IS SOUTH AFRICA READY TO ADOPT RAIN WATER

HARVESTING AND GREY WATER RECYCLING SYSTEMS? A

CASE STUDY IN SOUTH AFRICA.

HIGHLIGHTS
South Africa has recently experienced one of the worst droughts in its history.
Fluctuating weather patterns and irregular rainfall are weather conditions that
are forecasted as the future for South Africa. Green Infrastructure systems such
as rain water harvesting and grey water recycling and reuse systems can
remove unwanted and irresponsible pressure from water supply networks and
promote water security and – awareness and hence contributing in addressing
end-f-pipe challenges. However, is South Africa ready for the mind shift?

CASE STUDY NARRATIVE

South Africa has recently experienced
its worst drought in its history. Currently, The outcome of the survey was
dam levels in Cape Town is below 20% positive where an overwhelming
and a crisis is looming should it not amount of people indicated that
receive its annual winter rainfall. When they are ready to become more
it does rain again people start using sustainable and confirmed the
water in excessive quantities only to be movement towards sustainability
faced with more challenges with of the companies they work for.
irregular rainfall patterns. In some areas, There are challenges associated
people have been without water for with implementing rain water
months up to many hours daily. Rain harvesting and grey water systems
water harvesting coupled with grey and most are related to cost,
water recycling and reuse is a valuable availability, available systems
tool in Green Infrastructure that does installation challenges and
not only promote water conservation awareness.
awareness but also promotes water
security in an urban and rural context
from low to high income groups. An on-
line survey was made available to
participants across South Africa to
provide an opinion on rain water
harvesting and grey water recycling
systems and to investigate if the people
of South Africa are ready to change the
“business-as-usual” mindset and to
contribute to water conservation and water security.

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By implementing rain water harvesting and grey water recycling programmes
and systems in South Africa, the following challenges can be addressed:
1) Operation guidance/standards: Currently operational guidance to
install rain water harvesting systems do exist. There are also service
providers that can assist corporates and homeowners to install both grey
water recycling and rain water harvesting systems. The City of cape
Town is moving towards making green infrastructure practices such as
rain water harvesting and water conservation mandatory.
2) Regulatory challenges: Green Infrastructure is included in the Guidelines
and Framework for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems in South Africa.
However, implementation is very slow due to awareness levels not at
optimum levels to adopt such systems.
3) Socio-economic issues: Rain water harvesting and grey water recycling
can remove unwanted pressure of service delivery and water networks
that can mobilise capital to be spent on repair work and system
upgrades. Through rain water harvesting and grey water recycling low
income groups can benefit in terms of water provision, better water
quality, food security, sustainable livelihoods and farming practices and
economic opportunities.
4) Financeability challenge: Providing networks of piped water and water
infrastructure can be very costly. By implementing rain water harvesting
and grey water recycling programmes costs can be reduced and water
networks optimised.
5) Innovation challenge : the innovation on which this case study was
based on was to provide a natural solution to grey water recycling and
rain water harvesting for low to high income groups that is a tool in
sustainable urban drainage systems and a great example of green
infrastructure where maintenance costs are reduced and various
benefits associated includes: economic opportunities, water quality
optimised, food security, contributing to water security, contributing to
flood reduction and carbon sequestration.

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Appendix 1: Extracts from the Stakeholder questionnaire summary

The following section summarizes the results of an on-line questionnaire that was
circulated randomly for completion concerning the diffusion of grey water recycling
and rain water harvesting systems in South Africa.

Participants across South Africa participated in the survey and provided insightful
inputs

1. 95.92% of participants indicated that as a homeowner, there is a need to adopt a

more sustainable lifestyle and to green their home environment (for example, water
recycling, sustainable landscaping, energy saving and water conservation).

Reasons for the above:

- Because it is the right thing to do

- Already doing solar heating, better insulation, greywater recycling, food
gardening, recycling
- We have no municipal services and need to provide all of the above ourselves
- Many decisions in environmental consultancy already relate to resource
optimization and minimization
- Water saving and waste management
- It is the way of the future
- It is madness to flush water with clean water. A lot of money are spent monthly
on electricity.
- Believe in sustainability
- Lower cost and better future
- Long term cost effective

Participants in the 4.08% bracket that answered no had the following reasons:

- Too expensive
- Don’t know what to do

2. 81.63% of participants were confident that their companies have a need to adopt
a more sustainable built and operational environment (for example, water
recycling, sustainable landscaping, energy saving, water conservation) with
reasons:

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- Being employed on a Protected area (game Reserve)

- We are totally self-reliant and do all of the above ourselves therefore anything that
makes it easier and more economical is beneficial

- Company is trying to become more sustainable and integrating into jobs for clients

- Energy saving

- Landscape designed depends on yearly grey water

- Our core business is gran/farming and we believe in food security

- Saving money

- Our offices are in a green building

- Rain water is currently collected for gardens

- We are closely linked to the wine industry. These issues are now linked to markets, so
everyone is keen to do

- To be more environmental friendly

- As a university, there is potential to develop innovative solutions for the campus

- Water conservation

The participants in the 18.73% bracket provided the following reasons:

- It is a restaurant

- There is little additional benefit to realize except solar electricity and rainwater
harvesting, but our rainwater goes to our gardens, not the storm water system,
sewerage we will need to get approval from the municipality to get a more
sustainable solution

- They are not green conscious

- Government does not care

- No available technology and finance

- Boss is averse to anything that costs money

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3. A question was asked to participants whether the participants or their companies
already have rainwater harvesting and / or greywater recycling systems:

51% of participants confirmed yes

29% of participants confirmed no

4. A question was sked to participants to identify what the current rain water harvesting
and grey water recycling system challenges currently are:

- Overcoming resistance to initial capital investment required

- Costly installations as well as need for pressure pumps

- Water is still very cheap in South Africa

- Thatched roofs, no guttering on the few zinc roofs at workshops and car parks

- chemicals- had to stop using fabric softener in clothes washing and changed to
biological washing powder. Kitchen wastes can be problematic

- Keeping the tanks clean

- Lack of knowledge to do it conveniently and affordable

- Availability, cost and installation

- Current economic climate

- Housing regulations in estates

- Pricing JoJo tanks, water pump with pipe as a packaged solution is not available

- Lack of necessary technology, finances and the will to undertake such projects

- Not enough water to keep plants alive

- Mind shift from the norm and energy required in implementation

- To split the existing system to collect grey water

- Not enough understandable information available

- Costly complex systems

- Having adequate storage and being able to harvest clean rain water

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- Grey water gets drained back to municipalities so they can’t use for anything else –
although this is recycling too! Rain water purity in cities is also questionable

- Not enough information available and how to implement on a large scale that is still
cost effective

- Service provision

- Too few service providers

- Large enough containers that are out of site and don’t deter away from landscaping
or decrease property values

- Need good quality guttering

- Financial support

- To obtain the necessary permits from the relevant regulatory departments

- Cost for limit season to harvest

- Volume saved

- Chemicals and pollution

- Installing a pump and a tank on elevated platforms

- Practicality

- Maintenance and connection with existing drainage and to sustain pressure

- Insufficient and erratic rainfall

- That not everyone is participating

- Efficiency and hygiene pertaining to the installation of rainwater harvesting tanks

5. A question was asked to participants to elaborate on what they think the current
solutions are to rain water harvesting and grey water recycling and are there any
systems / technology that works:

- Current systems not cost effective if you are connected to the municipal water

- Separate waste water storage with tanks to push water to the garden and to create
a rain water catchment

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- Improve grey water to gardens and small scale rain water harvesting off the few zinc
roofs we have

- Provision at a low price – most are expensive or cobbled together. Need DIY solutions

- Filters and purifiers

- Not familiar with available systems

- Underground tanks

- Incorporate landscaping companies to integrate such systems over the long terms
with repayable contracts

- Reed beds

- Grey water from washing machines and baths to flush toilets

- Need designs

- Irrigation, nutrient cycling through composting of wastes

- Gutters with tanks and shower and bath tanks

- Limited knowledge and awareness

- Need to build capacity

- More people need to harvest rain water but purification strategies need to be
implemented because of air pollution

- DIY projects with affordable materials

- Do not know of feasible solutions

- Wetlands

- Waterless toilets