This is how we can save water

Pensioner saved 4 000 litres since last winter and has a fruit and veg garden too

AN 80-YEAR-OLD pensioner, who has saved 4 000 litres of water since last winter, believes his water-saving methods would help alleviate the city’s water crisis if everyone emulated him.

Alhough he has a garden with fruits and vegetables, Johnny Basson, a retired marine engineer, has a water bill that averages R80 per month. There were times his water bill was R0, until his daughter moved in with him.

He started keeping a keen eye on the city’s dams seven years ago, and as they dried up, he began saving water.

Basson doesn’t drink tap water as he has bone cancer, instead he buys still water. He has had a borehole for the last 10 years. He also uses grey water, which he’s contained in hundreds of neatly stacked water bottles and dozens of buckets and old bathtubs in his green backyard. He uses this to flush his toilet.

“It costs you nothing to save thousands of litres of water. The city just needs to make everyone aware that saving water also helps your pocket. I’ve got water from last year, enough to last us until October next year,” he said.

“I’ve been hearing the city go on about water restrictions for the past year. We don’t really need to have water restrictions if we save.”

He and his wife of 52 years, Elizabeth, spent the last few years collecting bottles and containers for water storage.

“Everything can stay green and clean if you’re smart with your gardening,” he said. Basson said he provides greens to many of his Steenberg neighbours, most of whom prefer parsley and celery.

Xanthea Limberg, Mayco member for informal settlements, water and waste services, and energy, said: “We cannot thank residents like Mr Basson enough for the great measures to limit their water usage.

“We appreciate residents who use innovative and practical ways to save water on a daily basis and encourage them to also become water ambassadors in their area by promoting their water-saving methods to others and reporting any water offenders they may come across.”

She said after extensive communication with the public about the drought crisis, the city’s water consumption targets have largely been met.

“However, the pressure is really on, now more than ever before, for all residents and business sectors to rev up their water-saving efforts in order us to meet the 500 Ml/day target. Although it is a tough target, it is so necessary during these winter months.”

She said Cape Town was in for a tough summer, and therefore residents should use this winter time to save water.

Limberg commended residents’ savings so far as remarkable, “but it must be noted that we continue to be in the worst drought of more than a century and we all need to do more”.

She said climatic unpredictability and reduced rainfall were the city’s “new normal”. Citizens needed to understand they were living in a droughtstricken area.

“For this time of the winter, our dam levels are alarmingly low”, she said.

● Report water offenders to water@capetown.gov.za or via SMS to 31373.

PICTURES: JASON BOUD Pensioner Johnny Basson, from Steenberg, uses rainwater from his roof which he collects via drains (downpipes) into a few outdoor baths (right). He either lets the baths overflow through its outlet into basins or buckets, or he uses buckets to scoop...