Alje van Hoorn, Water Rhapsody franchisee for the Cape Town CBD and the Tygerberg suburbs.
The rapidly growing awareness of ‘green’ issues among Cape Town’s middle class population has been of huge benefit to one Cape Town company, Jeremy Westgarth-Taylor’s Water Rhapsody, which specialises in the recycling of ‘grey water’.
Water Rhapsody has been able to establish 16 new franchises across the country, six of which are in the greater Cape Town area.
Alje van Hoorn, who has one of the largest Water Rhapsody franchises for the northern suburbs and the Cape Town CBD, says orders at Water Rhapsody pick up as soon as water shortages become possible or likely each summer.
“The only factor limiting our growth is a lack of understanding of the service we provide. Once the concept is understood most people immediately accept it, because with water costing what it does today and with gardens often endangered in summer, a grey water system is the obvious and logical solution.”
The Water Rhapsody system consists of a tank to capture the water (usually set well into the ground) and a pump to distribute it as required. The system recycles the household’s water from baths, showers, basins and washing machines. This water can be beneficial to all garden plants including fynbos provided the household uses phosphate free washing powders. Water with strong bleaches should also not be recycled.
The installation and commissioning of the system usually cost between R8 500 and R12 000, says van Hoorn, and will give an immediate saving of 20 to 40% on water costs, with the result that in the average Cape Town house it pays for itself in under 30 months.
“Capetonians have in the past had exceptionally cheap water but that situation is changing. We now know that no further damming of Cape rivers will be possible and water consumption is increasing exponentially – as a result water costs are set to rise fast. It makes sense to install a grey water recycling system and ensure you are unaffected by water restrictions.”
Call Alje van Hoorn 021 715 8581 or email alje@capewatersolutions.co.za.