IDEAS21

Water is our most precious resource. The average human being cannot survive without it for more than a few days without perishing. In many places in the world, fresh water is becoming dangerously scarce at an accelerating rate, due to a combination of factors including population growth, climate change and pollution.

 When my wife and I were searching for a rural property to buy in the Western Cape, a clean, perennial supply of water was our top priority. Thus we confined our search to the southern side of the Langeberg mountain range, as this area - according to the statistics - had amongst the highest average rainfall (600-800 mm per annum) in the province, and indeed in the country.

The farm we eventually bought has a perennial stream flowing through it, providing potable water that comes straight off the mountain. We also harvest rainwater from the roof of our cottage.

As it turns out, our area of the Western Cape is experiencing a severe drought. Our neighbour says it’s the drought over the past two winters and this summer has been the worst he has experienced since moving here 16 years ago; he is convinced it is a result of climate change. According to the local estate agent, some farmers are saying it’s the most severe drought in at least 30 years. Some have resorted to trucking in water from further afield for their livestock.

Since we moved here in mid-January, it has rained perhaps half a dozen times - but in most cases lightly and/or for a very short period of time. To my amazement, our rainwater tank has remained almost full - thanks to our very frugal use. We use the rainwater for drinking, washing dishes and about one or two kettles full a day for bathing in a tub; probably about five litres per day in total. So far our grazing has held up, but it certainly is taking strain and we have had to supplement our five horses’ diet with some lucerne.

We use river water (pumped to a storage tank) for the toilet and for my cold showers (which are rather brief!). Pumping one tank full of 2500 litres uses about half a litre of petrol; a tank lasts us about three weeks.

For watering our newly planted trees we generally carry buckets up from the stream. At some point I will install another tank to provide water for our planned vegetable garden.

So far, aside from the petrol consumption for the pump, our usage of water appears to be sustainable even in the midst of a fairly severe drought - thanks to minimizing consumption. Also, all the water we use for washing and flushing returns to the land via soak-aways, so nothing is wasted. We are extremely grateful for our elixir of life!

The global financial system and economy, many experts are saying, are experiencing their worst crisis at least since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

However, if we take longer-term sustainability concerns into account, then a more positive interpretation of the current situation can emerge.

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