Peter Taylor, Three Anchor Bay
In “City left to their own water devices” (Off My Trolley, February 14), Brian Joss questioned how the municipality arrived at the figure of 87 litres per person per day. What follows is pure speculation on my part but seems to make some sort of sense:
If we look at the lowest two rungs on the residential water tariff ladder, we see 6000 litres and 10500 litres.
If we assume a four person household and a 30 day month, 6000 litres a month works out to 50 litres a person a day. Using the same assumptions, 10 500 litres a month works out to 87.5 litres per person per day, close enough to the 87 litres per person per day quoted by the municipality.
Of course, like the chicken and egg conundrum, I don’t know which came first, 87 litres per person a day or 10 500 litres a household per month but somehow 10500 makes more sense to me as a base number than 87.
Of course, the 87 litres per person per day is now academic since we are currently on 50 litres a person a day under Level 6b restrictions.
Thank you for all the good work that you do. I always enjoy your column.
Grant Haskin, City of Cape Town councillor, also replied to Mr Joss after seeing the article and gave the same explanation as Mr Taylor.