Elderly ask for leniency on water restrictions
Elderly residents in Benoni are asking whether the water restrictions cannot be eased for them, fearing the risks associated with carrying buckets and watering at night.
Gwen Gush (85) and Anthea Bender (83) both live on their own in Rynpark Four.
They were especially concerned about the times during which they are allowed to water gardens.
“The time factor is the biggest problem,” said Gush.
“We either have to wake up around 5am, to water the garden before 6am, or wait till night, which becomes dangerous.
“After 6pm, it becomes dark quickly; what if we fall and break a hip or leg?”
Bender and Gush said the average age of people living in Rynpark (One to Seven), is around 75.
“This age group of people, who don’t have full time help around the house, can’t carry buckets of water around,” Gush added.
“We have garden services in Rynpark, but they don’t tend to the individual gardens.
“We do our gardens ourselves.”
Gush explained how she goes about watering her plants, saying she uses the water in her sink at the end of the day.
“The watering can fits in my walker, so I at least don’t have to carry it all the way,” she said.
“But I can’t water the whole garden, I only do a section.
“The parts I don’t water are dying already.”
With the Rynpark Open Garden Show approaching, the women were also concerned about the state in which many gardens would be, due to the limits.
“I don’t think they have the right end of the stick here,” Gush said.
“We know there is a drought in the country and by all means, we should save, but the times are tough.
“I think they should give each suburb a single day of the week on which to use water for the garden and washing cars, which they then abstain from for the rest of the week.”
A woman living in a retirement estate in Ward 24, said: “All other metros have published that hosepipes and irrigation systems may be used after 6pm to 6am, with the exception of Ekurhuleni.”
“May I ask (the metro) to please take into consideration that the old age homes have many old people of around 80 to 90 years old,” said the woman, who wished to remain anonymous.
“There is great risk that, when they are trying to carry buckets and do so in the dark, they can trip or lose their balance and fall, thus causing them great injuries.
“I am asking that old age homes be given permission to water only twice a week, after 6pm or before 6am, with hand-held hosepipes or automatic irrigation systems.”
No comment had been received from the metro at the time of going to print.
Also read:
Car washes expected to save 30 per cent of their water usage
Council finalises water usage limits
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