We are suffering a severe water crisis here in the Western Cape, South Africa. Right now the local government has enforced Level 4b water restrictions. This means every person is only allowed to use 87 litres of water per day! Or, preferably, less than 87 litres.
Dam levels are critically low and rain for the foreseeable future is not looking promising. August is usually our “wet month”, but we’re having sunshine and warmth reminiscent of a summer’s day. Coming into our hotter months towards the beginning of 2018 will certainly challenge residents on how to conserve water.
Current dam levels for the Western Cape are around 27% full. But that’s not the worst part. The last 10% of a dam's water is difficult to use, so the useable water in the dam is approximately 10% less than the dam level!
Level 4b restrictions means watering your garden, washing your car, filling your swimming pool etc. with municipal drinking water is strictly prohibited. We're encouraged to use grey water or rain water to flush our toilets.
One may think 87 litres per person per day is a lot of water, but when it’s broken down to the basic uses it does not look like much at all. Water must only be used hygiene and cooking purposes.
That is:
- 2 Litres for drinking
- 4 Litres for cooking
- 4 Litres for daily hygiene
- 20 Litres for a 2 minute shower
- 23 Litres for dishes and laundry
- 27 Litres for 3 toilet flushes
- 7 Litres saved over
As you can see these numbers are hugely difficult to stick with. Can you shower in 2 minutes? Residents found to be using excessive amounts of water, or contravening the new by-laws will face hefty fines. Residents of the Western Cape are facing a tough challenge ahead, but we’re determined to make the best of it!
Soon I’ll be writing about what my household is doing to reduce our water consumption.
What actions are you taking to reduce your water usage? Please comment, share and Upvote.