Typical environmentalists...
FROM PAGE 1
...Always spreading bad news and predicting disaster.
Unfortunately the news is that the largest dam serving the west side of Grahamstown, Settlers Dam, is down to 41%. At same time last year it was just over 70%. This is shocking news. Howieson’s Poort is at 70%, but you have to remember it is seven times smaller than Settlers and contains less than three months’ supply at current usage rates.
The trouble with environmental crises is that everything seems normal until it isn’t.
As a community we should be doing our utmost to improve our water conservation and to be as frugal as possible, so that we all enjoy running water on tap.
We’re not yet in the dire straits seen in Cape Town, but without substantial rains we are heading towards that point.
It is tempting to be quite critical of those in authority for not publicising the issues we face, ensuring all residents are aware of the restrictions and doing more to promote water conservation. Simple things like fixing leaks, or putting a brick in your toilet cistern saves a litre of water every time you flush.
It is true that Grahamstown enjoys a certain degree of protection from a complete water outage because the eastern parts of town are supplied via the Orange River, so the dams on that side are at normal levels. But, as we know from last year, when the west side of Grahams- town is fed from the east, it is not ideal because achieving the transfer requires that many households on the eastern side have their service interrupted overnight.
In addition, the Orange River water is more expensive, so there is a cost to all of us. The extra cost is absorbed through municipal finances meaning there’s less revenue available for other things.
Water restrictions
Ideally no one will use municipal tap water for watering gardens or washing cars, but the relaxations allowed are: 1. All residents of even numbered houses are requested to water their gardens on Mondays and Thursdays 8am-9am and 7pm-8pm only. 2. All residents of uneven numbered houses are requested to water their gardens on Tuesdays and Fridays 8am-9am and 7pm-8pm only. 3. The washing or/and rinsing of motor vehicles, motor cycles, boats, movable or immovable structures, paths, pavements and paved areas will be allowed only on Wednesdays 8am-midday. 4. The watering of sports fields will only be allowed on Wednesdays 2pm-4pm. 5. The use of single handheld hoses and drip irrigation systems (excluding sprinklers and pop-ups) will be allowed.
Self-sufficiency
In the case of water, where every roof is potentially a free supply, looking after your own interests is actually helping the environment.
On the one hand, if you harvest rain water you are protecting yourself from eventualities outside your control in terms of water availability and water quality.
On the other, you are reducing the pressure on municipal supplies, which benefits everyone.
Rhodes University has some valuable guidance on how to instal and benefit from rain water harvesting. See: www. ru. ac. za/ environment/ resources/water/rainwater
Water wise
Rhodes University has also published an attractive onepage guide giving tips on saving water which is easy to print and share. Perhaps a useful item for teachers to share with pupils and parents? Doctors with their patients? Lawyers with their clients?
Anything you can do to raise awareness will help. At www.ru.ac.za/environment/resources/water download “RU Water-Wise”.
Stray animals
Negotiations to get the SPCA large animal pound operational appear to have stalled and other arrangements are now being considered. In the meantime stray livestock remain the responsibility of Makana Municipality and Parks Department and the numbers to ring to have stray animals removed are 046 603 6072 and Thando Dlalani 071 196 4434.
Note that dead animals and carcasses are the responsibility of Makana Environmental Health and you should call 046 603 6141.
Find us Online: www.grocotts.co.za/environews
Contacts for Makana Enviro-News: Nikki Köhly: n.kohly@ru.ac.za, 046 603 7205 Tim Bull: timothybull05@aol.com, 076 289 5122 Jenny Gon: j-gon@intekom.co.za, 046 622 5822 Nick James: nickjames@intekom.co.za, 082 575 9781 Philip Machanick: p.machanick@ru.ac.za, 046 603 8635.