INDUSTRY VOICES
You said it in WASA The opinions and statements shared by thought leaders in the water industry to Water&Sanitation Africa.
“It is technology that will help to design and construct climate-resilient infrastructure. It is technology that can predict weather movements in advance to help better plan for the potentially devastating impact on our local population and infrastructure security. It is technology that can help the water and sanitation sector to make better operating decisions and drive down costs. It is technology that will align South Africa with international trends.” PAGE Kirsten Kelly, editor, WASA
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“Minister Senzo Mchunu and the entire DWS team, as well as the various consultants who did the Green Drop audits and prepared the report, should be commended. This was the culmination of a lot of work. WISA is deeply concerned about the state of wastewater treatment plants. The audit covered 995 wastewater networks and treatment works, of which 334 (39%) of municipal wastewater systems were identified to be in a critical state in PAGE 2021.” Lester Goldman, CEO, WISA
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“The massive devastation faced by KZN provides an opportunity to build from the bottom up; we can build infrastructure differently – infrastructure that is safer, smarter and more resilient. We need to rebuild with a sense of greater care for people, property and the environment. We must rebuild infrastructure that will benefit the vulnerable and future generations.” Dan Naidoo, PAGE chairman, WISA
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“The design capacity – the number of megalitres per day of wastewater a plant can treat – is always a focus point for local government. However, it has become important to determine how many megalitres per day a plant can treat with ageing infrastructure and failing equipment. We need to use wastewater process modelling to calculate the actual functional capacity of WWTWs.” Chris Brouckaert, senior research fellow, UKZN WASH PAGE R&D Centre
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“The majority of imported meters do not comply with South African standards – robbing the consumer, as they are often inaccurate. This trend frequently occurs in gated communities, as these meters are perceived to be cheap. But it is illegal to use meters that do not comply with the prescribed standards. It is a strenuous process to comply, but it is worthwhile, as it ensures that consumers receive a quality product.” PAGE Edwin Sibiya, chairman, SAMIA
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“We are committed to par tnering with global and local institutions to provide research and innovation information in pursuit of a sustainable water sector at both national and continental levels. The Rand Water Institute strives to be an innovation, research and development hub in integrated water resources management in Africa.” Dr Fawcett Ngoatje, head, PAGE Rand Water Institute
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“Water service delivery is a core responsibility for districts and local municipalities, whether as a WSA or a water services provider. With integrated water resource management, municipal officials have to adopt a holistic and integrated approach to water service delivery and water resource management. They would have to consider the health of rivers and wetlands, in addition to delivering water and sanitation to households.” Dr Masindi Mapholi, Directorate: Water Services Planning Support, Department of Water and Sanitation PAGE
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