Zero Day - Western Cape- Help / Advice

[Peter Eaton]

Some of you might already know but the Western Cape of South Africa has a major water crisis at the moment. After months of no rain the water dams are nearing levels where there will be no option but to cut off all water supplies apart from hospitals and emergency services. My partner who is form Cape Town is taking me with her to her to stay at her parents in . I have been with her before but it is going to be a allot different than other times. It looks like we will be there after ''Zero day which is when the water supplies will be cut off.

http://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-south-africa-water-crisis-20180119-story.html

I think each person will be allowed 23 ltrs per day which will be sold via hydrants in the street. I have already told her that this is a serious concern as it will be hot there and this situation is the perfect environment for disease.

Her mother has been with water restrictions to a degree for the several months. All the water she uses is harvested for flushing the loo for example. We will be using paper plates, cups and plastic cutlery in order to save water as opposed to cleaning plates.

I am confident some on here will be able to share ideas that will prove useful when in a situation where there is little water to be had.

So what ideas or products do you know of for personal hygiene or making the little water we will have last longer. Here is am example found by Michelle, this was rejected on Dragons Den, oops )), exactly the kind of thing that will be invaluable for even basic task such as washing you hands.

http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/spa...s-backing-from-australian-government-2551231/

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tengu]

23 litres? is that a typo? 2-3 litres?

 

[Tengu]

Thats unhelpful of me; you asked for advice.

In this situation I would build a solar still. Can be used to extract H2O from dirty water, urine, you name it.

But of course, like in every shortage the first thing is to conserve what you do have.

 

[Peter Eaton]

I believe it will be 23 litre .....but that's what is being suggested at the moment. It's not the water as such, there's enough to drink, its the situation of using limited amounts of water to keep clean and healthy. Cleary there wont be the luxury of a plumbed house hold shower every day. What I need to know is what is available for keeping clean with limited amounts of water. Bearing in mind a typical shower takes 23 litres in a about 3 or 4 mins......I am talking 23 litres for drinking , washing, flushing the loo....you name it that's your lot. It isn't till you actually think about it, that isn't a lot ......and I am talking in a city.

 

[Janne]

Important to keep the highest hygiene standards in situations like that.
Wet wipes for genitalia, anus, hands, feet.
Dedicate one toilet for wee, flush only once a day. One toilet dedicated for No 2, if two people need to go after each other, do not flush inbetween, otherwise do flush.

Get alcohol gel.
Drink only bottled water, beer or sodas, as the delivered water can be tainted due to low pressure and ingress of ‘stuff’ into the pipes from outside.
Cook this water properly before using for hot drinks or food.

Brush teeth using bottled water.

Good idea with disposables.
Get okdfashined terry cloths for washing of body.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Have just been reading about this. Maybe it's time governments started to seriously invest in desalination plants.
https://futurism.com/cape-town-drought-day-zero/
https://www.salon.com/2017/01/21/se...y-hold-the-answer-to-the-worlds-water-crisis/

 

[Nomad64]

I believe it will be 23 litre .....but that's what is being suggested at the moment. It's not the water as such, there's enough to drink, its the situation of using limited amounts of water to keep clean and healthy. Cleary there wont be the luxury of a plumbed house hold shower every day. What I need to know is what is available for keeping clean with limited amounts of water. Bearing in mind a typical shower takes 23 litres in a about 3 or 4 mins......I am talking 23 litres for drinking , washing, flushing the loo....you name it that's your lot. It isn't till you actually think about it, that isn't a lot ......and I am talking in a city.

Welcome to the forum.

Rather than relying on reports in a Los Angeles newspaper, there are plenty of local newspapers and official information sources with less sensationalist descriptions of the current situation and how “zero day”, if it comes will affect different parts of the Cape.

I hesitate to use the expression “first world problem” to describe your concerns but a significant proportion of the indigenous population of that continent would love to have access to 23 litres of clean water per person per day that didn’t have to be carried long distances on foot.

ZA has some wild and remote corners but it is essentially a first world country with first world infrastructure so bottled water and other sources of hydration will almost certainly be readily available in the shops. A litre of water, flannel, some soap and talc are all you really need to keep you fresh and if you want to wash your hair, you can get “dry” shampoo in an aerosol. A couple of wetwipes are great for making you feel human again but having discovered that they have a similar half life to plutonium and a similar effect on the environment, I now only use them in emergencies.

You might have to make a few adjustments (washing clothes might be a problem but it can be done in salt water) but the locals will be coping and no reason why not being able to take a long shower or bath every day is going to be detrimental to your health. If you cannot cope without a shower and have no mains water a bucket with a shower rose in it or a Gucci canvas one like they use on posh safaris will give you a measured quantity of water to shower in.

https://www.tripsavvy.com/taking-a-bucket-shower-on-safari-1454117

If I was living in the Western Cape or anywhere prone to droughts, I’d be seriously considering dispensing with a flushing toilet - a “first world solution” to an ancient problem which makes life a lot more complicated in arid areas. The resources wasted trying to separate and make safe the noxious soup of urine, faeces and water created each time we flush is astonishing - even septic tanks just postpone dealing with the problem.

Modern composting loos with a urine separator and the option of (solar powered) electric fans to dessicate the solids are a world away from a stinky long drop - people are now happy to fit them in houses and (with a urine tank) into campervans, boats etc.

http://www.littlehouse.co/help-faqs/choosing-a-composting-toilet/

Save precious water for something useful, let the urine disappear into a soak away or collect it and use it for something useful and compost the faeces and use it as a fertiliser - properly composted, it should be fine for any crop but understandably some people prefer to avoid using it on root vegetables etc.

Good luck and have a great trip, you’ll be fine!

 

[Janne]

Septic tanks is an interesting subject.

In UK and Sweden we had to have ours emptied maybe once every two years.
When we build our house here they instalked a tank about 1/2 suze if what we had in Europe. Sufficient they said.
Upon asking how often we should empty it the answer was - never .
We just ad a product ( bacteria in a liquid suspension) and everything decomposes, including the fat. The temperature is the key.
In S. Africa I think it should be the same.
Of course we do not put anything that does not decompose.
No female stuff, no rubber things. Only kitchenwaste including cooking oils and body waste.

I would not recommend showering, wastes the little water they have.

Go to the beach for a thorough soak and clean, use salt water soap.

If you ate unable to clean your armpits thoroughly each day - do NOT use deodorants.

 

[Peter Eaton]

Welcome to the forum.

Rather than relying on reports in a Los Angeles newspaper, there are plenty of local newspapers and official information sources with less sensationalist descriptions of the current situation and how “zero day”, if it comes will affect different parts of the Cape.

I hesitate to use the expression “first world problem” to describe your concerns but a significant proportion of the indigenous population of that continent would love to have access to 23 litres of clean water per person per day that didn’t have to be carried long distances on foot.

ZA has some wild and remote corners but it is essentially a first world country with first world infrastructure so bottled water and other sources of hydration will almost certainly be readily available in the shops. A litre of water, flannel, some soap and talc are all you really need to keep you fresh and if you want to wash your hair, you can get “dry” shampoo in an aerosol. A couple of wetwipes are great for making you feel human again but having discovered that they have a similar half life to plutonium and a similar effect on the environment, I now only use them in emergencies.

You might have to make a few adjustments (washing clothes might be a problem but it can be done in salt water) but the locals will be coping and no reason why not being able to take a long shower or bath every day is going to be detrimental to your health. If you cannot cope without a shower and have no mains water a bucket with a shower rose in it or a Gucci canvas one like they use on posh safaris will give you a measured quantity of water to shower in.

https://www.tripsavvy.com/taking-a-bucket-shower-on-safari-1454117

If I was living in the Western Cape or anywhere prone to droughts, I’d be seriously considering dispensing with a flushing toilet - a “first world solution” to an ancient problem which makes life a lot more complicated in arid areas. The resources wasted trying to separate and make safe the noxious soup of urine, faeces and water created each time we flush is astonishing - even septic tanks just postpone dealing with the problem.

Modern composting loos with a urine separator and the option of (solar powered) electric fans to dessicate the solids are a world away from a stinky long drop - people are now happy to fit them in houses and (with a urine tank) into campervans, boats etc.

http://www.littlehouse.co/help-faqs/choosing-a-composting-toilet/

Save precious water for something useful, let the urine disappear into a soak away or collect it and use it for something useful and compost the faeces and use it as a fertiliser - properly composted, it should be fine for any crop but understandably some people prefer to avoid using it on root vegetables etc.

Good luck and have a great trip, you’ll be fine!

Hi Cheers for the reply and the useful info.

The link was sent by my partner as she is from Cape Town and zero day is the term being used by the controlling municipality.

There have been restrictions for some time and they are reviewed weekly, measures are in place such as no water to any taps in public toilets and hand sanitizers in place instead and rather than flushing loos the advice is ''if its yellow, let it mellow'' ... But as things stand the water will cease to flow in the water mains in April, well except that is to the townships apparently. I know there have been eyebrows raised at that but it is quite political. Once this occurs stand pipes will be set up around the city and no one will be issued with water unless they have identification, this will be enforced by armed police. So clearly they are trying to get the message across of how serious this will be if not managed correctly.

The main issue is it isn't as the situation would be on say an expedition, this is no water in the houses in the city area. My partners mother is 70 so I am looking for anything that can help her / us when there as far better to be prepared then turn up on the door step expecting life to be normal as it obviously wont be.

I know there is a bore hole for water at the property but that dried up a few weeks ago and I also found out that a water storage tank was bought and filled with the bore hole water before it dried up.

So she is going to buy one of the solar showers and stock up on hand gels and also such a Milton, use only paper plates and plastic cutlery.

What I am doing is feeding back the comments on here as some good ideas which will all help us to do our bit in saving water, hopefully others will too.

many thanks

Pete

 

[Peter Eaton]

Important to keep the highest hygiene standards in situations like that.
Wet wipes for genitalia, anus, hands, feet.
Dedicate one toilet for wee, flush only once a day. One toilet dedicated for No 2, if two people need to go after each other, do not flush inbetween, otherwise do flush.

Get alcohol gel.
Drink only bottled water, beer or sodas, as the delivered water can be tainted due to low pressure and ingress of ‘stuff’ into the pipes from outside.
Cook this water properly before using for hot drinks or food.

Brush teeth using bottled water.

Good idea with disposables.
Get okdfashined terry cloths for washing of body.

Yes I agree totally with the hygiene and have spoken about this in depth as little water and a hot climate is a breeding ground for bacteria, probably more so in a large conurbation.

Thanks

Pete

 

[Peter Eaton]

Septic tanks is an interesting subject.

In UK and Sweden we had to have ours emptied maybe once every two years.
When we build our house here they instalked a tank about 1/2 suze if what we had in Europe. Sufficient they said.
Upon asking how often we should empty it the answer was - never .
We just ad a product ( bacteria in a liquid suspension) and everything decomposes, including the fat. The temperature is the key.
In S. Africa I think it should be the same.
Of course we do not put anything that does not decompose.
No female stuff, no rubber things. Only kitchenwaste including cooking oils and body waste.

I would not recommend showering, wastes the little water they have.

Go to the beach for a thorough soak and clean, use salt water soap.

If you ate unable to clean your armpits thoroughly each day - do NOT use deodorants.

Yes I have a sceptic tank in my garden here in the UK, I have only had it emptied once in 15 years and it was perfect , just a few solids at the base. Luckily I have a really good 'run off' built into it which functions faultlessly.

Good advice about the deodorants, I think we might use cordial silver in a water suspension for wiping the skin.

I also said about the beach....trouble is a knowing my luck a Great White will chomp me down ))

 

[Janne]

Collodial silver has sntibacterial ptoperties so a good choice.

The best with this bad situation is that you have an excellent opportunity to hydrate with lots and lots of beer!
And nobody can complain!

Be safe and have a great tip!

 

[Peter Eaton]

Collodial silver has sntibacterial ptoperties so a good choice.

The best with this bad situation is that you have an excellent opportunity to hydrate with lots and lots of beer!
And nobody can complain!

Be safe and have a great tip!

Oh that's always the plan over there and as many vineyards as I can visit when I go to Stellenbosch )).... I am sure it will be a great trip as a lovely place, probably one of the most stunning cities in the world with the view of Table Mountain.

Thanks

Pete

 

[Tengu]

Much good early human remains in the museums....

Sorting the Water Closet problem would be a big reduction in water.

And re organising washing. My Dad hates baths and showers, -he has a good all over wash in the morning every day. I suspect he is cleaner than most of us.

I doubt he uses more than about four litres to wash with per day...Including hand washes.

The problem would be washing clothing. That and toting water around. its heavy stuff.

Alcohol hand gel is good stuff but I would be dubious about the cheap stuff...not enough alcohol. I make sure mine has enough of the relevant stuff to be flammable...

 

[Nomad64]

Hi Cheers for the reply and the useful info.

The link was sent by my partner as she is from Cape Town and zero day is the term being used by the controlling municipality.

There have been restrictions for some time and they are reviewed weekly, measures are in place such as no water to any taps in public toilets and hand sanitizers in place instead and rather than flushing loos the advice is ''if its yellow, let it mellow'' ... But as things stand the water will cease to flow in the water mains in April, well except that is to the townships apparently. I know there have been eyebrows raised at that but it is quite political. Once this occurs stand pipes will be set up around the city and no one will be issued with water unless they have identification, this will be enforced by armed police. So clearly they are trying to get the message across of how serious this will be if not managed correctly.

The main issue is it isn't as the situation would be on say an expedition, this is no water in the houses in the city area. My partners mother is 70 so I am looking for anything that can help her / us when there as far better to be prepared then turn up on the door step expecting life to be normal as it obviously wont be.

I know there is a bore hole for water at the property but that dried up a few weeks ago and I also found out that a water storage tank was bought and filled with the bore hole water before it dried up.

So she is going to buy one of the solar showers and stock up on hand gels and also such a Milton, use only paper plates and plastic cutlery.

What I am doing is feeding back the comments on here as some good ideas which will all help us to do our bit in saving water, hopefully others will too.

many thanks

Pete

I have friends in ZA (though not many in the Cape) and Mrs Nomad is active on some of the South African 4x4 forums so we were aware of the issue.

I wasn’t clear from your original post that your MiL was actually in Cape Town - any risk of disease in urban areas is likely to come from the sewage system rather than an inability to keep yourself clean. FWIW, as I understand it, the Central Business District and tourist areas are likely to be exempt, and as most of the residents of the huge informal settlements/squatter camps on the outskirts of the city are already reliant on standpipes, “zero day” will not change things much.

South Africans, particularly the older ones are a pretty resilient lot and the conditions which Cape Town is currently experiencing are the norm for other parts of the country and neighbouring Namibia so it is unlikely that any advice provided from here is likely to add anything much to local knowledge and expertise. IME, offering advice to South Africans (particularly the paler skinned ones), about how they should run their lives tends to be as pointless as offering advice to a Yorkshireman about whippets and ferrets! Good luck!

Finally, if things are going to be as bad as feared, perhaps you should consider postponing your trip - the less mouths, armpits and bowels in the Cape Town area during water rationing the better and if water is being rationed are you sure that two non-residents are going to be issued with whatever ID card is going to be needed to access the standpipes?

 

[Peter Eaton]

I have friends in ZA (though not many in the Cape) and Mrs Nomad is active on some of the South African 4x4 forums so we were aware of the issue.

I wasn’t clear from your original post that your MiL was actually in Cape Town - any risk of disease in urban areas is likely to come from the sewage system rather than an inability to keep yourself clean. FWIW, as I understand it, the Central Business District and tourist areas are likely to be exempt, and as most of the residents of the huge informal settlements/squatter camps on the outskirts of the city are already reliant on standpipes, “zero day” will not change things much.

South Africans, particularly the older ones are a pretty resilient lot and the conditions which Cape Town is currently experiencing are the norm for other parts of the country and neighbouring Namibia so it is unlikely that any advice provided from here is likely to add anything much to local knowledge and expertise. IME, offering advice to South Africans (particularly the paler skinned ones), about how they should run their lives tends to be as pointless as offering advice to a Yorkshireman about whippets and ferrets! Good luck!

Finally, if things are going to be as bad as feared, perhaps you should consider postponing your trip - the less mouths, armpits and bowels in the Cape Town area during water rationing the better and if water is being rationed are you sure that two non-residents are going to be issued with whatever ID card is going to be needed to access the standpipes?

I am not sure if its an ID as such but certainly some sort of proof as to who you are when collecting water, hence my partner would be ok as still has residency there. Postponing the trip is mot an option as one of the reasons we ae going is due to the death of my partners step father so I just want to get some ideas on things that will make the stay easier as far as water is concerned.

 

[Janne]

A couple of years ago we gad a little accident during winter with the mains on our norwegian house, so no water for 4 days.
We melted snow and got a little bit of water from the petrol station.

Maybe 2 bucketful of liquid water a day, that is how much we could make, get and heat up.
We solv d the problem by washing our faces in the same water, all 4 of us. After the faces were done we used the same water ( but not saving again) to wash the rest of our bodies.

I think this is what they used to do before indoor plumbing became common.

 

[C_Claycomb]

When we visited Bushmanland we conserved water for washing up by using sand to scour plates/pots/cutlery, then had two inches of water in a basin with a couple of caps of Detol mixed in. Sand removed debris, Detol killed everything.

Using paper plates, plastic cutlery, and wet-wipes, seem easy fixes, but they create their own problems. Step increase in waste. Wet wipes do not degrade, even when wet and are a major problem in UK sewer systems.

When I have been camping, I have a 2-litre Dromlite bladder. I have found that I can conduct a (pretty) full wash with just the 2 litres in that; hair, head, back, under arms, groin...feet are generally pushing it unless I save run-off water from hair, in which case, they can be done too. The way I do it is to suspend the bladder and "shower" under the dribble from the spigot. Rose type shower heads waste a lot of water. Water hardness and soap type are critically important. Hard water rinses soap easily. Getting rid of soap with soft water is difficult, you use a lot more water!

Save wash water to flush the loos. Don't put it in the cistern, just tip it down. Cisterns usually work only when properly full, but a bowl of water, half the volume, but poured from twice the height has surprising flushing power.

 

[Nomad64]

A report on one families’ preparations for “zero day” made #2 on the BBC website this morning.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42787773

 

[crosslandkelly]

Saw this today.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...02425975368.2055308.1073895269&type=3&theater