Is your estate ready for day zero

Cape Town might have narrowly averted running out of water in 2018, but that doesn’t mean South Africa is off the hook. The water crisis is a global one, with two-thirds of the world’s population facing water shortages by 2025 if urgent action isn’t taken.

‘I saw this in Port Elizabeth where the dams are at less than 18 percent capacity, meaning the water is not falling in the places where the dams can capture it. This can result in incredible water stress and possible day zero scenarios, but the green indicators suggest things are not too bad and so people don’t see the need to change their behaviour,’ she continues.

Another problem is that even though many parts of South Africa are going through a day zero scenario, there are still large pockets of the population that are in denial that the water crisis is real or feel it is simply isolated to places like Port Elizabeth or Cape Town.  ‘It is important for us all to acknowledge that the water crisis affects everyone, and is a thing of the present, not of the future or the past,’ urges Guli.

2. Assess your water risk

Businesses are used to completing risk assessments for various things but not necessarily for their water use. ‘There are several free tools available online to help you work out your water usage and potential risk,’ says Guli, who recommends WWF’s Water Risk Assessment Tool as a good starting point.

Simply fill out a detailed questionnaire and let the WWF metering systems assess your water usage as well as what you are doing well, and where you need to improve. Data is a real indicator to all of us about how to improve practices, and how to reduce things like leaks.

3. Identify the gaps

Once you know your risk, you can look at areas where you are already acting and compare these to those where you could or should be acting. Guli’s RunBlue Campaign has a free 6 for six tool available on their website (RunBlue.org), which includes key areas where they encourage companies to assess what they are doing versus what they should be doing.

‘Remember, this is not just about getting businesses to reduce their own water use but it is also about looking at what opportunities there are for businesses to support others around them to reduce, reuse and recycle water. If for example, you as an estate have a water usage policy in place, this will automatically force other service providers to relook their water usage which encourages further water awareness,’ she says.

4. Create a plan

Putting in place a plan to address these gaps is probably the hardest part but there are plenty of resources available online to help create a workable action plan.

‘I think that in the property industry, residential real estate managers, landscapers, gardeners, and other service providers who understand the water challenges and potential for day zero scenarios will see this as an opportunity and a challenge rather than a threat,’ says Guli.

This for example, is a chance for developers to push boundaries and incorporate wastewater systems in their design, landscapers to create drought proof gardens, and estate managers to encourage homeowners to finds ways to put water front of mind and reduce or use water more efficiently.

People around the world have failed to understand, and truly value water for far too long, treating it as nothing. The truth is water is everything – an incredibly valuable resource that needs to be protected and preserved. Simply put, those businesses who bury their hands in the sand and are poorly prepared for day zero will struggle to survive.