Save on leaks

IN response to Cape Town’s water crisis, it would be far more productive if the city reduced the water-leakage rate by even 1%, rather than drilling new wells to produce only 4 million litres per day.

At the consumption of 750 million litres a day, and a leakage rate of 15% (down from 25%), we currently lose well over 100 million litres every day. A 1% reduction would save at least 7 million litres a day, double what these new wells would produce.

If we could eventually get the rate of leaks below 10%, we would save at minimum, 35 million litres a day.

The cost would also be recovered at the water meter for water charged for, rather than lost – not to mention energy and treatment costs. BD Fowler Montagu