Help save water

JOBURG residents have been through water restrictions and water throttling, and watched helplessly as their lawns, flowers and vegetable patches withered – all in the name of preserving water due to the devastating drought countrywide last year.

No gardens were allowed to be watered during the day, sprinklers were a no-no and residents were prohibited from using hosepipes to clean paved areas or their cars with municipal water.

While the restrictions have since been lifted, the City of Joburg is aiming to hit water guzzlers with huge tariff hikes in order to deter them from wasting water.

Those who use 50 kilolitres of water a month will have to fork out R38.72/kl as opposed to R7.14 for those who use between 1kl and 6kl.

We say this is a move in the right direction considering the fact that an average household uses between 25kl and 50kl a month, so those who use more than this have to pay until they comprehend the gravity of the situation.

It’s about time water guzzlers realised that South Africa, which ranks as one of the 30 driest countries in world, is a water-scarce country and with limited rain, the situation is dire.

We all need to start taking water preservation seriously and do whatever it takes to limit our usage – simple things really, like adopting the same measures imposed through water restrictions.

When lifting water restrictions in February after the Vaal Dam reached capacity, Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane said she trusted that “the lessons learnt on responsible water use will become a norm and a way of life for us all and that we will adapt to the realities of being a water-scarce country”.

Let’s all use water sparingly least we wake up one day with permanently dry taps.