Treated effluent and seawater could be used to douse Cape Town fires
Treated effluent could be used on wildfires in Cape Town this summer to avoid depleting shrinking stocks of drinking water.Labour-intensive firefighting methods are also being stepped up and, as a last resort, water tenders to fight the fires will be filled with seawater.The measures were unveiled on Wednesday as the City of Cape Town said 120 seasonal firefighters were completing their training and two helicopters and a spotter plane would be on standby from December 1."We have re-assessed our fire-management strategy amid the prevailing drought crisis and adapted accordingly‚" said JP Smith‚ the mayoral committee member for safety and security. A study is under way to see if treated effluent can be used on fires "without any detrimental effects to personnel and firefighting equipment"‚ he said.Other steps being taken include:• Ensuring fire engines with foam systems are dispatched rapidly to wildfires.• Using firefighters with beaters and rakes to contain fires‚ and placing greate...
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