Nelson Mandela Bay businesses are pulling together to save water and have already notched up some impressive numbers.
While frustrating for industrial businesses in Perseverance, the installation of a pressure reducing valve in the area has saved the metro an estimated 240 kilolitres of water a day.
Together with such valves now installed in more than 70 zones across the city, the total daily saving stands at about five megalitres.
The business sector is committed to achieving a water consumption reduction of 20%.
It is also helping state schools save water and boost water security in the most vulnerable communities.
The intervention is vital as the industrial-commercial-institutional hub, which includes factories, companies, churches, universities and schools, collectively has 10,000 water connections and uses 35% of the Bay’s supply.
Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber CEO Denise van Huyssteen said: “Given the severity of the water crisis, we are fully supportive of the need for businesses to reduce their water consumption levels by 20%.
“To this end we have been driving awareness campaigns among our members to meet this requirement.
“These companies are, at great cost, implementing measures to reduce their water consumption levels and in some cases, if required, to go off the water grid.
“Businesses are responding to the metro’s reduction call by installing boreholes, harvesting rainwater, recycling water and reviewing processes to reduce water usage.”
She said Bay businesses were also helping government schools — often the worst culprits in terms of water wastage — to meet the drought challenge.
“To date 21 schools have been adopted by businesses, with the core focus on repairing broken and leaking infrastructure.
“One of our member companies recorded a saving at a particular school of 75% in monthly water consumption levels after infrastructure had been repaired.
“Some companies have gone so far as to install boreholes on school premises.”
She said companies were also focusing on KwaNobuhle, which was set to be the first area to run dry if trends continued and extraction was no longer possible at the Kouga Dam.
“So far four companies have stepped up to the plate and have become involved, and more have indicated interest in supporting the initiative.
“These businesses are assisting by installing water tanks at schools and clinics in the area, and one of our members has secured a water truck to help supply the tanks with water.
“Fifteen schools are being supported in this way.”
Van Huyssteen said the metro’s pressure reduction strategy affected business in different ways.
“It depends on the operations and processes of businesses, with some able to adjust to the reduction requirement and others, due to the nature of their work, requiring higher pressure levels.
“The chamber, with the municipality, recently held a briefing session with affected businesses.
“The objective was to openly discuss the severity of the situation and the implementation of possible solutions.”
She said it was important to tackle the matter head-on.
“We cannot ignore the seriousness of this issue because ultimately it affects the city as a whole.
“Only by working together can we preserve and prolong our water supply.”
Provincial education spokesperson Mboxela Vuyiseka said the department had given all state schools in the Eastern Cape money in the form of municipal services and maintenance funds.
“These schools will use this money to repair leaks on their grounds.
“The department expects its district education officers to make sure schools use these funds effectively and efficiently for this purpose.”
She said education MEC Fundile Gade had also addressed the issue when he visited the Bay in July.
“He referred to the commendable work the business people were doing to help schools save water, and even now we are calling on the schools to use the municipal services and maintenance money in a manner that is befitting.”
SA Breweries (SAB) senior media relations manager Kanyisa Ndyonda said the company had launched several initiatives to help counter the water crisis.
“SAB has invested more than R5m in water recovery initiatives at its Perseverance plant.
“One of the main focuses has been to replace our carbon filter system so we can improve treatment of waste water.
“The waste water stream that has not been recovered for reuse has been channelled to feed an artificial wetland that treats the water to a point where it can be used to irrigate spinach which feeds our local communities.”
Bay water & sanitation director Barry Martin said the metro’s pressure reduction strategy had already resulted in good returns.
“Pressure reducing valves have not been installed at individual businesses but rather in certain identified zones where the water pressure is excessive due to the elevation difference between the zone and the reservoir feeding it.”
He said the Perseverance zone had for many years suffered from pipe bursts, resulting in disruption of water supply to businesses, and therefore there was in any case a need to install a pressure reducing valve there.
“Collectively, with all the pressure reduction adjustments made recently, it is estimated that there is a saving of five megalitres a day,” Martin said.
HeraldLIVE
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