New mechanical/electrical installation at Verulam and La Mercy Pump Station

You said it in WASA

The opinions and statements shared by thought leaders in the water industry to Water&Sanitation Africa.

“Managers have pushed the pause button on training and capacity building during Covid-19, assuming we can return to a sense of past normality. But organisations cannot afford to put this on hold, as employees need capacity building now more than ever.” Lester Goldman,

CEO of WISA

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“We have established our whole economy and livelihood around these majestic dam structures, but we can so easily lose them if we don’t apply proper management procedures to keep them in that state.”

Leonard Manus, acting deputy director-general: Regulations, Compliance and Enforcement at the Department of Water and Sanitation PAGE

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“We have the president who is lobbying for investment on one side and municipalities that cannot deliver a basket of basic services on the other. Delivering water services is a building block for the reconstruction and development of our country. This is not about building new infrastructure only – it is also about fixing some very basic issues that can make an immediate and significant impact.” Dan Naidoo, chairman of WISA 09 PAGE “Everybody is focusing on alternative water sources, building dams, desalination and wastewater treatment. A lot of money is spent on treating water that is then directed into a system that is 80% inefficient. We need to create an efficient system before investing in backup or alternative water sources.” Gerrie Brink,

owner and founder of

AQUAffection 16 PAGE

“Technology has evolved, and the prices of smart devices have decreased. Ripping out all the existing hardware is probably not the best approach. Utilities need to start with a clear strategic plan to create a full ecosystem.” Joyce Moganedi,

sales manager: Power and Water at ABB Energy Industries Division PAGE

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“Individuals and companies are starting to take ownership of their own water security by using tanks provided by Rainbow Reservoirs. We can no longer rely upon rainfall or local authorities for consistent or reliable water supply. Businesses are realising that they need a bulk water reserve for the continued running of their operations during municipal water outages or restrictions. It is imperative that we all do everything we can to save and conserve water.” Quinton

Coetzee, director of marketing and business operations at Rainbow Reservoirs PAGE

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“The impacts of climate change are all around us, especially when it comes to water quality and water scarcity. Unless all sectors of society take collective responsibility, we run the major risk of polluting the few resources we have left. That will in turn push up the cost of water purification treatment and compliance, with a resulting financial knock-on effect for industry, mines and their neighbouring municipalities. That’s why it’s critical that mines and industry take full responsibility for their water cycle – from abstraction to treatment and eventual discharge.” Chris Braybrooke,

GM: Marketing, Veolia Services Southern Africa

“Water treatment can be a complex process and requires constant water testing and specialised skills. For example, phosphates found in wastewater can affect some industrial processes, while it will not affect others. A lot of mines can use treated wastewater but need to use better quality water in certain processes. If mines can use wastewater, they often find that they need bigger quantities than those available. Every mine and factory is faced with its own unique challenges with regard to water security and creating zero discharge at a feasible cost.” Leon Naude, section manager: Water Division,

PAGE Knight Piésold

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“There is no silver bullet that can fix all your water treatment problems. I have personally seen many ‘white elephants’ where millions have been spent on a plant that is simply not fit for purpose. Every industry is different, and every factory generates different wastewater. Make sure that you have a plant that will work on a bench scale.” Chris Ashmore,

general manager, Watericon PAGE

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“The mining industry is confronted with challenges such as low commodity prices, the increasing cost of electricity and production, and pressures from non-governmental organisations to provide fast and useful monitoring data. These issues are driving the mining sector to Industry 4.0, which leads to industrial transformation. However, the implementation of digital technologies drives an increase in skills demand – resulting in high-quality job creation.”

Christian Wolkersdorfer – part of the South African Research Chair Initiative for mine water management at Tshwane University of Technology PAGE

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“Effluent seldom remains consistent and its quality should, therefore, be consistently analysed and changes implemented to address any fluctuations. Some clients will have their own laboratories and quality systems in place, while others will contract Aquamat to do all the testing.”

Gavin Mwanza, head: Engineering, Aquamat

“Women, children and the elderly dominate rural populations. Many rural communities draw water from undeveloped local sources, creating ample opportunities for crime and intercommunity conflict. Collecting water is also a tremendous time burden, reducing the community's effectiveness. Addressing rural water issues is a direct win for women and children, making them safer and more productive.”

Chetan Mistry, strategy and marketing manager, Xylem Africa

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“Traditionally, septic tanks are used in rural areas that are far from the metros. A septic tank will break down solids, but it cannot treat water. With septic tanks, there is a high probability that impurities will pollute groundwater. While the National Water Act does not prevent septic tanks from being built, it does specify a level of water quality that has to be reached before discharge, and a septic tank cannot reach that level of water quality. Furthermore, honey suckers are needed to remove wastewater from septic tanks and transport the wastewater to municipal WWTPs. This is costly and often inconvenient. Therefore, many municipalities no longer approve the installation of septic tanks.” Gerhard Cronje, owner and founder, Maskam Water PAGE 38

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“Whether a company is looking to meet stricter limits or improve the quality of its discharge, one of the first decisions it will need to make is usually related to possible treatment options for the water it discharges. This is where a broader approach is valuable, because few water treatment options are completely free of environmental impact.” Xanthe Adams, principal

engineer, SRK Consulting PAGE

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“Everybody knows that bleach is cheap and chlorine gas is cheaper. But is it really? There is a long-held assumption that the cost of a chlorination programme can be determined by comparing the relative cost of the chemical (R/kg), but recent extensive studies have invalidated this perspective.” Peter Buchan, CEO of

Control Chemicals

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“Typically, we find groundwater in abundance where we don’t need it; and where we need groundwater, we don’t have it. This is due to the complexity of the geology, hydrogeology and variability in rainfall.” Yazeed

van Wyk, national treasurer, Ground Water Division

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