Real Namibia: Water

“The heady mixture of fear of God and good advice has bred a country that, with the exception of a few fools, knows not to waste water, how to conserve it and the aesthetic value of dried flower arrangements.”

The natural state of lawn in Namibia if nature is allowed to take its course.

My rule of thumb is that wherever you are, whatever you are doing, the one ‘thing you need right now’ is never immediately available. Nowhere is this better proven than in the Namib Desert. The one thing you need most is water, and the one thing that you won’t immediately be able to find is water. I suppose that is why they call it the Namib Desert and not, for instance, the Namib Rain Forest or the Namib Wetlands.

Any marketing description of Namibia that does not contain one of the terms ‘arid’, ‘dry’, sun-baked’, ‘desiccated’, ‘thirsty’, ‘parched’ or ‘so dry you cannot spit’ should be mistrusted. If the description does not contain at least one of these terms, it probably means that the person who wrote the description has not been in the country longer than three days. Would you really trust this person to help you see the country?

Namibians are incredibly aware of the value of water. This stems no doubt from the periodical warnings that such and such a place is about to run out of water, or indeed the entire country, hence use it very, very carefully, make sure that none of your taps leak, cover any swimming pools to prevent evaporation and stop watering those frivolous flowers you planted last spring.

If that is not enough, churches hold rather ominous days of prayer for rain, as if the regular cycle of drought is some form of judgment handed down from on high.

The heady mixture of fear of God and good advice has bred a country that, with the exception of a few fools, knows not to waste water, how to conserve it and the aesthetic value of dried flower arrangements.

How, you may ask do Namibians manage to cultivate gardens? We plant species that don’t use a lot of water. Trees are valued as they create shade and so actually cut down on the need for water. As far as lawns in public areas are concerned, these are watered with semi-purified, recycled water.

When in Namibia, do as the Namibians do, and try to conserve water as well. Many hotels and lodges provide basic guidelines, or at least a sticker in the bathroom asking you to use water sparingly.

One of the more sensible pieces of advice is to shower instead of taking a bath, spending just enough time under the shower to get clean. Another sensible suggestion is, if you are spending a day or more in the same establishment, do not insist on having your towels and bed linen washed every day: washing uses an immense amount of water. Obviously, this depends on how effective was the shower.

A further useful piece of advice is not to leave the taps running in the basin as you wash your face, brush your teeth or shave. Believe it or not, each of these activities can be performed with a single glass of water. Instead, use a bit of water in a basin. As a guest, feel free to allow yourself a glass-and-a-half, or even two.

Another suggestion is to place a brick in the cistern of the toilet. This reduces the amount of water used to flush, without reducing the effectiveness of said flush. This is probably not the best piece of advice for travelers, and is generally directed at Namibians. However don’t be too surprised if you find a brick in the cistern, if you have the sort of curiosity that drives you to investigate the contents of cisterns.

Never ever wash your vehicle with a hose pipe! Firstly, it is an incredible waste of water. Secondly, there are car washes that use recycled water in places that are built to collect the used water. Thirdly, a well-washed car makes you look like you haven’t seen anything of the country but a muddy car is perfectly normal and indeed, makes you look like an experienced traveler, especially if you are taking photos to show people at home.

If you are traveling, carry water with you. Take at least two liters for every person in the car, and enough to refill the radiator. If your vehicle does come to a sudden stand still, the water will be refreshing as you wait for help to arrive.

Much has been written about the world’s future water requirements, particularly as the global population grows and moves into cities. Most of it has been ignored. Think of your visit to Namibia as training for the future, and a glimpse of how responsible people will have to be have.

Water is precious. Use it carefully.