New water restriction tariffs hit Cape Town: what you need to know

[SauRoNZA]

32 degrees? BS! It was pretty close to 40 today

I actually saw 40 on the bike for a moment.

Rest of the time it was 38-39 which felt no different.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Probably using borehole water though.

"As far as I know it's treated effluent and not fit for human consumption or use. Inspection and report back required."
"As far as i know they have a few boreholes on the property"

Some of the less hysterical and sensationalist tweets and comments................

 

[Geoff.D]

The poor have survived Day Zero for years
News24 Columnists

Meh! Speak for yourselves. I and my crew of 5 would have to survive in the veldt for 14 days on a water supply of 500 gallons. That is about 32 litres per day per person.
There is nothing many of us have to learn about how precious a water supply is.

50 litres would have been paradise!

 

[Zoomzoom]

Pooping liquid could be an alternative to flushing.

This is where the listeriosis outbreak comes in handy.

or dysentery from all the poop backed up in the system

 

[Gordon_R]

Not very clever, Kenilworth Race Course.

https://twitter.com/LivvyRussolillo/status/958024666660200448

Kenilworth Racecourse have boreholes, a wetland, and a nature reserve inside their property, for the last 100 years! These finger pointing excercises are futile, it has nothing to do with potable water. They say more about the small-mindedness of the person posting, than anything constructive.

P.S. I live 2 blocks from the Racecourse, can see the sprinklers from my kitchen window, and since Friday my neighbours upstairs have no potable water due to extreme pressure reduction. I can see both sides of the story very clearly, and have a low tolerance threshold for BS...

 

[The_Mowgs]

Kenilworth Racecourse have boreholes, a wetland, and a nature reserve inside their property, for the last 100 years! These finger pointing excercises are futile, it has nothing to do with potable water. They say more about the small-mindedness of the person posting, than anything constructive.

P.S. I live 2 blocks from the Racecourse, can see the sprinklers from my kitchen window, and since Friday my neighbours upstairs have no potable water due to extreme pressure reduction. I can see both sides of the story very clearly, and have a low tolerance threshold for BS...

Perhaps they should put up Borehole signs like the rest of the people. That way, the less informed will know and probably not act like they do.

 

[Gordon_R]

Latest dashboard is up.
http://resource.capetown.gov.za/doc...ity research reports and review/damlevels.pdf

Thanks! I can't even remember what day of the week it is (all I hear is water, water, water...)

No Day Zero predictions this week? Are they too scared to show that it has changed back to late April? Scared to confuse the public? Massaging the message, controlling the agenda?

Drawdown (including evaporation) during the week to 22 January was about 1850Ml, though this may be a statistical anomaly.

From table (257549 - 244555) = 12994Ml, divided by 7 days per week

Edit: Drawdown (including evaporation) during the week to 29 January was about 1200Ml per day, which confirms that last week was a statistical anomaly.

Edit: From the table (244555 - 236111) = 8444Ml, divided by 7 days per week, or 1200Ml/day.

Edit: Allowing 13.5% reserve, this gives a remaining amount of (236111 - 0.135 X 898221) = 114850Ml.

Edit: Assuming current consumption of 1200Ml/day, this leaves 95 days or 13 weeks of water, a late-April guesttimate.

Edit: Given the huge fluctuations in weekly drawdown, it is impossible to make a definite estimate of the likely Day Zero. However, it is almost certain to be after 12 Apr, as consistently stated by other sources (outside of the City of Cape Town).

 

[Gordon_R]

Perhaps they should put up Borehole signs like the rest of the people. That way, the less informed will know and probably not act like they do.

Kenilworth Racecourse has a perimeter of 5 kilometers. They do have borehole signs posted at various entrances, as per the by-law. It is not feasible to have signs every 20m along the fence. In the meantime ignorant people can take photographs showing their moral superiority.

Our block will be painted next week (scheduled 3 years ago, and funded by a special levy, so the date is non-negotaible). The walls have to be sprayed-jetted to remove loose paint and dirt, using borehole-water (not ours, we do not have a borehole).

This is entirely legal, and the contractor has a water licence from CoCT. We have asked the contractor to have signs printed, stating that they are using borehole water (approximately 7500l) for the entire job. This is to ensure that we do not get the same hysterical reaction from passersby.

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Thanks! I can't even remember what day of the week it is (all I hear is water, water, water...)

No Day Zero predictions this week? Are they too scared to show that it has changed back to late April? Scared to confuse the public? Massaging the message, controlling the agenda?

No update on the dashboard just yet (last updated 22 January): http://coct.co/water-dashboard/?ca_... Dashboard&ca_content=Day Zero Dashboard"

I think the decrease of 0.9% is the lowest we've had during the dry months. Dropped around 1.5% two weeks ago.

 

[StrontiumDog]

For the guys with swimming pools, can you take a 'bath' in them every day so long as you wipe/rinse off the chlorine afterwards?

edit: To rephrase, is a wipe down with wet or damp cloth good enough or is an actual shower needed afterwards?

 

[Zoomzoom]

https://www.facebook.com/Onesmallact1/

One Small Act of Kindness sends 69 tons of water to animal shelters / rescues in Cape Town.

 

[Gordon_R]

https://www.facebook.com/Onesmallact1/

One Small Act of Kindness sends 69 tons of water to animal shelters / rescues in Cape Town.

ATTACH 494331

Sorry, but that amount of plastic is just stupidity IMO. A single Jo-Jo tank would carry as much water, and be re-usable. Those bottles are just going to end up in the trash, since cleaning and refilling them is impractical...

 

[Shi]

Kenilworth Racecourse have boreholes, a wetland, and a nature reserve inside their property, for the last 100 years! These finger pointing excercises are futile, it has nothing to do with potable water. They say more about the small-mindedness of the person posting, than anything constructive.

P.S. I live 2 blocks from the Racecourse, can see the sprinklers from my kitchen window, and since Friday my neighbours upstairs have no potable water due to extreme pressure reduction. I can see both sides of the story very clearly, and have a low tolerance threshold for BS...

Is that pic of Kenilworth Racecourse though as there is a Caltex garage sign and seem to recall there not being a Caltex close by, only BP.

 

[Shi]

Sorry, but that amount of plastic is just stupidity IMO. A single Jo-Jo tank would carry as much water, and be re-usable. Those bottles are just going to end up in the trash, since cleaning and refilling them is impractical...

The plastic containers can be sold/given away as many people (in CT) are looking for containers to fill with water. Places like Mambo's are sold out of those containers.

 

[Spizz]

The plastic containers can be sold/given away as many people (in CT) are looking for containers to fill with water. Places like Mambo's are sold out of those containers.

My wife's pal came to Hermanus yesterday to buy 25lcontainers and fill from the taps, but apparently there are not any sized container to be bought anywhere. Bottled water all sold out too, and that's them looking all the way round to Stanford. Seems like the Capetonians have cleaned us out.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Sorry, but that amount of plastic is just stupidity IMO. A single Jo-Jo tank would carry as much water, and be re-usable. Those bottles are just going to end up in the trash, since cleaning and refilling them is impractical...

when people donate bottles of water you don't scold them and say why didn't you and all the donors put cash for a jojo tank ..... how would you even plan that if it's just random people donating

 

[Geoff.D]

My wife was looking at me funny when I bought 16 x 5 liters on Friday. Tomorrow I'm going to drive around looking for 30 more.
1. I owe it to my kids to provide for them
2. I know how desalinated water tastes and it tastes ***

If you are referring to desalinated water aboard ship then yes it is gastly stuff.

 

[Gordon_R]

Is that pic of Kenilworth Racecourse though as there is a Caltex garage sign and seem to recall there not being a Caltex close by, only BP.

Yes it is Kenilworth Racecourse. I have lived in the area for 30 years, and would not have responded if I thought otherwise.

Kenilworth Racecourse is huge! The full-length of the curved track is 2400m, and there is also a straight track of 1000m long, with the start-line being the area shown in the irrigation photo. The Caltex garage is opposite KC in Doncaster Rd, the BP garage is on the other side in Wetton rd.

Edit: If you really want to confirm the location of a photo, Google Street View is your friend: https://www.google.co.za/maps/@-33....WeQLAXN_cDmaQMYezdFQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
Satellite view: https://www.google.co.za/maps/@-33.9895433,18.486297,2643m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

There is a nice aerial photo of the location on their website, which incidentally shows the central wetland, and the dams for storing borehole water:

http://www.krca.co.za/

Off topic: The block I live in is dead-center in the aerial photo, and from the 6th floor we can see almost the entire area (no foreground obstructions). The natural wetland is nearly full in normal winters: http://www.capetownskies.com/3394/19_frosty_morningc.jpg

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

If you are referring to desalinated water abroad ship then yes it is gastly stuff.

We always regarded desalinated water aboard ship as non-potable. Like it should be....

 

[Zoomzoom]

Sorry, but that amount of plastic is just stupidity IMO. A single Jo-Jo tank would carry as much water, and be re-usable. Those bottles are just going to end up in the trash, since cleaning and refilling them is impractical...

It was donations from the public, as was the transport. And if you object so much, why don't you organise a jo-jo at the animal shelters then so they don't run out of water?