NON-REVENUE WATER
New message to the world of water management Water-efficiency management company MIYA Water believes that a holistic, integrated approach to water management yields the best results.
P
eople try to confront water efficiency project by MIYA. By using a losses through different turnkey approach, the company is methods – leak detection, held accountable for achieving a pressure management, specific result. asset management and metering – and “Everything must work together and seldom tackle everything together. must be coordinated to get a Water utilities typically use one maximum impact,” adds Komy. “For company for engineering and planning, example, leak detection and pressure another company for pressure management must be combined. management, and another for leak High pressure intensifies existing detection. This removes accountability leaks. If pressure in the system from all companies. MIYA has a holistic is reduced, leak detection will approach to non-revenue water be affected.” (NRW),” explains Noam Komy, chief MIYA also uses a degree of flexibility growth officer at MIYA. when tackling a water-efficiency NRW is a global phenomenon; an project. “South African cities are average of 34% of treated water never changing at a rapid rate and while it reaches its destination worldwide. is important to develop a plan, it is South Africa’s NRW is close to 40%. “There is little point in building dams and increasing water supply when one is losing 40% of one’s existing supply,” states Komy. Commercial elements, Commercial elements, legalities, legalities, pressure, pressure, leaks, repairs and leaks, repairs and maintenance are tackled as a maintenance complete water efficiency project are tackled as a by MIYA complete water
38
JAN/F E B 2022
equally important to be flexible in the plan’s implementation. For example, the original plan may focus on water pressure but, once work starts, it may become apparent that there should be a greater focus on service connections,” says Komy. Tenders should always include quality and should not be solely price-driven. MIYA focuses on material specifications and the quality of work, as water infrastructure should be durable and have longevity. Output-based approach MIYA typically enters into performancebased contracts with clients, where a certain portion of its fee is fixed and another portion is related to savings achieved. “Our contracts are output-driven. NRW projects have a high degree of complexity. Our deliverables are never based on building or replacing assets – MIYA is tasked with achieving (and maintaining) an agreed-upon result within a stipulated amount of time,” explains Komy.
