Off-grid sanitation system for Eastern Cape school

A local water and wastewater treatment contractor, WEC Projects, is installing a compact, portable and modular sewage treatment solution for Khanyisani Primary School in Lubunde, near Bizana in the Eastern Cape.

The sewage system, based on the NEWgenerator 100 model designed by a team of engineers at the University of South Florida (USF) in the US, is built under licence in South Africa by WEC Projects.

“Khanyisani Primary School is located in a rural area that lacks a consistent water supply. The NEWgenerator system will treat the sewage produced by the school’s toilet block. The treated water produced by the sanitation process will be recycled back to the toilet block for reuse, ensuring a consistent water supply. While the recycled water will not be treated to human consumption standards, it will be suitable for reuse in the toilets. In addition, the biogas produced by the sewage treatment process will potentially be utilised by the school for cooking and heating purposes, resulting in a reduction in its power consumption,” explains Tim Fisher, manager: Process Engineering, WEC Projects.

Breaking new ground

“This is a particularly exciting project for us, as it is the first commercial installation of the NEWgenerator system in South Africa. Up to now, it has been deployed on a pilot project basis in the country, first in eThekwini, in conjunction with the University of KwaZuluNatal, and then on a larger scale in Soweto. These projects are overseen by the Water Research Commission (WRC) under the auspices of its South African Sanitation Technology Enterprise Programme (Sastep).

“WEC Projects was chosen by the WRC as its commercialisation partner to manufacture NEWgenerator units in South Africa under licence from USF. By manufacturing the units locally and, where possible, utilising local components, we will be able to build units more rapidly while reducing the overall cost. Local production also means that the cost of shipping will be reduced considerably, making them ideal for market conditions throughout the SADC region,” he adds.

Funded by the WRC’s Sastep programme, WEC Projects is using the contract as an opportunity to optimise the design of the NEWgenerator unit for local conditions. For example, the company will build the unit into a larger shipping container to allow more space for equipment and operational staff. WEC Projects will incorporate the NEWgenerator unit into the school’s existing toilet block and will also provide the infrastructure for reticulating the biogas.

NEWgeneratorTM

• Incorporates an anaerobic digestor utilising appropriate microorganisms to treat the sewage and produce biogas • Clean water is filtered – with bacteria, viruses and any remaining solid particles removed – and then disinfected through a chlorination system • Up to 99% of the water can be recycled for reuse in the system • The nutrient-rich treated waste is an ideal crop fertiliser for use by local smallscale and informal farmers • Offers employment and franchisable economic opportunities for local small businesses and entrepreneurs who can provide not only sales, installation and maintenance of the units to the surrounding communities but also training and upskilling for the youth • Flexibility in design and installation also makes it ideal for use in various industries – from tourism to mining