Governments across the underdeveloped regions of the world are already facing the threat of water wars. We believe 2012 will be the year the world starts looking for solutions to its aqua problems.

Water will be one of the defining issues of the next half century. It’s a critical issue and this realisation will start from 2012.

There are a number of reasons why water will be so critical. Let’s start from Southeast Asia and go all the way to Africa. Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos; then there’s China, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey; then we go south to Israel, Palestine, Egypt and all the way to Tanzania. It’s a mega arc of hydro insecurity.

If water supply drops by 5% in 20-25 years in China and India, food production here will also drop, while demand would have gone up substantially. Already there are food crises. The world noticed that in 2008 when prices went up for the first time. Right now, India and China are not in the market in a big way. In another 25 years you have a possibility of these countries entering the food market as buyers. This will wreak huge havoc. This won’t take place 25 years from now; it’ll start in the next two years as people start noticing these trends. Speculation in commodities will increase substantially.

Water is already emerging as a global issue in the security debate, not in the global economic or food debate. The initial response is short sighted.

They are constantly engaged in negotiating allocation of respective shares, which actually leads to conflicts between upper and lower riparian countries. You have tensions between Turkey and Syria, Iraq; Israel-Palestine; Egypt-Ethiopia. There’s now tension between Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos as well.

Water is a resource that we cannot do without; its value politically and financially is likely to skyrocket in the coming years. The importance of becoming water self-sufficient, at least in times of water shortages, is self-evident.  Rainwater tanks and water storage tanks are a means for the average person to acquire a degree of water security and should be part of every household.

The city of Cape Town’s water saving campaign encourages residents to consciously save water every day.

During summer the demand for water soars along with the high temperatures, and everyone needs to be aware of what a precious resource water is, and how to use it sparingly. 

On 30 November 2011, Executive Mayor Alderman Patricia de Lille launched the City’s water saving campaign “Keep Saving Water” at Prince George Primary School in Lavender Hill.

During the morning, to announce the campaign with a bang and remind the public that saving water is a seven-day-a-week responsibility, the South African Navy fired a seven-cannon salute, much to the children’s delight. 

At the launch of the campaign the Mayor said,

“We must look beyond the water we can see coming from our taps and think of the whole of society. If we waste water, someone will go without. And if we waste too much water, Cape Town will go without in the future. But we can take measures to ensure the future of our water supply. We can take measures to live sustainably. I appeal to everyone in Cape Town to monitor their water usage; to save water; and to prevent waste. Businesses, industries and the corporate world must also play their part. We ask all sectors of the economy to join us in this pledge and save water.”



In people’s homes, the three highest water-use areas are the garden, toilet flushing and bathing. It makes sense to save water at every opportunity and to make a concerted effort to sustain these savings. Try these water saving tips for the home to make a major impact:
• Don’t brush teeth or wash hands, dishes and plates under a running tap. Close the tap, use a plug and catch the waste water for re-use. (Closing the tap when cleaning teeth saves up to 20 litres per month!)
• Try to wash dishes only once or twice a day
• Rinse glasses, cutlery and vegetables in a basin of water, rather than under a running tap
• Regularly inspect taps for drips and repair defective taps. A dripping tap (1 drip per second) could waste up to 30 litres a day (that is equivalent to 10 000 litres a year!)
• Replace tap washers regularly and fit tap aerators to restrict and spread the flow. This saves water yet gives the impression you are using the same amount.
• Regularly inspect toilet-flushing mechanisms for water tightness, internal overflowing and repair defects promptly. A toilet leak can waste up to 30 litres an hour – check if your toilet is leaking by adding a few drops of food dye to the cistern – if the colour seeps into the bowl, you have a leak
• Don’t flush a toilet unnecessarily. Installing a water-saving device in the toilet cistern could save you up to 7 300 litres each year
• Re-use shower, bath and dish water on your garden as often as possible
• Take a three minute shower using a water-wise shower nozzle and turn off the taps when soaping. You can also save the water normally wasted waiting for the hot water to come through by catching this in a bucket to be recycled (in toilet, garden etc.) afterwards.
• Don’t run a deep bath. Share bath water and then re-use it to flush the toilet or water the garden. (A bath uses an average of 160 litres, whereas a three minute shower uses 60 litres!)
• Only use your washing machine and dishwasher on full load
• Regularly inspect for geyser overflows and repair defects promptly
• Ensure your plumbing system is regularly checked for leaks and engage a plumber when necessary
Water saving tips for the garden:
• Water your garden before 10:00 or after 16:00, and only when necessary
• Re-use your bath and sink water to water plants and lawns – professional grey-water recycling systems are also available for purchase
• Mulching flowerbeds keeps down the weeds and holds moisture in the soil for longer.
• Where possible use a mulching lawn mower. This allows clippings to be finely cut and blown back into the lawn
• Don’t cut lawns below 4 cm in length, as this reduces root depth and lawns are more likely to burn in summer
• Use an automatic shut-off nozzle on the hose when you wash the car, and use short bursts of water – this can save up to 300 litres each time
• Use a trigger nozzle on the hose when you water the garden
• Check and maintain your irrigation system regularly, to ensure no water is running to waste, or that paved areas are being watered
• Watering the garden less frequently, but deeper (for longer) encourages a deeper root system, which results in stronger plants. This practice can make water-wise plants out of most established plants
Water saving tips for the industrial and commercial sectors, and schools:
• Automatic flushing urinals are the ultimate water wasters. If they cannot be replaced immediately, turn off the water after hours and over weekends – schools doing this have saved up to R5 000 on their annual water bill
• Use a broom to sweep forecourts and other paved areas. Do not use a hose pipe for this purpose.
• Flush valves should flush for just 2 to 4 seconds and urinals for ± 6 to 8 seconds

Source: www.nedbankgreen.co.za (Martin Pollack)

Water-saving efforts should be encouraged in every town and city in South Africa and the rest of the world.  Rainwater harvesting is also an option; rainwater systems can range from a simple pipe leading from gutters to a plastic water tank to advanced rainwater systems that integrate with your existing supply.  Water tanks are also useful for storing a reserve tank of water (municipal or borehole water) in case of water supply interruptions.

JoJo Tanks (South Africa) offer a wide range of water tanks to suit every household, business or agricultural need.  See JoJo Tanks’ SMALL VERTICAL TANKS, LARGE VERTICAL TANKS, HORIZONTAL TANKS and LOW PROFILE TANKS as well as STEEL TANK STANDS.

We are authorised JoJo Tanks dealers in South Africa.  Contact us for a quote on the right water tank for you.  Special discounts are available on multiple orders and to our commercial and government customers.

Installed above or below ground?

When planning the installation of a rainwater tank or any tank for water storage, it is important to consider where it can be located on your property. In many cases water tanks are installed above ground, especially when the water tank is being installed alongside an existing dwelling. However installing the water tank underground can be a good space saving solution.

Water Tank materials – selection criteria

When determining the type of water tank to install, consider:

• What ground surface preparation is required
• Whether the vessel can be installed above or below ground
• How easily the material is to repair
• What manufacturer guarantee is available

An overview of types of water tanks available

Concrete water tanks

Suitability

An ideal in-ground solution. Feature load bearing tank lids, so they can be installed under garages or driveways.
Site Preparation : Compacted cracker dust or compacted sand, stabilised around the edge
In Ground : Yes
Guarantee : Ask your supplier for a written one prior to purchase
Repairable : Difficult to repair cracks if they occur. Consult the manufacturer

Metal/Steel water tanks

Suitability

Extremely strong water tanks with polyethylene tank linings to prevent corrosion and ensure water quality.
Site Preparation : A concrete base is required or an approved tank stand
In Ground : No
Guarantee : Ask your supplier for a written guarantee for both the material & the workmanship.
Repairable : Yes, seams can be resealed by the manufacturer.

Poly/Plastic water tanks

Suitability

Popular due to its lightweight material which makes for easy site preparation and installation. Poly water tanks are now the most common for household use and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours.
Site Preparation : A base of cracker dust or sand
In Ground : Yes, consult the manufacturer
Guarantee : Ask for the manufacturers guarantee
Repairable : Yes, consult the manufacturer

Fibreglass water tanks

Suitability

Corrosion resistant and sturdy, fibreglass water tanks are a relatively expensive but long-lasting option.

Site Preparation : Compacted cracker dust or compacted cement stabilised sand or concrete pad
In Ground : Consult the manufacturer
Guarantee : Ask your supplier for a written one prior to purchase
Repairable : Yes, consult the manufacturer.

Bladders & other new innovations

New space saving bladders and modular storage systems have been developed in recent years. These water storage vessels provide wonderful solutions, particularly for urban areas.

Suitability

Space saving option. An ideal for under house or under verandah water storage.
Site Preparation : Compacted cracker dust or compacted cement stabilised sand or concrete pad. The area must be clear of rocks, tiles and other debris. Smooth the ground, leaving a slight fall towards the outlet end of the Sac.
In Ground : Consult the manufacturer
Guarantee : Ask your supplier for a written one prior to purchase
Repairable : Yes, consult the manufacturer.

Choosing the size of your water tank

Factors to consider Things you need to consider when determining the size of your water tank or storage vessel include:
1. Rainfall – how much rainfall you get in your area,
2. Roof area - how large the catchment surface is,
3. Water usage – what you intend to use rainwater for, and how much you expect to use,
4. Site characteristics - how much space you have, and the location you intend to install the water tank or storage vessel.

Calculating the appropriate size

Use the following formula:
Roof Area  X  Annual Rainfall  =  Maximum Available for Capture

Then determine:
Most Days without Rain  X  Average Daily Water Use  = Storage Volume Required on Day One of a Dry Spell

If for example, the most days without rain was 40 days, and the average daily usage was 400L, the volume on hand on Day One of 40 days would have to be 16,000L.

It is very difficult to predict the required volume, because often a dry period will start when the water tank is not full. However, this method provides a guideline, and you can add a safety factor on top of this requirement.

When calculating how big the storage capacity should be, plan the water tank area so that extra storage can be added later if required.

Location for the water tank

It is important to consider the space you have available, whether the vessel is to be installed above or below ground, below the roof-line or above it (eg. on a sloping site), whether you will have one or more water tanks – connected or installed as separate systems, and what ground surface preparation is required.

Source: Excerpts from Rain Harvesting

JoJo Tanks (South Africa) offer a wide range of water tanks to suit every household, business or agricultural need.  See JoJo Tanks’ SMALL VERTICAL TANKS, LARGE VERTICAL TANKS, HORIZONTAL TANKS and LOW PROFILE TANKS as well as STEEL TANK STANDS.

We are authorised JoJo Tanks dealers in South Africa.  Contact us for a quote on the right water tank for you.  Special discounts are available on multiple orders and to our commercial customers.  We will try beat any written quotation!

]]> http://www.rainharvest.co.za/2011/10/how-to-choose-a-water-tank-2/feed/ 0 http://www.rainharvest.co.za/2011/10/emergency-sources-of-water/ http://www.rainharvest.co.za/2011/10/emergency-sources-of-water/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:50:09 +0000 admin http://www.rainharvest.co.za/?p=9358 Tweet

In an emergency, if you have not previously stored water and commercial or public sources of water are not available, drain water from your plumbing system. Unless you are advised that the public water supply has been contaminated and is not safe, open the drain valve at the bottom of the water heater and salvage the water stored in the heater. A typical water heater holds 30-60 gallons of water. Discard the first few gallons if they contain rust or sediment. Let the water heater cool before draining it from the heater so it does not scald you. Turn off the electricity or gas to the water heater to prevent the heater from operating without water. Once water has been drained into clean, sanitized containers, add 5-7 drops of chlorine bleach* per gallon of water, and stir or shake the solution to mix it. Let it set 30 minutes before use.

Emergency Outdoor Water Sources

If you need to find water outside your home, you can use these sources. Be sure to treat the water first. Additional sources include:

Rainwater, streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water, ponds and lakes, natural springs.  Avoid water with floating material, an odor or dark color. Use saltwater only if you distill it first. You should not drink flood water.

Hidden Water Sources in Your Home

If a disaster catches you without a stored supply of clean water, you can use the water in your hot-water tank, pipes and ice cubes. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl).

Do you know the location of your incoming water valve? You’ll need to shut it off to stop contaminated water from entering your home if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines.

To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the faucet in your house at the highest level. A small amount of water will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest faucet in the house.

To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot-water faucet. Do not turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.

Using Swimming Pool Water

You should always view your pool as “backup” water; keep the water treated; you never know when it will be needed! The maintenance of the free chlorine residual will prevent establishment of any microorganisms. The maintenance level should be kept about 3-5ppm free chlorine.  If other stored water stocks are not available, remove the necessary pool water and boil it or just treat with chlorine to the normal 5ppm. It is best to err on the side of caution.

Covering the pool at all times when not in use is a very good idea. Try to keep the cover clean and wash the area you put it on when removing it from the pool.

When and How to Treat Water for Storage

In an emergency, if you do not have water that you know is safe, it’s possible to purify water for drinking. Start with the cleanest water you can find and treat with one of the following methods:

• Boiling and chlorinating: Water can be purified by boiling. Boiling times may vary from state to state, depending on altitude. In Colorado, the water is safe to use once after it has been boiled for three to five minutes and has cooled. If you plan to store boiled water, pour it into clean, sanitized containers and let it cool to room temperature. Then add 5-7 drops, or 1/8 teaspoon, of chlorine bleach* per gallon of water (1/2 teaspoon per 5 gallons). Stir or shake the solution to mix it. Cap the containers and store them in a cool, dry place.
• Filtering and chlorinating: You can filter water if you have a commercial or backpack filter that filters to 1 micron. These are available in sporting good stores and are recommended for use when back-packing. They are not recommended to clean large volumes of water. Filtering eliminates parasites such as giardia and cryptosporidium, but it may not eliminate all bacteria and viruses. Therefore, it’s recommended that 5-7 drops (1/8 teaspoon) of chlorine bleach* be added per gallon of filtered water (1/2 teaspoon for 5 gallons). Stir or shake the solution to mix it. Wait 30 minutes before using the water, or cap the containers and store them in a cool, dry place.

*Use liquid household bleach that contains 5.25 percent hypochlorite. Do not use bleaches with fresheners or scents as they may not be safe to consume. The above treatment methods use a two-step approach so less bleach is needed, yet giardia and cryptosporidium are destroyed through boiling or eliminated by filtering. Chlorine may not be effective against these parasites. Since adding too much chlorine to water can be harmful, it’s important to be as accurate as possible when measuring.

• Distillation Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.

Most water filtration devices are designed for use on microbiologically safe water. Don’t assume they are safe to use on contaminated water. Check with the manufacturer to be sure.

Use the following guidelines to determine if filtration equipment is adequate to use with microbiologically contaminated water:

Equipment that is safe to use on contaminated water is often slow, costly, inconvenient and/or high maintenance. It makes the most sense to use the filtration equipment that best meets your normal daily needs and shift to water storage or alternative methods of water treatment in times of emergencies.

Source: The National Terror Alert

The best scenario in emergency situations is to have clean drinking water stored on your property.  This water can be from a number of sources, including rainwater (filter first), broehole water or municipal water.  Plastic water storage tanks are the most cost-effective way of storing enough water to last you weeks or even months and serve as back-up in the case of water supply cuts.

Also see Emergency Water Storage: Important to consider in today’s world.

JoJo Tanks (South Africa) offer a wide range of water tanks to suit every household, business or agricultural need.  See JoJo Tanks’ SMALL VERTICAL TANKS, LARGE VERTICAL TANKS, HORIZONTAL TANKS and LOW PROFILE TANKS as well as STEEL TANK STANDS. 

We are authorised JoJo Tanks dealers in South Africa.  Contact us for a quote on the right water tank for you.  Special discounts are available on multiple orders and to our commercial customers.

It’s official: For the first time in human history, more people are living in cities than rural areas — a trend that’s certain to accelerate. But with most freshwater systems already stressed, how will the world’s cities be able to supply water — and water that’s clean — to a projected 1.5 billion new residents over the course of the next 20 years?

That’s one of the questions Nature Conservancy scientist Rob McDonald set out to answer in a new study published in Ambio: A Journal of the Human Environment. For the study, McDonald and his co-authors developed a geography of urban water supplies according to three major constraints: water availability, water quality, and water delivery:

• They calculated that water availability may be an issue for more than 500 million people worldwide living in arid areas of the world of the world likely to face water shortages, like the western United States, Australia, coastal Peru and Chile, North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia. 
• Poor water quality may be an issue for 890 million people, particularly in cities concentrated in major river basins like India’s Ganges and China’s Yellow River.
• Finally, a whopping 1.3 billion people may be living by 2030 in cities with water delivery problems, particularly in fast-growing cities that lack resources and infrastructure.

So what’s the solution? McDonald and his co-authors note that the most common response to these challenges is to tap groundwater, a generally unsustainable approach.

Other strategies include long-distance water transport, reservoir systems, rainwater harvesting, and purchase from private water sellers.

But there are strategies to use existing supplies more wisely, says McDonald, like using treated waste water, replacing old water intrastructure, and converting agriculture to less water-intensive use.

“The world is basically adding a city the size of Washington, D.C. to the planet every week,” says McDonald. “So that’s the real challenge if you’re an urban planner and trying to get water to your citizens.”

Source: The Nature Conservancy (Julia Kumari Drapkin)

These predictions are a good incentive for urban dwellers to start becoming more water self-sufficient.  If rainwater harvesting or greywater recycling do not suit your situation, a simple form of ‘water insurance’ is to store water in water tanks.  JoJo Tanks have a wide range of water tanks available, including special types that are suitable for small properties and buildings – Water Rhapsody Mpumalanga is an official JoJo Tanks dealer – contact us for all your water tank and water conservation requirements.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems and Yes Solar Mpumalanga offer eco-friendly rainwater collection systems, rainwater tanks, grey water recycling, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flush mechanisms and high quality Solsquare solar water geysers.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water heater, rainwater harvesting system (see rainwater FAQ), gray water recycling system or water tank (we are authorized South African JoJo Water Tanks dealers and supply the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands).  Our water tank prices are hard to beat in the Mpumalanga & Limpopo Lowveld.

Water conservation and renewable energy such as solar energy are two issues that affect the global community; make a difference and start conserving water and switch to renewable energy today.  Another way of reducing your carbon footprint is to switch to green insurance, now available in South Africa.  Consider building and decorating with eco-friendly bamboo products.

South Africa’s Department of Water Affairs has launched a new web-based tool where the public can view their municipality’s water score card (example below)

MY WATER

Welcome to my water search page. Find out the Drinking Water Quality in your area. Enter a town and/or suburb and/or street and click GO! Excellent Acceptable Need Attention Urgent Intervention Required No Data Received Microbiological Compliance Chemical Compliance Compliance are calculated  over the last 3 months from data received (Please enter a location name i.e Wonderboom Tshwane)

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE MY WATER PAGE.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems has incorporated Yes Solar Mpumalanga so that we can offer solar water heating systems to further reduce your environmental impact (water and energy are linked).  Yes Solar is a distributor for  high quality solar energy systems that are competitively priced.  Our solar geysers are SABS- and Eskom-approved and are fitted by qualified, Eskom-accredited solar installers.   Now is the time to install a solar geyser while the Eskom rebates last (this money will run out eventually) and before the looming energy crisis arrives.  Solar water geysers can reduce household electricity costs by up to 50%.

Water Rhapsody’s WWF AWARD-winning water conservation systems (product demo) include rainwater harvesting systems, grey water recycling systems, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flushing mechanisms and rainwater tanks (we are authorized JoJo Tanks & Atlas Plastics water tank dealers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo- best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).

Our water and solar systems will save the environment while you save money on water and electricity bills; get free water and free water heating!

Contact us for a free quote on a solar geyser, water system, rain water tank or water tank.  Building or renovating?  Consider using eco-friendly building materials such as bamboo.

Water is amazing. It occupies about 2/3rds of the Earth’s surface. It is the basis of life in many ways. It interacts with the atmosphere as a major cleanser of sorts. So how does it do it? Some water molecules split the difference between gas and liquid, a study in Nature shows. Air and water meet over most of the earth’s surface, but exactly where one ends and the other begins turns out to be a surprisingly subtle question. A new study in Nature narrows the boundary to just one quarter of water molecules in the uppermost layer — those that happen to have one hydrogen atom in water and the other vibrating freely above.

Some water molecules straddle the gas and liquid interphase, according to senior author and USC Dornsife Associate Professor of Chemistry Alexander Benderskii, who said the free hydrogen behaves like an atom in gas phase, while its twin below acts much like the other atoms that make up the bulk of the water.

The finding matters for theoretical reasons and for practical studies of reactions at the water’s surface, including the processes that maintain a vital supply of nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. With this new concept how water interacts with the air may be better defined.

“A lot of chemical reactions that are responsible for our atmospheric balance, as well as many processes important in environmental chemistry, happen at the air-water interface.” Benderskii said.

He added that the study provided a new way for chemists and biologists to study other interfaces, such as the boundary between water and biomembranes that marks the edge of every living cell.

In their study, Benderskii and his colleagues used techniques they invented to test the strength of hydrogen bonds linking water molecules (from the hydrogen of one molecule to the oxygen of another). These are the bonds that keep water a liquid at room temperature.

Specifically, the researchers inferred the bond strength by measuring the hydrogen-oxygen vibration frequency. The bond gets stronger as the frequency decreases, similar to the pull one feels when slowing down a child on a swing.

The researchers focused on the straddling molecules with only one hydrogen atom in water. Compared to other bonds deeper in water, “the hydrogen bond is surprisingly only slightly weaker,” according to Benderskii.  Likewise, the bond for the hydrogen atom sticking out of the water is similar in strength to bonds in the gas phase.

The researchers concluded that the change between air and water phases happens in the space of a single water molecule.

While the transition happens in the uppermost layer of water molecules, the molecules involved change constantly. Even when they rise to the top layer, molecules for the most part are wholly submerged, spending only a quarter of their time straddling air and water.

If the straddling molecules constitute the boundary, it would be analogous to a wood fence where there are openings which are constantly and rapidly changing. With the hydrogen atom sticking up this is a series of bumps on the fence that are higher than the average fence height.

What all of this means is to be determined. However, it allows for the potential of new boundary interrelationships and an understanding of how it works.

Source: Environmental News Network (Andy Soos)

Also see Exploring the properties of water and Freshwater 101.

If you live in South Africa and need environmentally friendly water conservation and solar energy solutions, contact us for a free quote.  Our WWF award winning water systems include, rainwater harvesting systems, grey water irrigation systems, grey water recycling systems, swimming pool backwash recycling systems, toilet flush mechanisms and other water-saving devices (see product demo).

We are also authorized South African JoJo Water Tanks dealers and offer the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands. Yes Solar offers high quality solar water heaters to reduce your electricity bills by up to 40%.  Offset your carbon footprint by switching to green insurance cover, now available in South Africa! Build green and use eco-friendly, sustainable bamboo products.

“I’m well on my way to a much healthier me, thanks to all the information in Natural Medicine.  I was taking my supplements with two glasses of water this morning and wondered: is the water I drink healthy?  I need some advice- can I use tap water?  A friend suggested that buying a water filter will be more cost effective than bottled water in the long run.” Lucia

Natural Medicine Editor replies: Tap water can be likened to a chemical soup.  Among the pollutants are soap, oil, sulphuric acid, copper, arsenic, lead, paint, pesticides, radioactive wastes, agricultural fertilizers and industrial chemicals.  Municipal water is chlorinated after initial purification to remove harmful bacteria.  All the large cities and towns in South Africa are required to meet purity levels specified by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).

There is considerable concern about the dangers of chlorine.  Chlorine reacts with organic substances in the water to form trihalomethanes (THMs) such as chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, some of which are known carcinogens.

A study by the US National Cancer Institute found that drinking chlorinated water may double the risk of bladder cancer.

In contrast, Water Board officials state that the maximum permissible levels of chlorine and other chemicals are so low that the dangers to the consumer are negligible.  They also remind us that chlorination is currently the only affordable and realistic means of mass purification.

Apart from chlorine, other chemicals are also added to the water, for example tiny quantities of aluminium to improve clarity.  You could also be drinking minute amounts of cadmium, mercury and lead.  What our bodies cannot use or eliminate will be stored.  Of particular importance is the question of synergism.  It is well known that mixing chemicals may lead to effects much greater that the sum of individual concentrations.  This serious consideration is generally not taken into account.

Unfortunately the consumer has no control over the journey of bottled water from the bottling plant to the point of consumption.  This journey can be over long distances, and it can take weeks, months and even years.  Over this time water may be subjected to extremes of temperature.

Unlike tap water supplies, bottlers need not disclose known contaminates in their products to consumers.

Bottled water is sold as mineral, spring or distilled, or just plain tap water that has gone through additional filtration.  This process often seems to negate the original concept that brings us back to the questions of what is an acceptable level of purification treatment and what treatment does to the quality of water.  Adding to the confusion are flavoured waters containing sugar, and in many instances preservatives and additives.  Another factor to consider is the container.  It is now widely accepted that under certain conditions unhealthy chemicals can leach from plastics and packaging into the water.

An option in the quest for cleaner water is filtration.  There are numerous brands on the market, including jug filters, filters that are put on taps, shower filters, filters built into the water supply.  Solid-block carbon filters are simplest, although they do not remove bacteria or viruses.  They are much more effective in removing chemicals such as solvents and THMs than the activated carbon filters, which use granulated or powdered carbon.  Regular rinsing and frequent changing are required, as bacteria multiply in the carbon bed.  De-ionisation uses ceramic filters with cation and anion resins to remove ions with a positive and negative charge.

Distillation is one of the oldest methods of cleaning water.  Water is boiled, and the steam trapped and condensed back into water.  In theory the impurities stay behind in the boiling chamber, leaving pure water.  Distillation combined with carbon filtration will kill and remove virtually 100% of bacteria, viruses and cysts, and will also remove heavy metals, minerals, radionuclides and particulates.  Reverse osmosis water filters work by forcing water through semi-permeable membranes that allow water to pass while rejecting most of the contaminants.  These filters are effective in reducing heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic and reducing nitrates, herbicides and pesticides; they can even be effective against bacteria and viruses.

Good drinking water should contain minerals.  De-ionisation, reverse osmosis and distillation work too well here, so one should ideally add selected trace minerals and nutrients back into the water after purification.  The functions of minerals are hugely interrelated to each other and to vitamins, hormones and enzymes.  As a rough guideline good drinking water should contain trace amounts of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, sulphate, chloride, nitrate, fluoride and iron, and as many trace elements as possible.

Choose your water filter carefully.  Few filters can reduce sodium levels, and some filters actually increase the levels of sodium and zinc above the recommended limit.  Add minerals to your purified water through supplementation.

Source: Natural Medicine February 2011 Issue 68

In addition to the above article, to obtain a complete understanding of water filtration read Water Filters: What You Should Know and Water Filter Types: Choose the right one.  There is a good case for harvesting rainwater from your roof and filtering it for drinking (rainwater is pure if collected from your rooftop, it should be filtered to remove possible contaminants from the roof and gutters).  This way, you know where the water comes from and you have complete control of how it is purified.  Chlorine is on of the most cost-effective ways of eliminating dangerous bacteria and micro-organisms (this is why municipalities use it to treat bulk water supplies), but that doesn’t mean it is healthy.  If you are using municipal water, install water filtration systems to remove the chlorine.  Chlorine also can create havoc in the environment, especially aquatic ecosystems; see Don’t Let Your Swimming Pool Backwash Water Damage the Environment.

Water is so important to life and drinking good quality water is critical to good health.  Visit Ecovitality for more eco-health advice and to order premium supplements made by Sevenpointfive.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems and Yes Solar Mpumalanga offer eco-friendly rainwater collection systems, rainwater tanks, grey water recycling, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flush mechanisms and high quality Solsquare solar water geysers.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water heater, rainwater harvesting system (see rainwater FAQ), gray water recycling system or water tank (we are authorized South African JoJo Water Tanks dealers and supply the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands).  Our water tank prices are hard to beat in the Mpumalanga & Limpopo Lowveld.

Water conservation and renewable energy such as solar energy are two issues that affect the global community; make a difference and start conserving water and switch to renewable energy today.  Another way of reducing your carbon footprint is to switch to green insurance, now available in South Africa.

Earthlife Africa and anti-fracking activists are calling for a National Boycott of Shell. This countrywide boycott will start on Tuesday, 17 May and last until the Government bans all fracking or Shell withdraws its application to frack for shale gas in the Karoo. This urgent and important action will start from 17 May 2011 and continue until the danger of fracking in this country is halted.

Plans by oil companies to explore for fossil gas in large parts of the Karoo have begun a firestorm of protest, which is now escalating into a call for a total boycott of Shell.

Tens of thousands of square kilometres of the ecologically fragile, water-scarce Karoo are under threat from being devastated by a dirty, water- and energy intensive gas exploration technique called hydraulic fracturing or fracking. Several oil and gas companies, most prominently Royal Dutch Shell, are in the process of exploring this unique and beautiful region of South Africa for underground layers of so-called gas shale. If they are successful, we can soon expect to see thousands of gas drilling rigs dotting the pristine Karoo landscape with potentially devastating social, economic and environmental impacts on our people and their livelihoods.

37th driest country in the world

As the 37th driest country in the world, with the Karoo being the driest part of the country, this threat is magnified locally, especially given that as much as 20 million litres per well at a time are used, after being mixed with a toxic cocktail of chemicals.

Earthlife Africa is calling for a nationwide boycott of all Shell service stations and all Shell products, from Tuesday 17th May – which coincides with Royal Dutch Shell’s AGM in the Netherlands, and is also, co-incidentally, the United Nation’s World Information Society Day – to show their displeasure at plans to “frack” large parts of our country.

“We ask people to go to their nearest Shell garage, NOT fill up, but ask to speak to the manager and say that they have nothing against the manager personally, but the company is carrying out plans that have potentially horrendous impacts on people and especially scarce water in our country,” said Andreas Spath, Earthlife’s Anti-fracking co-ordinator.

Gasses contribute hugely to climate change

Shell, the South African government and the natural gas industry portray shale gas as a climate-friendly, low-carbon energy source. In reality, however, preliminary studies have shown that if the entire carbon footprint, including methane (a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2) escaping from fracking wells in substantial quantities, is taken into account, natural gas from this source contributes to climate change in a magnitude similar to oil and coal.

“Shell’s record in Africa should be cause for alarm”, said the Reverend Barry Wuganaale, of the Ogoni Solidarity Forum. “Not only for widespread and continuing environmental harm, but they have also acknowledged being complicit in the murder of activists opposing them in Nigeria. They cannot be trusted.”

“The relevance of World Information Society Day is clear, given the disinformation and misinformation spread by Shell through their adverts, and flyers that avoid mentioning impacts being handed out at their garages,” said Earthlife Branch Co-ordinator, Muna Lakhani. “The most recent and shocking scientific international reports, confirm that high levels of methane are found in drinking water at locations close to fracking operations, and in some cases, enough to set tap water alight!”
The organisation is calling upon Government to extend the recently announced moratorium on fracking to a permanent ban, and for Shell to end all fracking and related activities immediately.

Issued by Earthlife Africa Cape Town
Contact: Muna Lakhani 083-471-7276

Source: Green Times

For an easy to understand, 2-minute video about what fracking is all about, click here.  If we all boycott Shell in South Africa (and worldwide for that matter), they will get the message. These oil companies are all about money- reduced fuel sales via boycotting them is what they’ll understand best.  Read Getting Fracked.

If you live in South Africa and need environmentally friendly water conservation and solar energy solutions, contact us for a free quote.  Our WWF award winning water systems include, rainwater harvesting systems, grey water irrigation systems, grey water recycling systems, swimming pool backwash recycling systems, toilet flush mechanisms and other water-saving devices (see product demo).

We are also authorized South African JoJo Water Tanks dealers and offer the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands. Yes Solar offers high quality solar water heaters to reduce your electricity bills by up to 40%.  Offset your carbon footprint by switching to green insurance cover, now available in South Africa!

How much water is contained in one beer?

According to a new a report, quite a lot actually.  Every litre of beer enjoyed by thirsty South Africans takes about 155l to make, according to a report published by SABMiller in association with The World Wildlife Fund (WWF).  More than 98% of the water used is associated with crop cultivation, both local and imported.

The report, Water footprinting: Identifying and addressing water risks in the value chain, evaluated the water footprints – a way of understanding water use through the whole value chain – of the major brewer’s beers produced in South Africa and the Czech Republic.  This is reportedly the first ever corporate water footprint study to be undertaken.  The report shows that SABMiller’s South African beer brands such as Castle and Black Label, require more water than their Czech counterparts, mainly due to a greater reliance on irrigation in South Africa and the proportion and origin of imported crops.

In comparison with other beverages, beer’s water footprint is relatively small, with a recent Pacific Institute study finding that coffee, wine and apple juice all have water footprints more than three times that of beer.

However, the water footprint itself does not give the whole picture.  More important is the context – where the water is used, what proportion of the area’s total water resource it represents, and whether water scarcity creates risks to the environment, communities and businesses now and in the future.

“The water footprints of SABMiller’s beers in South Africa and the Czech Republic are the first detailed corporate water footprints to be published and are progressive in the way they examine the impact of water use in these countries,” reported Stuart Orr, WWF’s freshwater footprint manager.  “Most important is that this information is now used to ensure that their business partners – particularly farmers – are encouraged to use water more efficiently.”

In South Africa, SAB Ltd is working with barley farmers to improve irrigation and yields, and with WWF the company is now considering how to develop this further to protect the watersheds within which it operates.

Source: The Water Wheel Volume 8 No 6

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems and Yes Solar Mpumalanga offer eco-friendly rainwater collection systems, rainwater tanks, grey water recycling, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flush mechanisms and high quality Solsquare solar water geysers.

Contact us for a FREE QUOTE on a solar water heater, rainwater harvesting system (see rainwater FAQ), gray water recycling system or water tank (we are authorized South African JoJo Water Tanks dealers and supply the full range of JoJo water tanks and JoJo tank stands).  Our water tank prices are hard to beat in the Mpumalanga & Limpopo Lowveld.

Water conservation and renewable energy such as solar energy are two issues that affect the global community; make a difference and start conserving water and switch to renewable energy today.  Another way of reducing your carbon footprint is to switch to green insurance, now available in South Africa.