Berea resident shares how to harvest water at home

THE recent floods saw massive damage to water infrastructure in Durban, leaving many residents without running water in their homes for months. For Glenmore resident, Deon Braun, water is always available, thanks to a water-harvesting system he set up at his home more than a decade ago.

“I started with my first tank, a 5 000 litre, around 2006. It’s still going strong and providing water to my top-level garden,” he said.

Braun harvests water in tanks on his property which he uses daily to water seedlings, herbs, veggies, and fruit trees throughout the year and especially during the hot and dry months.

The system consists of two tanks and several hoses. Braun said he has bought supplies from several manufacturers, including Atlas, Duys and JoJo. He uses 20mm LDPE pipes and hosepipes to transfer water from the tank to water his plants.

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“The total capacity of my water-harvesting system is 17 000 litres. If I water my plants regularly, I might run low in July or August, although I have only ever run out when I used the tank for domestic use. I’ve also left the tap open on two occasions after leaving a hosepipe unattended, which drained the tank completely. I now never leave a hosepipe running unattended on the ground. It’s a very unpleasant feeling when you realise you’ve drained your tank in the dry season,” he said.

Not only does the system keep Braun self-reliant, but it’s better for his plants.

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“Being self-sufficient, and especially during periods of drought, appeals to me. It seems a huge waste using filtered drinking water for watering a garden, and I have seen how well plants respond to rainwater, so I wouldn’t dream of using tap water (with chlorine) on my plants ever again,” he said.

Despite heavy rainfall during the KZN floods, Braun did not harvest water as his tanks were already full.
“I estimate that at least another 25 000 litres flowed down five gutters, draining eight roof surfaces during that time,” he said.

As Braun is using the water to keep his garden growing, he does not need to treat the water before use.
“I have flush systems on my two big tanks to prevent the worst dust and grit getting into the tanks. I also have stainless steel mesh strainers on all tanks to minimise leaves and other organic matter going into them. However, if it’s not for drinking use, it doesn’t really matter since organic matter only adds to the nutrients for good plant growth,” he added.

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