You said it in WASA

“With MABR technology, it is important to note that the wastewater is not filtered through the membrane. The membrane provides optimum conditions for biology in wastewater. Therefore, there is no membrane clogging and fouling, no need to replace membranes every few years and no need for regular chemical maintenance. This reduces the operating expenditure of the plant. The MABR module is constructed from durable materials, ensuring more than a 20-year life expectancy.”

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“Professionalisation standardises the education and training required for an occupation. This means that the public can at least anticipate the standard of the service provided. Professionalising key positions within the water sector will ensure that the right person is in the right job and, once they are in that job, they are professional. It will narrow down nepotism and political appointments. This can be done by simply identifying key legislation that needs to be changed.”

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“Managing water requires effective communication with all stakeholders, particularly customers and the public. By engaging customers and the public, the water sector can encourage a positive behaviour change, increase support for investment in water infrastructure, and assist local communities and the environment.”

Dan Naidoo, chairman, WISA

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“The DWS will no longer exclusively concentrate on bulk water and water resource management at the exclusion of water services management. We will strengthen our role in regulating, supporting and intervening in municipalities where water and sanitation services are deteriorating. We have realised that community protests and complaints around water services have occurred as a result of the DWS and water boards directing their sole attention on water resource management and leaving reticulation exclusively to municipalities. Some municipalities’ capacity to supply water and sanitation to households has declined. The DWS will not abandon its focus on bulk water and water resource management, but seeks to balance its priorities with water services management.”

Minister Senzo Mchunu, Department of Water and Sanitation 14 PAGE

“I have been extremely fortunate to have an incredible career, and remain passionate about ensuring that everyone has access to clean water and a safe environment. As an engineer, it is impossible to be bored when working in the water and sanitation space. Water and sanitation services have a profound impact on people’s lives and it is an honour and privilege to play a part in that.”

Neil Macleod, WISA Honorary Member

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“Some of the most moving experiences have been to witness service delivery and the impact that it makes on people’s lives. I remember delivering a flushing toilet to an 83-year-old lady with a facility to wash hands; it was not even in her house, it was outside. But to her it was life changing. That makes you see the world through different eyes. I have travelled from wealthy areas to areas that are riddled with poverty and hopelessness. I have witnessed some incredible progress, but I have seen many people living in difficulty. This always reminds me that government’s role is to bridge the gap between the wealthy and the poor. It is important to bring hope to people through service delivery.”

“The DWS does not want to be seen as the department with the big stick; we want to partner with everyone and work together in protecting this precious resource. However, we do have a stick and we will act against noncompliance.”

“Although colorimetry requires a spectrophotometer or photometer, it offers convenience since most manufacturers offer premixed reagents, so it is easy to run samples with the digestion chemicals and have minimal contact. Since all the analyst needs to do is digest the samples and let the instrument do the work, colorimetry is the most common method to measure COD.”

Ralf Christoph, GM, Hanna Instruments SA

“The Netherlands has over 700 years of experience in water management. There are 21 regional water authorities in the Netherlands. Essentially a delta area, nearly half of our country is below sea level. We receive water from rivers from other countries. This makes water management for the Netherlands a national security issue, especially with the maintenance of the country’s system of dikes and pumps for flood defence. Half of our country would not exist without water management.”

“Assets connected digitally with sensors generate patterns that reveal many interesting insights, including maintenance status, underperformance, excessive energy consumption, flow, pressure, water level, pH levels, conductivity and numerous other metrics. The collected information can support operations and maintenance planning, alarms and service quality supervision.”

Traditional aeration technology has low oxygen transfer efficiency (between 10% and 15%) and high energy consumption (approximately 50% of the overall operating expenditure of the plant). Fluence Corporation MABR (membrane aerated biofilm reactor) technology is a solution to these challenges.