In a year of serious drought and steadily increasing water restrictions, it may seem like an odd time to be greening an industrial area.

However, if you’ve recently spent some time in the Elsies River City Improvement District (ERCID), you may have noticed a potted garden or two, brightening up the stark facades of buildings and factories.

How can this be?

Well, according to Chairperson John Houston, the ERCID’s potted gardening projects – visible at Weavewell in Coleman Street and between Messaris Chips and SA Forklift at the canal off 16th street – have gone hand-in-hand with massive water-saving measures.

“Our greening efforts have not been affected by the drought at all, as we’ve been caring for the gardens with rainwater collected from the roofs of our buildings,” he explains.

Throughout the ERCID, various buildings have been equipped with 1000-litre tanks to catch up rainwater, which can be put to use in various ways.

For gardening purposes, the stored water is transferred to the ERCID’s legendary home-built fire truck and then distributed sparingly among the different pots.

Houston says that having a bit of greenery and other general maintenance – such as cleaning lampposts, weeding and keeping the streets clean – has made a world of difference to an otherwise relatively uninspiring area.

“I personally have been complimented by my visitors to say how clean, neat and safe the Elsies River City Improvement District has become,” he notes.

In 2018, the ERCID hopes to further improve on these projects and also to encourage businesses to give their buildings a new coat of paint.