It's rain season Southern Africa- HARVEST as much water as you can!

Hooray, Southern Africa! The regional climate experts have reported that “normal to-above-normal” rainfall is expected across most of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for the 2020/1 rainfall season  (between October 2020 and March 2021). This is really good news, considering the drought spells the region has been experiencing over the past years. Of course, this is music to the farmers' ears, as they can expect good harvests for the coming agricultural season. 

Also, 

this is wonderful news for your pocket as you can save up on your water bill. All you need to do is harvest the FREE rainwater. Yes, it is that simple. Rainwater harvesting is an ancient method that can be best described as the collection of water that originates as rainfall for later use for domestic or agricultural purposes. This post will focus on domestic use only (I will do a separate post on rainwater harvesting for agricultural purposes).

Water usage can be divided into two: that is, either potable or non-potable use. Potable water refers to water that is fit for human consumption (e.g. water used for drinking or cooking purposes), whilst non-potable water is water that does not meet drinking quality standards. However, it may still be used for many other purposes such as toilet flushing, car wash, air conditioning, laundry, cleaning pavements, watering gardens etc.  It is estimated that an average South African uses only 6%  of total water in the kitchen, 22% for toilet flushing, 22% for laundry, 20% bath, and the rest for other non-potable uses. This means that most of the water used is non-potable.

As the rainy season has just started, why not harvest some rainwater and use it to meet your non-potable demands, such as toilet flushing, laundry, car wash etc. Imagine how much you would save!

All you need to start harvesting your water is:

1. Catchment area:  this can either be your roof or pavement. However, note that  roof water is of better quality and doesn't need any pre-treatment (depending on intended usage),

2. A storage unit: this is where you store the collected water in. It can range from 20L buckets to large volume tanks (e.g. 5000L water tank or larger). Another option is constructing an underground tank. It all depends on what you can afford,  the available space and city by-laws.  It is important to note that the more water you harvest and store, the more water you will have for use even after the rain event or season. 

3. Accessories: depending on the type of system, you may also need some PVC pipes, a first flush kit and a filter (optional but recommended).

Below are some tips on how you can improvise on storage, including using what you might already have:

BATHTUB: All you need to do is collect rainwater using smaller 20L buckets and fill your bathtub and/or other bid water basins (those plastic or enamel ones) you might have. A standard tub can hold up to 300L of water. This can last you up to a week, depending on your family size and usage.

STEEL DRUMS: Normally found in 200L. In Zimbabwe, you can get these from Mbare or industrial sites. These can be used as a temporary measure whilst saving to buy a big tank. 

SWIMMING POOL/ FISH PONDS: for those houses, schools and commercial properties etc., with swimming pools/ fish ponds that are no longer in use, you can use those storage facilities. Depending on the pool size and water usage, this can last you through winter. 

Picture: Go green guys

SAVE FOR A WATER TANK. On average, a 5000L water tank cost approx. USD 400 (ZWL 37,646.46) in Zimbabwe, and ZAR 5000 in South Africa. It might worth saving up for a year or 2 towards buying a tank. Considering the reduction in water bill and having water readily available for use during water rationing periods, I think it's a sacrifice worth making. It is a lifetime investment after all!

Underground tanks: If you are worried about space and aesthetics, these are for you! Underground tanks can be constructed from a variety of materials: polyethylene, steel, fibreglass or concrete. You can have your garage, pavement or other structures on top of the tank, saving you space (for this, you will probably need a concrete tank that is stronger and more durable). Make sure to use a professional installer and to size your tank correctly.  

Look out for a post on how you can make your harvested water last for longer (I will post it soon). 

Water woes and safety risk: A case of Greater Harare

The past years have seen a rise in organizations/ researchers/utilities raising awareness on  water security issues. Many countries worldwide are faced with severe water scarcity arising from the effects of climate change, rapid population growth, economic growth (increase in water uses) and urban sprawl, among other things. Urban areas, particularly those from developing countries, face even bigger challenges as most water utilities are failing to provide adequate water supply and sanitation to their residents. In addition to the aforementioned challenges, developing cities are further faced with i) ageing infrastructure, which leads to water and revenue losses; ii) rural to urban migration which results in urban sprawl, iii) growth in informal settlements, and iv) water theft or illegal connections. All these factors exacerbate the water challenges. Often, municipalities struggle to cope and end up having a backlog in connecting new places, maintaining existing water infrastructure and attending to faults.  

Photo courtesy of Herald Zimbabwe

This is all prevalent in Greater Harare, where some areas that have been existent for more than 10 years still do not have water reticulation. Contrary to a common belief that the poor services are only found in informal settlements and high-density suburbs, the City of Harare's low and medium density suburbs such as Borrowdale, Mt Pleasant, Msasa Park, Zimre Park etc., also face the same challenge. To address this challenge, residents have now resorted to buying water from water tankers, drilling boreholes, using hand-dug wells or community boreholes. As such, the 5000 L "Jojo" tank is now a typical feature on most properties. Several water delivery companies offer services at approximately US$ 40 to US$50 per 5000L. While many studies tend to focus on the water quality and health implications of poor access to water, there is one aspect that is often overlooked. That is,  the potential safety risk associated with water tankers. 

Recently, Zimbabwe has experienced sad fatalities as a result of water tankers. Two children from  Chitungwiza lost their lives after a poorly installed water tank fell on them whilst they were playing. The third one suffered a fractured leg.  In a separate incident in September, a bulk water delivery truck driver killed two teenagers' in Borrowdale. A few years ago, my neighbour's tank fell and damaged part of the roof in Crowhill Views. The first and third incident points out to the challenges of technical know-how on the proper installation of tank stands. There is no technical support to provide guidelines on proper installation. Neither are there policies to provide standards and procedures to be met when installing these water tanks. 

According to their website, Jojo tank advises that vertical tanks should ideally be installed on a 100% level, solid concrete slab of no less than 85mm thick. And that the slab should be at least 100mm wider than the diameter of the tank to avoid any overhang. It is also recommended to buy ready-made steel tanks, expertly designed by structural engineers. The stands are available in variable sizes, ranging from 1.5m to 9m.  It is recommended to always seek professional assistance to avoid accidents. Most importantly, it would be great for municipalities to raise awareness on this issue and provide technical guidelines on their websites and/or other information platforms or distribute them among communities. 

Let us all do our part to avoid damage to people, properties and animals!