At the rate things are going, Cape Town’s water supply is quickly being reduced to a trickle.

It is predicted that it will run out at the end of March next year – you can check this website for a quick look at what’s what.

While most of us are doing our best to conserve what we have, a local water company is making cash dollar filling up pools with potable water all over the peninsula, reports IOL:

While most Capetonians are struggling to stay within the 87 litres of water a day limit, the company, Bulk Water, delivers water and refills your pool, charging thousands of rands.

The truck was spotted on Thursday morning, filling up a pool at a house in Southfield. The driver even passed a pamphlet to a neighbour, with the woman saying:

“We have to save water, and think about the future, but here are people filling up pools. How inconsiderate!”

Here’s the truck in action:

The Daily Voice then called the number on the pamphlet, and was “promptly given a quotation by a manager named Shay”:

Filling a 30 000 litre pool in Grassy Park would cost R7000; the total includes the transportation charge. This quotation was valid for a week, said Shay.

“We have a 24 000 litre trailer with three compartments which hold 8000 litres. We deliver to any area in the Western Cape. We only work with cash payments. A recent fill-up we did was in Brackenfell and it was a 24 000 litre pool, the customer paid R6000,” Shay explained.

Asked about the origin of the water, he responded: “The water is clean and suitable to drink. We get our water from a borehole and it is from private property.”

Asked where the company was based, Shay said all over the Western Cape.

Cash only? Something fishy must be going on.

As you should be well aware, under the current Level Five water restrictions residents are not allowed to fill or top up their pools with municipal drinking water.

Those with boreholes are “encouraged not to water/irrigate within seven days after rainfall that provided adequate saturation” – and it would be really lovely if you complied.

Speaking on the subject of Bulk Water, Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services, and Energy, Councillor Xanthea Limberg, said that if the business is extracting more than the domestic amount, it is illegal:

“National government has authority over non-potable water. However, if the business is drawing a substantial amount they would have to apply for a licence from the national department of Water and Sanitation,” Limberg said.

“If this is for commercial use, they would need a licence, depending on the amount of water they are using. If the water being drawn is a significant amount beyond domestic scale, it would be illegal.”

The Daily Voice was eventually able to speak to the owner of Bulk Water, Itsik Tsour, who stated that the company was licensed. However, when they called back to request proof of the licence, both numbers of the business went to voicemail.

I would really love to know why people are so desperate to keep their pools filled and grass green. Surely its time to let that go, at least until our dams are at a decent level again?

[source:iol]