Further to my letter of October 30, I have had three responses, all from people who have installed rainwater harvesting systems. This is a bit disappointing – but very instructive.
Taking them in order of magnitude, the first, in Hout Bay, is a major installation carried out by a professional firm of hydraulic engineers and costing R98 000.
The second, in Somerset West, has a 7 500-litre capacity and cost R30 000.
The third, in Grassy Park, was installed by the owner and cost R5 045, of which R2 506 was the cost of the tank and fittings.
Presently he only has 2 700 litres capacity but evidently intends to increase this when he can.
What is immediately apparent from the forgoing is that my previous guesstimate of R60 000 to R100 000 for an installation was far too high, though one can spend sums of that order if one so wishes.
I have learnt that a 5 000-litre tank costs R4 000 and that the cost of the tanks is evidently the major expense.
Ergo, what we might call a basic outfit of two 5 000-litre tanks, pressure-activated pump, change-over valve and associated pipes and couplings should be in the order of R11 000 or R12 000.
Now, 10 000 litres is not a lot of water but it would allow the householders to at least have proper showers – or water their gardens.
I repeat the point made in my previous letter. Any rainwater used is municipal water saved. Capetonians do not seem to realise the disaster facing them.
A considerable body of opinion expects the city’s water supply to run out in March despite the municipality’s belated and not very impressive attempts to find additional sources.
Certainly, if next winter’s rainfall is no better than this year’s the situation does not bear thinking about. We have seen the riots consequent to non-delivery of services. Non-delivery of water…?
Tourists will not come if they cannot wash and the conference centre will be the biggest white elephant in captivity.
A last thought. Those firms whose business is installing irrigation systems cannot be enjoying booming business at the moment.
How about switching to installing rainwater catchment systems with an advertising campaign along the lines of “Break free of water rationing AND conserve municipal water supplies”.