Community schemes should play a greater role in water conservation
Summer is on our doorstep and South Africans are looking forward to green gardens, and splashes into swimming pools on hot sunny days. But against a background of an extreme water shortage and predictions that the country’s water demand will outstrip supply by 2030 (that’s just nine years from now), the time to take seriously the need to save water, is now.
Omar Kinnear, developer of community communication portal, ResidentPortal, believes that community schemes have the potential to play a more active role in water-saving efforts, by regularly encouraging residents to conserve water, and acting when local water restrictions are ignored.
According to the international 2030 Water Resources Group, based on rising population, economic growth projections, and current efficiency levels, demand for water in South Africa is expected to rise by 17.7 billion m³, while water supply is projected to amount to 15 billion m³, representing a 17% gap between water supply and demand by the coming decade.
“This pending crisis should be a management priority for schemes,” he says. “As a starting point, water conservation should be a regular agenda item at annual general meetings, where residents should be educated on the urgent need for water-wise behaviour.”
Kinnear describes ways in which schemes can save water:
All schemes
- Covers should be installed over pools, ponds and fountains during winter to avoid loss of water by evaporation, and should ensure that there are no leaks around the pumps.
- Where possible, boreholes can be sunk to alleviate the burden on water reservoirs.
- Rainwater harvesting systems can be installed at management office buildings and used to water gardens, or fill pools and fountains.
Sectional title schemes:
- Consider introducing a policy of limited water use in sectional title schemes. Separate water meters can be installed to encourage owners to reduce water consumption, and fines can be levied against those who show excessive consumption.
- Investigate and fix possible leaks when the water bill is excessively or unexpectedly high.
- Grey water systems that wastewater from bathtubs, showers, bathroom washbasins and washing machines can be installed in sectional title buildings and used for flushing toilets or washing floors of common areas.
- Gardens should be planted with water-wise plants and indigenous trees. Irrigation systems should be on timers, with watering limited to early mornings and switched off when it rains.
Ways in which owners can be encouraged to save water:
- Invest in low-flow toilets, efficient shower heads, and water-wise dishwasher and washing machines.
- Take 5-minute showers.
- Use their dishwasher and washing machines for full loads only.
- Close taps while brushing teeth, washing hands and face.
- Regularly check taps, showers, water fixtures for leakages.
- Instruct children to not waste water when in the toilet or while taking showers.
- Use just enough water in the kettle for their needs.
- Use a bucket rather than a hose to wash their car.
“Cape Town may have dodged the Day Zero bullet, but all across South Africa drought and rising demand is escalating in a national water crisis,” says Kinnear.
“It really is time for community schemes to rise to the challenge by actively managing water consumption, not only in the common property, but also by taking steps to educate residents on the need to save water, and to consider rewarding those who demonstrate responsible water management and acting against those who don’t.”
ABOUT ResidentPortal
ResidentPortal is developed and managed by Sandton-based software consulting and development company, Business Xponent Solutions (BXS). The estate communication platform is one of the products emerging from 20 years of experience in the software industry of its founder, Omar Kinnear. One of the original developers of the SARS eFiling platform, Kinnear brings to ResidentPortal a wealth of knowledge of system performance and security.
Since 2016, more than 100 complexes are using ResidentPortal, and are benefiting from the way the full-featured Standard and Pro packages are simplifying the lives of residents and management in estates and sectional title complexes.
For more information, contact: Omar Kinnear, 078 798 3378
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