WATER QUALIT Y
New chlorination technology to meet South Africa’s unique needs In one of the world’s most unequal countries, it’s only logical that the South African water treatment industry applies a wide variety of solutions – from the most basic technologies in poorer, rural areas to technologically advanced systems in wealthier, urban areas.
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lorman Solutions – a subsidiary of the Control Chemicals group – offers a unique range of disinfection and treatment solutions for the water sector: from a person standing at a turbid river with a bucket of water in a remote location, to a large-scale urban waterworks employing technologically advanced, fully automated treatment systems utilising real-time feedback capabilities. “Anyone hoping to service the water and sanitation industry in South Africa, and indeed Africa, should have a multivariate approach,” says Peter Buchan, CEO, Control Chemicals. For over half a century, the group has specialised
in the development and manufacture of patented disinfection technologies (largely centred around chlorination) that are used in a variety of applications, including water treatment, hygiene and disinfection, food production/agriculture, and swimming pools. “When I joined Klorman Solutions in 1987, there was a narrative suggesting that ‘chlorination would soon be replaced’ by other formulations and technologies; however, 30 years later, the application of chlorination as the preferred disinfection agent is growing. This is because chlorination remains the most effective, versatile and economical disinfection method in the world,” explains Buchan. Buchan adds that disinfectants are used to disinfect, oxidise and break down proteinaceous biofilms. “Chlorine remains the only
The new Klorman Connect™ digital control console, including real-time feedback data-logging
disinfectant that achieves all three of these objectives with the same molecule. This has made it resilient over the years and, if applied properly, most target organisms do not develop resistance to chlorination.” Today, Klorman Solutions is one of a very small group of companies in the world with the capability to custom-blend and manufacture both dry organic and inorganic chlorine forms. “Our research and development focus has centred around developing formulations and bespoke delivery systems to harness chlorine in many different forms, systems and applications. Unlike our competitors, we are not bound to a single raw material – or raw material producer. Klorman Solutions uses the best-suited compound for the best possible application,” explains Buchan. Chlorine has an intriguing chemistry. In its purest (gaseous) form, it is highly volatile, toxic and extremely difficult to transport, store and apply. In its safest form – sodium hypochlorite (bleach) – it is in reality a weak disinfectant with low shelf-life stability and is prohibitively expensive to transport and apply. More recently, bleach has attracted international regulatory scrutiny due to its propensity to Martin Wilden (left), GM of Klorman Solutions, and Peter Buchan, CEO of Control Chemicals
