukani that are being hit by this the worst. During a public meeting earlier this week held by The Movement for Unemployed People, it became clear that the only hour water would be available is during the middle of the night. Around 50 people, mostly woman, from the Vukani Location attended the meeting. Prof. Denis Hughes, the Director for Water Research at Rhodes University acted as chairperson for the meeting. Both the Makana Municipality’s municipal manager, Me. Ntombi Baart and Mr. Dabula Njilo, director of Technical and Infrastructural Services were expected to attend the meeting to explain to the public what the state of the situation is, but none showed up.” Die Burger, 26 Nov’10 – Anna-Karien Otto Let this not be said from your town one of these days. Try to start changing your lifestyle and think different about water and the usage thereof. Contact Water Rhapsody to give you a quote on greywater re-use, recycling your pool’s backwash water, saving the amount of toilet flushing-water, being prepared to harvest rainwater etc. Do what you can … Continue reading
Posted in Climate Change, Green, Grey Water Recycling, Rainwater Harvesting, safe water, Solar Energy, Solar Geysers, Water Conservation, Water Tanks, Weather
Tagged drought disaster area, Grahamstown, Greywater re-use, Natural Resources, Rainwater Harvesting, Saving water, Solar geysers, Vukani Location, Water Conservation, Water Restrictions, water safe, Water Stress, Water tanks, Yes Solar
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What kind of droughts does South Africa experience?
A brief synopsis of drought in South Africa since 1960 -2005 Introduction The rainfall climate of South Africa is one of great variability. Seasonal rainfall percentage deviations since 1960 demonstrate wide fluctuations about the long-term average and it is in this context that large rainfall deficits must be assessed. Between July of 1960 and June of 2004, there have been 8 summer-rainfall seasons where rainfall for the entire summer-rainfall area has been less than 80% of normal. A deficit of 25% is normally regarded as a severe meteorological drought but it can be safely assumed that a shortfall of 20% from normal rainfall will cause crop and water shortfalls in many regions accompanied by social and economic hardship. Discussion All but the south-western and southern regions of South Africa rely on summer rainfall, which normally falls between October and March, the summer season. Rainfall is heaviest in the east and decreases westward. For convenience the rainfall season is taken to run from July until June of the following year, but rainfall outside of the summer season is usually insignificant. The consequence of rainfall being confined to six months of the year is that most crops can only be grown during … Continue reading
Posted in Climate Change, Energy Saving, Green, Grey Water Recycling, Rainwater Harvesting, Renewable Energy, safe water, Water Conservation, Water Tanks, Weather
Tagged Dam Levels, drought disaster area, Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth, Rainwater Harvesting, Saving water, Solar, Solar geysers, Solar panels, Water shortage, Water tanks, Water usage, Yes Solar
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Phosphate in Washing Powder destroy Water Eco Systems.
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. Use our Eco-friendly Products links to find out more about phosphate-free detergents. Also read this very informative post on Eco-friendly Laundry: http://www.watersafe.co.za/2010/03/10/eco-friendly-laundry/
Port Alfred set to run out of Water
The Ndlambe Municipality has intervened to stave off an impending water disaster in Port Alfred by drastically reducing the pressure in supply pipes. The decision was taken at a crisis meeting of the Ndlambe council yesterday morning, guided by municipal experts who have warned there is less than a month of drinking water left for the Sunshine Coast town, at the present rate of consumption. It was implemented immediately from yesterday midday, according to Communications manager Khulukile Mbolekwa. A team was also set to compiling a business plan to present to the government to support a plea for urgent funding for a new disalination plant. The de-pressurisation measure has been implemented equally, across poor and affluent areas, in Port Alfred and adjoining Nelson Mandela Township, Mbolewa said. The town is an uneven area, with valleys and hills, and it is possible residents in the high-lying areas will be more challenged for supply. They will get water, but supply will be slow. Port Alfred has only about seven days for drinking water left from its main source, the Sarel Hayward Dam, situated in the catchment above Bathurst. Besides this there is a holding dam that is still full, and it will give us the extra days for the … Continue reading
Posted in Grey Water Recycling, Rainwater Harvesting, Water Conservation
Tagged Bathurst, Dam Levels, Desalination Plant, drought disaster area, Greywater re-use, Port Alfred, Port Elizabeth, Rainwater Harvesting, Saving water, Water Restrictions, Water shortage, Water Stress, Water tanks, Water usage
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Water tariffs increasing soon!
Nelson Mandela Bay residents can expect a massive increase in punitive water tariffs, applying to consumers who use more than 15 kilolitre per month. DA caucus leader: Leon de Villiers introduced an urgent motion at yesterday’s budget and treasury committee meeting, saying he had received notification on Monday evening that the municipality was poised to introduce a much higher punitive tariff. The letter, dated 11 May, said the decision followed a meeting of the water management committee on May 5 that had accepted the need for a ‘considerable’ increase in the light of the ongoing drought that has already seen the metro declared a disaster area. The details of the planned increase would be made available at next week’s joint meeting of bugdet and treasury and the mayoral committee, he was told. According to Water and Sanitation Director, Mr Barry Martin, the metro is experiencing the ravages of ’a green drought’. Rain has been received in the city areas, but unfortunately not where it is most necessary to supply the same area with daily water. A briefing on the Emergency Drought Implementaion Plan has been arranged for tomorrow. The combined capacity ot the metro’s dams currently stand at 35.05%. The Kouga … Continue reading
Bitou council hopes ease Plett’s water problems
Themba Boyi | The Bitou Municipality has put out a tender for the construction of a desalination plant.The Water Affairs Department and the municipality have signed an agreement for the release of R20,000,000 to construct the plant in drought-stricken Plettenberg Bay.A similar plant opened in Sedgefield near Knysna a few months ago.The municipality’s Henry Geldenhuys said it has managed to cut water usage by 40 percent since the drought set in.He said tenders for the plant have already been advertised.“We hope to finalise the tenders by the middle of June and have the plant completed by the end of October.” - Why does it seem like desalination is the only solution munisipalities are grabbing at? At such a high cost……? Not cost effective! Rather make use of narural resources.
Interesting information re Grey Water Recycling
Grey water is the domestic or household wastewater that comes from the laundry and bathroom. When treated properly this is safe for external use. Toilet water on the other hand is termed ‘black water’ and cannot be reused. Kitchen water is technically grey water; it is treated as black water as it often contains food and grease. Water Rhapsody can help you recycle your household grey water for use on garden beds. It is an excellent way of saving water and saving money! Grey water is available every time you shower or wash with the average house creating up to 83,000 litres of grey water per year. Your grey water is suitable for irrigating most garden areas including ornamental beds and lawns. When watering native gardens remember to use a type of detergent that has low levels or has no phosphorus. Treatment before irrigation? Plants and soil, especially the upper, most biologically active layer of soil, are fantastically effective for wastewater treatment. Pretreatment is often presented as an essential element in a grey water system, when in fact it may be more pointless than treating your wastewater before sending it down the sewer. Plants and soil are fine with … Continue reading
Innovations needed as climate change sees water supplies dwindle – Andrew Muir
LARGELY due to climate change, South Africa is becoming drier from the west to the east. Climate modelling for our area shows that our annual precipitation (rainfall) will reduce by between 10% and 15% at current warming levels. As a result, along coastal areas fresh water has to be transported from further and further afield to meet the demand of ever-growing urban areas. This has become a worldwide challenge, and around the globe researchers and scientists have being looking at the use of technology to increase the supply of fresh water. Proposals include towing icebergs from Antarctica to water-stressed regions, cloud-seeding, desalination plants and extracting fresh water from deep submarine aquifers. A longstanding proposal beginning in the late 1970s has been to tow icebergs from Antarctica to supply fresh water to water-scarce regions of the world. One major challenge to this proposal has been how to tow the icebergs towards the equatorial zone without them melting before reaching their destination. Cloud-seeding is a process in which dry ice or potassium iodide particles are used to increase rainfall. Although there is little scientific evidence that this actually works, many communities faced with water shortages are willing to try it. There is … Continue reading
R750-Million for Desalination Plant not available
Two weeks ago I posted the report that our Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs (DWEA) Minister Buyelwa Sonjica has said that her department was forging ahead with plans to supply desalinated water to Cape Town, and furthermore extract water from the Table Mountain (TM) aquifer. This week it was reported in The Algoa Sun, that since Nelson Mandela Bay was declared a drought disaster area, very little has been done to pull the area out of the crisis. Municipal spokesman Kupido Baron says that since the declaration, the minutes of the meeting were send to the national and provincial disaster management centres. “We have received feedback from the national centre which has assessed the area and confirmed our situation,” said Baron. However, no funding has been made available to the municipality thus far. He said in the interim, funding would have to be allocated from the current municipal budget. According to Baron there are several facets of the disaster plan that have already been set in motion. They currently had four reputable companies working with the municipality to determine the environmental impact a deslination plant would have in and area.”An area close to the Swartkops power station on the Swartkops River has been identified … Continue reading
Posted in Grey Water Recycling, Rainwater Harvesting, Water Conservation, Weather
Tagged Dam Levels, drought disaster area, Eastern Cape, Greywater re-use, Port Elizabeth, Rain fall, Rainwater Harvesting, Saving water, Water Conservation, Water Restrictions, Water sources, Waterproblem
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