Play your part in saving water!

Welcome back, students!

Grahamstown is a waterscarce town and while we welcome students back, we also ask them to look after this precious resource as carefully as other residents.

Students and residents can find useful tips and practical information about green living and action for sustainability, at www.ru.ac.za/environment/action and www.ru.ac. za/environment/students

The Eastern Cape, particularly the Sarah Baartman region which Makana falls under, is in a severe drought. For tips on saving water, students and other residents can go to www.ru.ac.za/environment/resources/water

Makana water restrictions

The restriction of 100 litres per person per day still applies. Makana Communications Officer, Yoliswa Ramokolo, confirmed on 25 January that all the restrictions are still standing. “The challenge is community members not adhering to [the restrictions]. “Also as the municipality we do not have peace officers for monitoring, we solely depend on the honesty of the citizens,” she said. Makana Municipality officially declared a state of disaster in May last year, due to dwindling dam levels. At that stage, Settler’s dam was at 29%.

Ramokolo confirmed recently that Settlers Dam (our main supply) is now at 19% - CRITICALLY LOW. Our smaller dams - Howison’s Poort 94%, Botha’s Hill 80% - do not provide sufficient water security. She urges every member of the community to please play your part, use water wisely. Rhodes University provides water-saving tips and information at www.ru.ac.za/environment/resources/water

Got no water? Desperate to wash?

Don’t worry, help is at hand. Retired academic and innovative inventor, Dr Richard Grant, has revised and improved his simple solution for those in need. Shower in a Bottle uses just 5 litres of water. To find out how to make and use it, go to: bit.ly/GrocEnviro20180126