EVENT GREENING FORUM

Spier’s wastewater ying-yang pond.

Water-wise case studies

Business events and tourism are especially vulnerable to water scarcity, which is why many businesses in this sector are proactively tackling the issue.

Cape Town’s near miss of Day Zero in 2018 and Nelson Mandela Bay’s brush with this same crisis this year has highlighted just how much our country depends on good rainfall. As climate change continues to alter weather and rainfall patterns, it is possible that South Africa will become an even more water scarce country.

The repercussions of dry taps are acutely felt by the business events and tourism industries. Which is why many companies operating in this space have been quick to find workable solutions to the problem. Here are just a few examples.

Spier’s wine estate, hotel and meeting venues

In 2007, Spier installed a wastewater treatment plant that recycles 100 per cent of the property’s black and grey wastewater, which is then used for flushing in the washrooms and to irrigate gardens and lawns on the property. The plant, which uses an environmentally friendly design, has the capacity to process up to 1 million litres at any given time, and 50 million litres annually.

Spier is also removing invasive alien plant species and is replacing them with indigenous riverine species that consume much less water. Through various measures, the company has also been able to cut the amount of water it uses to make its wines from a typical 5.6 litres of water for 1 litre of wine to a mere 1.4 litres of water.

Additionally, water-saving devices have been installed on showers, basins and toilets throughout the property, and the hotel’s main swimming pool uses rain harvested water that it filters onsite. Leaks are also proactively addressed.

RX and CTICC case study

Megan De Jager (nee Oberholzer), the portfolio director for travel, tourism and RX Africa marketing, and oversees Africa Travel Week (which includes WTM Africa & ILTM Africa), said: “As our venue partner of choice, the CTICC has raised the bar when it comes to water usage. Over the last few years, the CTICC has reduced its water consumption year-on-year. Rainwater tanks now capture and store up to 265,000 litres of rainwater. This, together with 20,000 litres of condensation from the air-conditioning units and all grey water from the complex, is captured and used for cleaning and gardening.”

De Jager added that during the countdown to Cape Town’s Day Zero, clear communication about how the situation was being managed was critical. De Jager said: “RX Africa worked closely with the CTICC to ensure clear and comprehensive communication around the water issue was relayed to all stakeholders, from exhibitors at the show to visitors and speakers. Messaging around the water situation went out well in advance, and regularly to educate everyone on the importance of preserving water. At the show, signage onsite was key to bringing the message home.”

CTICC also undertook some additional water saving methods during the height of the drought crisis, such as, installing waterless hand sanitisers, turning off water to basins, reducing toilet cistern water-holding capacity by 20 per cent, reducing the water supply to cooling towers by 20 per cent, treating water leaks as emergencies, and replacing a corroded main water supply.

South Africans aren’t waterwise

Despite living in a water-scarce country, South Africans do not have water-wise habits. This is according to the Development Bank of South Africa, which shares that the average South African uses 234 litres of water a day, compared to the global average of 173 litres. By reducing our water consumption patterns we are able to all play a part in managing this resource more responsibly.

The Save the date: Green Venue Workshop

These case studies demonstrate just how crucial the role of venues is in terms of responsible water use at events. If you’d like to better understand how to choose a sustainable venue for your next event, don’t miss our Green Venue Workshop. Date: Thursday, 10 November Time: 09:00-11:00 Venue: Bluebell, CTICC 2, Cape Town & online Cost: Free to attend For more details, please visit www.eventgreening.co.za

About the EGF

The Event Greening Forum (EGF) is a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainability within the business events sector. It does this by hosting educational sessions for industry and lobbying government in an effort to implement sustainability principles into the daily operations of the events industry. The EGF was established through dedication and support of eight industry associations who are recognised as founding members. The founding members are key industry associations working together to promote South Africa as a destination for various types of events.

Want to know more?

If you would like to know more about event greening, visit www.eventgreening.co.za where you can browse the free resources, sign up to the monthly newsletter, or contact them directly with any queries.

Contact: Lynn Mcleod

T: 082 891 5883

E: lynn@eventgreening.co.za