Upload
others
View
2
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
This booklet gives you a summarised guide to the safe installation and connection of alternative water systems, and use of alternative water. See the full version of the guidelines for more information.
SUMMARY GUIDE TO THE INSTALLATION AND USE OF ALTERNATIVE WATER SYSTEMS
04 Introduction
08 Safe use of alternative water
06 Applying to use alternative water and install systems
CONTENTS
Summary guide to the installation and use of alternative water systems 3
The responsible use of alternative water sources helps reduce the quantity of municipal water drawn from our dams, especially in times of drought. Alternative water also forms part of the City’s water resilience drive, as we face a future of uncertain rainfall. However, there are important regulations in place that you need to be aware of.
Alternative water may contain pathogens, bacteria and harmful substances that can contaminate the municipal drinking-quality water if it comes into contact with it. If you don’t put the correct measures in place, you can possibly contaminate the water on your property and also the municipal water supply in your area. Alternative water can pose serious human health and environmental risks, which need to be avoided.
This booklet gives you summary information about the safe installation of alternative water systems for irrigation or where they are plumbed into the water installation of a building, and the subsequent use of the water collected/extracted. For the full Guidelines for the Installation of Alternative Water Systems, visit http://cct.gov.za/AIBNl
INTRODUCTION
City of Cape Town4
Please note that you are fully responsible for all consequences that may result from using any water that is not drinking-quality water as supplied by the City of Cape Town (the City).
Summary guide to the installation and use of alternative water systems 5
APPLYING TO INSTALL, CONNECT AND USE ALTERNATIVE WATER SYSTEMS
You need to get approval from the City and/or the national Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) if you wish to use alternative water and/or install an alternative water system, according to national legislation and the City’s Water By-law. In particular, those systems that are intended to be connected to a water installation, which creates the risk of alternative water flowing into the City’s water supply network.
The table on the next page summarises what approval, authorisation and licensing is needed for different sources of alternative water.
NB: If an alternative water system is installed, you have to submit an application and obtain a Certificate of Approval from a registered plumber. To find a plumber registered with the City, visit www.capetown.gov.za/thinkwater
City of Cape Town6
ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCE
FROM NATIONAL DWS
FROM CITY OF CAPE TOWN
Rainwater N/A • Approval for
installation
Groundwater
If beyond ‘reasonable’ domestic use as described in Schedule 1, then General Authorisation or Water Use Licence applies
• Registration of boreholes/wellpoints
• Approval for installation
Basement water
If beyond use permitted by Schedule 1 use, then General Authorisation or Water Use Licence applies
• Approval for installation
Surface water
If beyond use permitted by Schedule 1 use, then General Authorisation or Water Use Licence applies
• Permission to abstract stormwater
• Approval for installation
Greywater N/A • Approval for
installation
Treated effluent – from City
Registration as a water user
• Approval for installation
Summary guide to the installation and use of alternative water systems 7
It’s imperative to take safety precautions when you install an alternative water system into a building, or use it for irrigation, including in sports fields, play parks etc.
Install a Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) backflow preventer valve (or alternatively an ‘air gap’ tank) so that the municipal drinking water supply in your area cannot be contaminated.
The quality of an alternative water source, and how it is stored and managed, is key to where/ how it can be used. Test your alternative water at a SANAS-accredited laboratory first, and compare the results with the 1996 national water quality guidelines. Treatment may be needed.
Alternative water can be used to flush toilets and for a few other uses, with required permission and quality. However, you are not allowed to drink alternative water or use it for ablution (body washing) and cooking (or food preparation) due to the potential health risks it poses. The only exceptions for this are a few consumers which contract with the City to operate as a Water Service Intermediary, under strict criteria and conditions.
SAFE USE OF ALTERNATIVE WATER
City of Cape Town8
Discharge of used alternative water or any effluent generated must be directed to the correct place. Any discharge or overflow from your alternative water system containing harmful chemicals or substances should be directed to the sewer system for treatment/neutralisation at the City’s wastewater treatment works, provided that it is within the prescribed limits stipulated in the City’s Wastewater and Industrial Effluent By-law. Overflows from tanks containing untreated rainwater should be directed to stormwater drainage.
‘Do not drink’ warning signs must be placed at the property’s main thoroughfare (i.e. at the entrance gate) and the point(s) of use, and all pipes that are used in the alternative water system also need to be colour-coded. (See the full guideline documents for the colours required.)
Summary guide to the installation and use of alternative water systems 9
An
exam
ple
of a
rain
wat
er s
yste
m fo
r ind
oor a
nd o
utdo
or u
se is
illu
stra
ted
and
expl
aine
d fo
r you
bel
ow. P
leas
e no
te th
at th
e sy
stem
will
diff
er a
ccor
ding
to th
e ty
pe o
f alte
rnat
ive
wat
er (r
ainw
ater
, sur
face
wat
er e
tc.)
bein
g us
ed. T
his i
s jus
t one
exa
mpl
e.
RAIN
WAT
ER F
OR
OU
TDO
OR
USE
AN
D T
OIL
ET F
LUSH
ING
SIG
NA
GE
SIG
NA
GE
PU
MP
Mun
icip
al d
rinki
ng w
ater
Sew
erag
e
Alte
rnat
e w
ater
sup
ply
1
13
22
33
AB
C
12
5
5 6
1m10
10
9
7
11
8
4
City of Cape Town10
1M
unic
ipal
drin
king
wat
er su
pply
into
pro
pert
y fit
ted
with
a R
PZ v
alve
bac
k-flo
w p
reve
nter
(man
dato
ry).
The
RPZ
mus
t be
inst
alle
d im
med
iate
ly d
owns
tream
of t
he p
rivat
e st
opco
ck in
side
the
prop
erty
bou
ndar
y, a
bove
gro
und,
and
acc
ordi
ng to
SA
NS
1025
2-1:
2016
(Edi
tion
3.1)
. See
the
tech
nica
l dra
win
g/sk
etch
gui
danc
e in
ann
exur
e 4
in th
e fu
ll gu
idel
ine
docu
men
ts.
2Ra
inw
ater
cha
nnel
led
to s
tora
ge ta
nk v
ia g
utte
rs.
3D
ebris
div
erte
d by
slo
ped
scre
en.
4Ra
inw
ater
for t
oppi
ng u
p po
ol o
r oth
er o
utdo
or u
se, i
n th
is in
stan
ce d
irect
ly fr
om g
utte
rs u
sing
gra
vity
feed
, for
exa
mpl
e vi
a fle
xibl
e pl
astic
sle
eve.
5 C
olle
ctio
n of
rain
wat
er in
sto
rage
tank
. Tan
k in
stal
latio
ns m
ay b
e be
low
or a
bove
gro
und
and
may
be
elev
ated
if p
lace
d on
a
stro
ng e
noug
h ba
se (e
.g. c
oncr
ete)
. Con
side
r SA
NS
1025
2-1:
2016
(Edi
tion3
.1) fo
r wat
er s
tora
ge ta
nks,
SA
NS
2001
-CC
2 if
you’
re
cons
truct
ing
a co
ncre
te b
ase,
the
Nat
iona
l Bui
ldin
g Re
gula
tions
and
Bui
ldin
g St
anda
rds A
ct 1
03 o
f 197
7, a
s wel
l as t
he m
anuf
actu
rer’s
sp
ecifi
catio
ns. A
ny u
nder
grou
nd (s
ubsu
rfac
e) ta
nk in
stal
latio
n m
ust a
lso
be a
t lea
st 1
m a
way
from
the
boun
dary
wal
l.
6St
orag
e ta
nk o
verfl
ow to
sto
rmw
ater
. If r
ainw
ater
is tr
eate
d w
ith a
ny c
hem
ical
s, th
e ov
erflo
w m
ust b
e di
scha
rged
into
the
sew
er.
7Ra
inw
ater
for d
rip/s
ubsu
rfac
e irr
igat
ion
unde
r a th
ick
laye
r of m
ulch
, veh
icle
was
hing
and
/or
hard
-sur
face
cle
anin
g.
8Ra
inw
ater
for t
oppi
ng u
p po
ol. P
ool c
over
as p
er w
ater
rest
rictio
ns in
pla
ce a
t the
tim
e.
9Ra
inw
ater
for t
oile
t flus
hing
.
10O
ffici
al, w
eath
er-p
roof
sign
age
to b
e pl
aced
in m
ain
thor
ough
fare
(ent
ranc
e) a
nd a
t poi
nts o
f use
to w
arn
peop
le a
gain
st u
sing
th
e ra
inw
ater
for d
rinki
ng, c
ooki
ng a
nd a
blut
ion.
11M
unic
ipal
wat
er su
pply
to c
iste
rn m
ust b
e di
scon
nect
ed w
hen
rain
wat
er is
use
d. T
his m
ay b
e se
ason
ally
dis
conn
ecte
d du
ring
win
ter r
ainf
all m
onth
s, o
r per
man
ently
if th
ere
is su
ffici
ent s
tora
ge.
12If
the
inst
alla
tion
incl
udes
a ta
p th
at p
eopl
e m
ay b
e te
mpt
ed to
drin
k fro
m, u
se o
r was
te, p
refe
rabl
y lo
ck it
or t
urn
it in
to a
‘dem
and’
tap.
13In
stal
l a p
rivat
e st
opco
ck a
fter t
he b
ound
ary
wal
l and
bef
ore
the
RPZ
valv
e ba
ck-fl
ow p
reve
nter
.
Summary guide to the installation and use of alternative water systems 1111
For water and sanitation-related issues you can reach the City through any one of these channels:
• Online at www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests
• Email [email protected]
• SMS 31373 (maximum of 160 characters)
• C all 0860 103 089
• V isit a Customer Interaction Centre – for the complete list, see www.capetown.gov.za/facilities
Stick to one of these channels for a faster response, and always get a reference number.