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Drought-struck Eastern Cape – Dam levels dropping alarmingly

Drought-struck Eastern Cape - Dam levels dropping alarmingly

Water is a Threatened Natural Resource

Although our planet is covered in water (70% of the earth’s surface is covered in water). The biggest portion (98%) of the water is in our oceans which makes it unfit for drinking or irrigation because of the salt content. That means only 2% of the world’s water is freshwater, of which some is unobtainable. That leaves only 1% for living! Water is essential for human survival as well as being important to many sectors of the economy. However, water resources are under enormous pressure due to human activity and the groundwater levels are being depleted. People are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that water is a threatened natural resource.

Water Comes From Dams

Eastern Cape dam levels have dropped drastically, high temperatures and hot days are a cause for more concern of water evaporating even faster. Most South African residents get their water from dams, which are currently taking strain due to lower rainfalls. The dams are also far from where the users are, adding to the cost of expensive pipelines, and high maintenance requirements over vast distances at rates that are most certainly not sustainable for the future.

Related Article: Day zero looms for Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown

Green Overall can help you SAVE WATER.

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater is captured in Water Tanks by simply collecting, filtering and storing water every time it rains. This water is stored in water tanks and distributed and repurposed (you could reduce your water consumption by up to 90%). Rainwater harvesting is easy and offers huge advantages. You become more self-sufficient and not totally dependent on remote water resources or your local city for your water. It also offers enormous environmental benefits.

Greywater Harvesting

Greywater (almost 60% of your household water) is water from your bathroom sinks, showers and washing machines that are repurposed for irrigation (washing cars and driveways, watering lawns and gardens). This is your first option for saving water because most households will generate between 2000 and 5000 litres of grey water every week! Also, greywater is generated right throughout the year as opposed to rainwater that is more seasonal.