Proposed tax unfair

IT IS with a sense of disbelief that I read about the proposal to tax property owners based on their property valuations to raise funds for water projects. It is understandable that water revenues are down and need to be replaced, but in my view, this is not the way to go about it.

By way of illustration. At a cost of about R25 000, I have installed 7 000 litres of rainwater storage capacity at home, have put in a pool cover to reduce evaporation, and have located a pool backwash tank next to the pump, which reduces water wastage by 99.5%.

I have also stored an additional 2 000 litres of pool surplus winter overflow water to feed back into the pool during summer months or to use for toilet flushing downstairs.

We no longer bath or use the dishwasher, we collect shower water for flushing purposes, and collect washing machine water to wash patio tiles, floors and vehicles.

Vehicles are rinsed using stored rainwater. We collect clean shower water (until it warms up) and use it for washing up and rinsing dishes. We use filtered rainwater for cooking and drinking.

Since April our total water consumption has been 17 000 litres, or a tad under 3 000 litres a month for a family of two. That’s about 50 litres each per day.

I’m sure that to a greater or lesser degree, the majority of Capetonians are doing their bit to conserve this precious resource.

Having done all of the above, to now be hit with an additional tax is grossly unfair. Surely a fairer way to generate revenue would be to increase the cost per kilolitre of water used?

That way, those consumers who use more pay more, and those who have made the effort to reduce consumption will be rewarded by paying less.

Madam mayor, I urge you and your team to reconsider this ill-conceived and fundamentally unfair plan in favour of the above, or similar, proposal. Gavin Hillyard Somerset West