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The Monster in your Garden

Nov 102010

We all have one! He lurks under a bush somewhere, only to be looked at once a month (if he is lucky). That dreaded money gobbler that just sits there waiting for you to open a tap or flush a toilet. And the little devil has a new trick – measures the water you use and charges extra on your bill for the amount you put down the drain. Who said monsters are not clever?

But now you have the ideal weapon against that horrible gadget …. WATER RHAPSODY.

Water Rhapsody has so many systems and devices for you to use in retaliation that you will almost love the little fellow.

Garden Rhapsody – Harvest your usable waste water (grey water) and use it to water your garden or even flush your toilets.
Multi-Flush – Install in place of your existing toilet flushing mechanisms and save a huge amount on your water usage.
Poolside Tank – Don’t put that pool backwash water down the drain. Collect it, treat it and return it to your pool. At 500l a time (four backwashes per month is 2000l) and the chemicals you save, it makes sense.
Grand Opus – The “Big Daddy” of all. Harvest your rainwater and use it in your house instead of municipal water. Now that is one for the books.

There are many households in South Africa who have used Water Rhapsody products and systems and each and every one saves on their water bill (and now the sewage levy as well) to a lesser or greater degree. Some have water bills of ZERO Rand.

Now who says monsters are clever? Tame yours and make it your friend.

Original post by http://waterharvest.co.za/2010/11/10/the-monster-in-your-garden/

Rainwater Harvesting - Some Facts

Greywater Harvesting, Water tanks, rainwater harvesting 8 Responses »

Sep 232010

Rainwater harvesting can (a) assure an independent water supply during water restrictions, that is though somewhat dependent on end use and maintenance, (b)usually of acceptable quality for household needs and (c) renewable at acceptable volumes despite forecast climate change (CSIRO, 2003). It produces beneficial externalities by reducing peak stormwater run off and processing costs. RH systems are simple to install and operate. Running costs are negligible, and they provide water at the point of consumption.

Rainwater harvesting can be adopted in cities to supplement the city’s other water supplies, to increase soil moisture levels for urban greenery, to raise the water table through artificial recharge, to mitigate urban flooding and to improve the quality of groundwater. In urban areas of the developed world, at a household level, non-potable uses of harvested rainwater include bathroom (i.e. shower/bath/basin), flushing toilets and washing laundry. Indeed in hard water areas it is superior to municipal water for laundry because of its compatibility with detergents and soaps. Rainwater may require treatment prior to use for drinking, depending on anthropogenic (e.g. vehicle exhaust) and natural (e.g. Coal.) contaminants.

In New Zealand, many houses away from the larger towns and cities routinely rely on rainwater collected from roofs as the only source of water for all household activities. This is almost inevitably the case for many holiday homes.

Rainwater harvesting is particularly relevant in areas such as the Garden Route where relatively good rainfall is experienced during summer and winter but due to the towns growing at a rapid rate the dams cannot cope. Water shortages have become more frequent in many towns and cities around South Africa.

Western Cape and Northern Cape could be the most severely impacted by climate change

Water matters 3 Responses »

Sep 222010

By Nthambeleni Gabara

Pretoria – Water and Environmental Minister Buyelwa Sonjica is concerned about the impact of climate change in the Northern Cape.

“This (climate change) is likely to have an effect on all South Africa’s provinces but it is anticipated that the Western Cape and Northern Cape could be the most severely impacted. In particular, it is predicted that Northern Cape will get hotter and drier in the decades to come,” the minister said at Northern Cape’s Water Indaba on Thursday.

There has been much emphasis internationally on mitigation strategies, but when it comes to the water sector the focus will be more on adaptation and this is something that this Indaba will need to deliberate upon, the minister said.

She said there were a number of projects being considered with respect to solar power and clearly the Northern Cape was uniquely positioned to capitalise on this. At the same time, however, these installations will require water supply so integrated planning is essential.

Increased emphasis on water conservation and demand management is virtually non-negotiable, Sonjica said.

Unfortunately non-revenue water is far too high in many municipalities in the province and this aspect needs to be improved.

Agriculture will need to continue to strive to use water more efficiently and the Working for Water Programme must continue its work and, if possible, be expanded.

On the supply side, the minister said desalination of sea water will certainly need to be considered in some areas.

“Another good technology, particularly for domestic and garden use, is rainwater harvesting and a project to address this has been undertaken in Kareeberg Municipality,” the minister said.

Sonjica also emphasised the importance of cooperative governance in the water sector in the Northern Cape. “In almost all instances, water issues are cross cutting with respect to many other sectors, creating many interdependencies. At the same time however, water resources are recognised as a national competence which means that there is no political representation at provincial level.”

One way of addressing this, she said, was via collaborative structures. “There is a need for a political figurehead at the provincial level. If this is in place then it provides an ideal linkage and partnership arrangement not only with me but also with the Water Affairs’ Regional Office. ”

The “missing piece in the jigsaw” is what one could term a Member of Executive Council (MEC) that will take over the critical linkage and political leadership role for the water sector in the province.

She further encouraged the establishment of a water-specific Inter-governmental Relation (IGR) structure to support the MEC. – BuaNews

The Organic Garden

Green Tips 2 Responses »

Sep 112010

Source:liveeco

Natural Pest Control

A gardener’s worst nightmare is entering the garden and seeing the beloved veggie patch destroyed overnight by an army of invisible pests. If this has happened to you, you’ve probably found it immensely frustrating and somewhat discouraging. Here are some natural, organic and integrated pest management tips.

Continue reading »

Checking for leaks in taps, pipes and dishwasher hoses is an easy way to reduce water wastage.
Remember, one leaking tap can waste more than 2,000 lt a month.
There’s no need to leave the tap running while you brush your teeth. Simply wet your toothbrush before you begin and use a glass of water to rinse your mouth.
The most water efficient methods for cooking vegetables are microwaving, steaming or using a pressure cooker. You can also cut down on water loss by using tight lids on pots and simmering instead of boiling rapidly.
Installing water efficient taps or tap aerators is a great, inexpensive way to cut your water usage without you even noticing.
Put the plug in the sink when washing your hands instead of holding them under running water.
Thaw frozen foods before you need them or use the microwave instead of placing them under running water.
Prevent taps from leaking by turning taps off lightly and replace washers as soon as they begin to leak.
Automatic dishwashers can use up to 40 lt of water per load. By using a dishwasher with at least a 3 star/AAA rating, you can get this figure down to 18 lt per load and still get the kind of sparkling clean dishes you’re used to.
Wait until you have a full load in your dishwasher before using it. This saves water and energy, and reduces the amount of detergent entering the sewerage system.
Keep a container of water in the fridge so that you won’t need to run the water down the sink until it’s cool enough to drink.
Washing fruit and vegetables in a half-filled sink instead of under running water is a great way to cut back on water wastage.
Rinsing your dishes in a plugged sink rather than under a running tap saves water and is just as easy and effective.
Use a sink strainer.
Try to use phosphate-free, eco-friendly detergents and cleaning products. There’s a great range to choose from these days and they’re much better for our environment.
Remember to regularly clean the lint filter on your washing machine.
Most washing machines have a load adjustment button or dial, so try to set this to match the amount of washing you’re doing. If your machine doesn’t have a load adjustment function, try to wait until you have enough washing for a full load.
Installing one of the latest 3 star/AAA rating showerheads can give you a great shower and save you around 10 lt of water a minute. They also save you energy costs, as you’ll use less hot water.
To rinse your razor, run a little water into a plugged sink. Rinsing your razor under a running tap wastes lots of water.
Electric or fuel powered leaf blowers work more efficiently than hosing down paths and driveways.
Pool covers reduce the amount of water you need to keep your pool full and running efficiently.

Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha

The Monster in your Garden

Rainwater Harvesting - Some Facts

Western Cape and Northern Cape could be the most severely impacted by climate change

The Organic Garden

Natural Pest Control

Continue reading »

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Links

The Monster in your Garden

Rainwater Harvesting - Some Facts

Western Cape and Northern Cape could be the most severely impacted by climate change

The Organic Garden

Natural Pest Control

Continue reading »

Categories

Links

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