Backup water systems in South Africa — these are your options
South African households concerned about water supply problems can invest in one of several systems to reduce their reliance on local authorities for getting this precious resource.
While power cuts are front of mind for many South Africans under current conditions, experts have warned that a water crisis is also looming in South Africa.
Although electricity plays an important part in our modern lives, water is a more essential resource, as humans can physically not survive without it.
Several major cities, towns, and regions in South Africa have suffered through severe droughts or water supply problems in the past few years. Prominent examples include Beaufort West, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth.
More recently, large parts of the City of Tshwane were left without water for days, in some cases over a week, following vandalism of power cables at a major feeding reservoir in Ekurhuleni.
This was followed by a cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, with insufficient wastewater treatment capacity as the suspected cause.
Load-shedding has also played its part in straining water systems, as power is required to operate pumps that help transport water to and from the reservoirs.
Aside from concerns about ageing infrastructure and insufficient maintenance work, population growth and climate change could also contribute to future water shortages.
Even without all these exacerbating factors, South Africa is generally considered a water-scarce country.
A recent survey by property company Pam Golding showed that homebuyers are not only increasingly interested in houses with solar and battery backup systems, but also those with some form of self-sufficient water supply.
It found that 18.2% of respondents considered either a borehole or Jojo as main features in a purchasing decision.
Pam Golding chief executive officer Andrew Golding said the findings were a pertinent reminder that water remained an issue in much of the country.
There are three primary systems that can ensure some measure of water independence at your home. They are summarized below, with indicative pricing.
Water storage tank and pump — R3,000 to R40,000+
The first is the cheapest and most viable option for most households, although you will still need to be connected to your municipality’s water supply to fill up.
A water storage tank functions like a battery bank for energy — it simply holds the resource for dispensing when your main supply is unavailable.
These tanks come in all shapes and sizes and can be installed above or underground.
Entry-level stationary water storage tanks from one of South Africa’s most popular brands — Jojo — start with capacities of 260 litres and prices of around R1,000.
That won’t get you very far, however, as it is roughly equal to a South African household’s daily average water consumption.
For between R2,000 and R3,000, there are multiple options with capacities of over 2,000 litres, which can supply your house for over a week.
For maximum capacity, you can go up to 20,000 litres with Jojo, which should last the average household 80 days. That will set you back over R40,000, however.
You will also require a pump to transport the water from the tank and out of your taps. These typically have prices between R1,875 and R7,000.
Eco, JoJo, and RotoTank are some of the popular water storage tank brands in South Africa.
Rainwater harvesting — R2,000 to R35,000
Those living in areas with moderate to high levels of rainfall can supplement their supply with a rainwater harvesting system.
The simplest way to do this is using the gutters on your home’s roof, which can direct large amounts of rainwater through a tube and into a storage tank — like one of those above.
The system includes components like plumbing pipes, mosquito screens, flush diverters and leaf filters (“eaters”) to ensure the water that ends up in the tank is useable.
However, unless treated further, rainwater should be used for non-drinking applications, such as irrigation, flushing toilets, and washing clothes.
That means if you want to have drinkable backup water, you will need to buy two separate tanks.
You must also regularly maintain the system and ensure your roof is clear of branches and chemical accumulations like bird or mouse droppings.
JoJo provides a complete guide for water harvesting on its website, including a list of recommended installers.
The cost of the system will depend on the size of your roof and to which parts of the house you want water to be directed.
Livestainable estimates that a simple tank with a tap can cost between R2,000 and R10,000, while a full system will be priced between R15,000 and R35,000.
Conventional roof gutters can be used to harvest rainwater.
Borehole — R20,000 to R90,000+
The cost and viability of the third and final option— a borehole — depends greatly on the location of your home.
A borehole provides access to natural underground reservoirs that often have enough groundwater to supply homes for decades.
According to the Borehole Water Association of Southern Africa, the average cost of drilling a borehole is R600 to R900 per metre.
Underground reservoirs in South Africa can typically be 30–100m deep, putting the drilling cost anywhere between R18,000 and R90,000.
Other costs include labour, casing, piping, the pump, pumping tests, and water quality testing.
In ideal circumstances, you should not expect to pay less than R20,000, although the cost is more likely to be over R50,000.
However, it is important to note there is no guarantee that you will find groundwater, so you could end up paying a lot for nothing.
Loading ...