In Africa, rain is celebrated as a good omen and our communities have always harvested rainwater. Celebrating rain, means we treasure and harvest rainwater as a resource that we benefit from every day.

Rainwater harvesting, which is not a new concept, is common in our rural and farming communities, however more people in our urban communities need to embrace the concept.

Currently, there is a global water crisis that is being exacerbated by rapid urbanization, population growth, climate change, deteriorating infrastructure, pollution, and our ways of life.

At the heart of our water crisis is the reality that water demand exceeds supply, and drilling more boreholes will not solve the problem because we are already running out of groundwater.

In order to lessen our dependency on pumped and treated water from the government mains, families and businesses should turn to rainwater harvesting which has a number of financial, environmental, and even safety advantages. According to RainwaterHarvesting.co.za; to secure a future with enough water we have to save water; and we have to harvest rainwater, because:

• It is a natural resource and reduces flooding, storm water runoff, erosion and contamination of surface water.
• It is an excellent source of water for irrigation
• It is relatively simple to install, depending on the application.
• It reduces your water bill.
• It supplies water during water outages.
• It promotes water and energy conservation.

Collecting rainwater also reduces your indirect carbon emissions. By using as much rainwater as you can, you can increase your environmental sustainability because the less mains water you use, the lesser the need to generate electricity. Embracing rainwater harvesting means we are finding solutions for the future of our planet. Respect water! Respect life!

– Mokgokong Mokgethi