Zutari staff members play key role in conference

Many countries are grappling with problems that are highly complex and interdependent, such as water crises and youth unemployment. As our world becomes increasingly global, our decisions create ripple effects that span space, time, and disciplines.

Never has the need for interdisciplinary collaboration been stronger. This need inspired the theme of ‘Breaking Silos’,” says Anya Eilers of Zutari and national chair of the South African Young Water Professionals (YWP) forum. YWP is the youth empowerment platform of the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA).

“As young water professionals in Southern Africa, we have a pivotal role to play in supporting our continent to address these global challenges.

The women and men of WISA-YWP come from a range of institutions and academic backgrounds in the sector, and every day I am inspired by the diversity of thought and passion for what we do. They do not just represent the traditional engineers and natural scientists, but also include social scientists, economists, entrepreneurs, political leaders, writers, and many other disciplines. By combining our skills and breaking down the silos that have perpetuated in our industry, I believe we are one step closer to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,” she continues.

Commenting on the theme ‘Breaking Silos’, Eilers highlights: “There is often limited cross-collaboration between social scientists, natural scientists, engineers, and other disciplines, but there was ample engagement at the conference, which was exciting. We addressed the importance of breaking silos and challenging the status quo, such as through multidisciplinary sessions on stakeholder community engagement. The latter is key, as water and wastewater engineering represents a complex intersection of social, political, and economic factors. Breaking silos is significant, as water and wastewater engineering represents a complex intersection of social, political, and economic factors.”

“By actively supporting and mentoring the youth, who represent the future leaders in the water space, we aim to instil a sense of collaboration from the outset. Our goal is to ensure that the youth comprehend the significance of breaking down silos and actively participating in a cohesive movement. Through initiatives like the YWP Conference, we strive to make them understand the intricacies of fostering collaboration and the impact it can have in the years to come,” says Zutari’s Eugene Fotso Simo, who served as conference chair.

Zutari was further represented by the following staff members at the 7th WISA Young Water Professionals Conference:

• Frankie A' Bear: Winner of Best Oral Presentation

• Jaco Luus: Winner of Best Poster Presentation

• Jana Du Rant: Poster Presentation

• Christian Le Prince Polorigni: Oral Presentation

• Danielle Simpathee Goho: Poster Presentation

• Anya Eilers: Opening Plenary Oral Presentation

• Eugene Fotso Simo: Opening Plenary

• Timothy Carolus: Oral Presentation

• Dan Petrie: Workshop Facilitation

VEGA South Africa’s 6 000 m2 head office and warehouse in Lanseria is equipped with a water storage solution comprising two 10 000 ℓ JoJo Tanks as a backup system during water shortages. The VEGAPULS 31 radar level sensor and VEGA MET series level controller are used to manage them.

The water tanks act as a municipal water backup system in times of water outages.

Water from these tanks is used to cater for essentials like the flushing of toilets, cooking of staff meals in the kitchen, and cleaning of offices,” explains Miguel Petersen, marketing manager, VEGA South Africa.

The VEGAPULS 31 radar sensor is responsible for gauging the water level within the tanks, while the VEGA MET controller interprets these measurements from the sensor. It then uses this data to regulate the pump’s operation, primarily based on the tank levels.

In this setup, the first tank is directly connected to the primary water supply line, receiving water from the municipality. It acts as a reservoir and is linked to the second tank. When the water level in the second tank drops to a certain point, indicating a low level, the pump is activated to transfer water from the first tank into the second one. Once the tanks are full, the controller will stop the pump.