360 Vol 1 Nr 3 2011 – R49
transparency on bottled water
The household water filter market Tap water vs bottled mineral water • sustainable packaging
Contents
in this issue
Vol 1 NR 3 2011
design 03 The utilization of Mhlabatshane dam to
serve community
solutions 04 All-in-one drive system
03
feature: water filter 06 The ins and outs of the household
water-filter market
projects & case studies 08 Water the number one priority
06
feature: bottled water 10 Transparency on bottled water resource management 14 Drinking water quality 15 Treatment for water recycling in breweries
- Part 2
08
news 16 Company invests in fun ways to educate
kids in science
17
Keep taps on your drinking-water quality
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E D I TO R ’ S NOTE
investigating the household water filter market In this issue of WATER 360, we not only look at the quality of our drinking water (see page 14), but we also tackle the issue of household water filters. Filters have become very popular in South African households lately, but have caused some controversy in the media. This has fuelled the public’s awareness of the quality of their tap water and what they are putting into their bodies. We take a look at the findings of a study that the University of Johannesburg did recently on the quality of public drinking water, as well as the types of water filters available. Apart from the results, the article also covers the certification and types of water filter systems, as well as choosing the appropriate system for your application. Read more on page 6.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, the editorial team or its agents. Although the utmost care is taken to ensure accuracy of the published content, the publisher, editor and journalists cannot be held liable for inaccurate information contributed, supplied or published.
Marlene E van Rooyen
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Publisher: Media in Africa (Pty) Ltd • www.25degrees.net International Contact Information: Tel: +27 12 347 7530 Fax: +27 12 347 7523 • E-mail: marlene@25degrees.net Postal Address: PO Box 25260, Monument Park, 0105, Republic of South Africa Physical Address: First Floor, Unit G, Castle Walk Corporate Park, Cnr Nossob & Swakop Streets, Erasmuskloof Ext. 3, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
The team: Editor: Marlene van Rooyen Tel: +27 83 327 3746 • E-mail: marlene@25degrees.net Founder: Schalk Burger (1943 – 2006) Publishing Manager: Liezel van der Merwe Financial Manager: Fanie Venter Assistant Business unit manager: Alida Edwards Tel: +27 82 325 6617 • E-mail: alida@25degrees.net Accountant: Gerda Bezuidenhout E-mail: gerda@mediainafrica.co.za Advertising sales professional: Shannon Pringle Tel: +27 84 619 8023 • E-mail: shannon@25degrees.net Senior Journalist: Theresa van Tonder Tel: +27 82 325 0332 • E-mail: theresa@25degrees.net Journalist: Nichelle Lemmer Tel: +27 72 209 2040 • E-mail: nichelle@25degrees.net business unit coordinator: Zuerita Gouws Tel: +27 12 347 7530 • E-mail: zuerita@25degrees.net Design and Layout: Ilze Janse van Rensburg Proofreader: Elizabeth Kruger Reproduction & Printing: Business Print Centre 360 Vol 1 NR 3 2011
design
The utilization of Mhlabatshane Dam to serve community After years of planning and consultation with communities in the uMzumbe and Hibiscus Coast local municipalities, Umgeni Water is implementing a bulk water-supply scheme. One of the key elements is the R85-million Mhlabatshane Dam on the Mhlabatshane River, including the installation of infrastructure like pump stations and rising mains, new water-treatment works and holding tanks. The project will ensure a reliable supply of potable water to over 100 000 people in the rural areas around the coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The steep, single-lane access gravel road to the remote site where the dam is situated was a big challenge to overcome during the construction phase of the project. This made delivery of all construction materials difficult and ruled out the use of a conventional concrete-batch plant. Lafarge came up with a proposal to position a fully-mobile batch plant on site to produce their Readymix concrete. Cyclone Construction, the main contractor of the project, awarded the concrete-supply contract to Lafarge after they provided a solution to overcome the challenge.
a major stumbling block when they first approached suppliers and transporters. “Many parties were not prepared to take the risk. Fortunately everyone on site has adopted a safety-first approach and we have not had any accidents.” Construction work on the dam started in late August 2010 and is nearing the halfway mark. “After our initial reservations about the production rate and quality from the mobile concrete plant, the supply has been consistent,” says Raj Ramchuran, director of Bosch Stemele, the consulting engineers on the project. “The associated raw-water pipeline, which was a separate contract, was completed at the end of June. Tenders for the other main elements of the bulk water-supply scheme, a reservoir and a water-treatment works, are in the process of being awarded. At this stage everything is on track for commissioning in April 2012.”
“We had the right equipment and experience to tackle the job,” says Marco Sebastiano, Lafarge’s manager for Project Plants. “Using one of our semimobile batch plants, we were on site and ready to produce in no time. This versatile unit can supply an average of 450m³/day with a peak output of over 50m³/hour, that copes with the current average project usage of around 200m³/day.” He says that Lafarge already supplied 16 000m³ of concrete out of the estimated requirement of 30 000m³ for the project.
Cyclone Construction specialises in all types of civil concrete work and has extensive experience of working in remote areas. “The location of this dam is certainly challenging,” Dave Roux, site agent of Cyclone Construction, says. “Once completed, the dam and the water reticulation network it is supplying will be an enormous benefit to thousands of people who previously had to get their water from the Mhlabatsane River.”
According to Sebastiano, all the raw materials are being sourced locally. “The pre-blended CEM III cement comes from the Cimpor NPC plant in Durban and the independently-owned Port Shepstone Quarry is supplying 19mm stone.” Contingency planning for the access road, which is becoming impassable during periods of heavy rain, included installing a 180-ton capacity cement silo.
Full acknowledgement and thanks are given to Lafarge for the information used in this article.
Sebastiano says the problems associated with the access road were
Lafarge Tel: +27 82 328 475 51 Fax: +27 86 634 5052 E-mail: marco.sebastiano@lafarge-za.lafarge.com Website: www.lafarge.com
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solutions
Paul Strzalkowski, the electronics product manager of SEW Eurodrive South Africa.
All-in-one drive system
Drive solutions innovator, SEW-Eurodrive, has released the MOVIGEAR B, the latest extension to the company’s MOVIGEAR family of all-in-one decentralised mechatronic drive systems. The MOVIGEAR B series comprises motor-, gear-unit and drive electronics in a single, compact housing. Additional features such as four communication variant options, new safety functionality and a specific wet area variant, make the MOVIGEAR B one of the most versatile decentralised drive solutions on the market today.
End-users can expect energy-cost savings as high as 30% to 40%, making this an all-in-one cost-effective drive option for conveyor applications across a wide range of industries.” The MOVIGEAR B is offered in the following communication variants: MOVIGEAR DBC-B (direct binary communication), MOVIGEAR DAC-B (direct AS-interface communication), MOVIGEAR SNI-B (single-line network installation) and MOVIGEAR DSC-B (direct SBus communications).
Drive solutions innovator, SEW-Eurodrive, has released the MOVIGEAR B, the latest extension to the company’s MOVIGEAR family of all-in-one decentralised mechatronic drive systems.
“The extended choice of communication variants allows users to implement decentralised drive applications across a range of installation and communication topologies,” comments Strzalkowski. “This provides the industry with optimised installation and operational flexibility.” Featuring a hygienic housing, MOVIGEAR B is ideal for food and beverage application fields. “MOVIGEAR B features a smooth housing without external fins. The totally enclosed design prevents debris build-up and also serves to reduce noise,” says Strzalkowski. “A special ‘wet area’ variant with anti-stick surface coating is also available, making this an ideal drive solution for applications where hygiene is paramount.” Importantly, the entire MOVIGEAR B series is equipped with “safe torque off’ (STO) integrated safety functionality as standard, designed to SIL 3 according to IEC 61800-5-2. This guarantees that torque cannot be generated out of the MOVIGEAR when the safety-related STO input is activated.
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All-in-one drive solution, the MOVIGEAR B, allows users to implement decentralised drive applications across a range of installation and communication topologies.
The MOVIGEAR B is offered in two constant torque sizes, 200 and 400 Nm, and is available in a choice of keyless TorqLoc or keyed hollow-shaft mounting systems. Furthermore, all variants are equipped with digital inputs and facilitate local manual operation. Additionally with an optimised interface between motor and gear unit, MOVIGEAR B is inherently energy-efficient.
“The new MOVIGEAR B line-up has a permanent-field servomotor, highly efficient gearings and new electronic components with intelligent control mode,” says Paul Strzalkowski, the electronics product manager at SEWEurodrive. “The result is a mechatronic drive being able to deliver up to 300% start-up torques with optimised constant-speed power consumption.
SEW-Eurodrive Paul Strzalkowski, SEW-Eurodrive electronics product manager Cellphone: +27 82 571 3401 E-mail: pstrzalkowski@sew.co.za Website: www.sew.co.za
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solutions
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f e at u r e : wat e r f i lt e r
The ins
and outs of the
household water-filter market Written by Nichelle Lemmer New research results on water-filter systems The UJ scientists recently released the findings of their study performed on public drinking water quality. The focus of the research on drinking water quality was to explore the quality of municipal tap water and home water-treatment devices for the treatment of tap water in urban household settings. “The aim of the research is to educate the general public in South Africa on water quality as well as the types of filters available so that they can make an informed decision if they decide they need a water filter,” says Dr Tobias Barnard, director of the Water and Health Research Centre at UJ. “We know that in some areas of South Africa water quality might not be up to standard. Consumers also buy filters to remove the taste of chlorine or any contaminants that might be in the water. We want consumers to be aware of the fact that all filters are not the same or of the same standard.” The findings of the study are based on a Water Research Commission funded research project undertaken by Barnard and his colleagues at UJ’s Faculty of Health Sciences’ Water and Health Research Centre in association with the National Health Laboratory Services. Further research into the standards and certification of household waterfilter systems on the market is underway. “We want to make sure that customers are introduced to quality products that will raise the standards of available products on the market,” says Barnard. “The results of this study will be revealed in due course.” Choosing the appropriate water-filter system
T
he quality of drinking water in South Africa rendered some controversial headlines in the media in recent years. This resulted in an increase of public awareness on the quality of tap water and created opportunities for growth in the residential water-filtering system market. Unfortunately this market is also bombarded with products sold, due to the public reacting out of fear rather than sound facts. Scientists from the Water and Health Research Centre at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the National Health Laboratory services aimed to demystify false information used to sell residential water-filter systems to help the public to make a more informed decision when investing in this market.
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According to Barnard, it is a daunting task to choose the right home watertreatment system that will cater for the needs of a specific household. He says it is important to know what the water quality at a specific house is before choosing a water-filter system that will complement this. “Home water-treatment systems use various technologies to remove pollutants from water. The devices can use one treatment technology or a combination of various treatments to remove specific contaminants.” Barnard says customers should be aware of the limitations of the system they choose. “First investigate what type of water can be treated with the device you choose to complement what you want to remove from the water.” Separate fact from fiction Chlorine levels in drinking water are a hot topic and is used as a sales pitch by marketers to sell home water-treatment devices. Barnard says “customers should be aware that chlorine levels of houses closer to a
f e at u r e : wat e r f i lt e r
Water-filter systems available on the market: • Activated carbon filter: Removes chlorine, volatile organic compounds, some synthetic organic compounds and general taste and odour problems. • Reverse osmosis: Removes more contaminants than any other treatment system, except distillation. This includes some organic chemicals, pesticides, bacteria, viruses, uranium and radium. • Ion exchange: There are two types in this category. Cation exchange units remove positively charged ions, inorganic compounds such as iron and manganese ions, arsenic, chromium and hard water minerals like calcium and magnesium. Anion exchange units remove negatively charged ions such as nitrates, bicarbonate, selenium and sulphate. • Micro filtration: Removes small particles and suspended solids such as ferric iron, clay, silt and sand, and more pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and colloids. • Distillation: Removes dissolved minerals, trace amounts of metals and some toxic chemicals. • Aeration: Dissolved gasses like radon, carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen-sulphide, as well as volatile organic compounds like MTBE or industrial solvents. Aeration can be used for the precipitation and removal of dissolved iron and manganese. • Ultraviolet radiation: Efficient at inactivating vegetative and sporous forms of bacteria, viruses and other pathogenic micro-organisms. • Ozone: Inactivation of pathogenic organisms, including bacteria and viruses, phenols (aromatic organic compounds), some colour, taste and odour problems, iron, manganese and turbidity. • Activated alumina: Used primarily for removing fluoride and arsenic.
reservoir where chlorine dosing occurs can be higher, however a small amount of chlorine is needed in pipes to prevent bacterial growth.” Another point to consider is that sanitation practices in one’s house can also influence water quality. “The faucet outlet of a tap can become contaminated from various sources and contaminants can enter water when the tap is open.” One should also consider looking at the quality of their in-house plumbing, which can also have an influence on water quality. “The general public are unaware of the fact that house-hold plumbing can indirectly affect water quality supply to their homes and this is due to bad maintenance on their part and the Water Service Authorities are not to blame for this influence on poor water quality.” Certification According to Barnard, certification of water-filter systems can be done either for the effectiveness of the treatment technology used for the individual device components or for systems quality management. “There are a number of different standards and different levels of compliance within the standards.” Barnard says certification does not mean much unless one knows exactly what each specific certification standard stands for.
An upside to the market According to the World Health Organisation, studies have shown that improving the microbiological quality of household water by on-site or point-of-use treatment reduces diarrheal and other waterborne diseases in communities and households of developing as well as developed countries where safe potable water is not supplied. The organisation is of the opinion that the extent to which improving drinking water quality at the household level reduces diarrheal disease probably depends on a variety of technology-related as well as site-specific environmental and demographic factors that require further investigation, characterisation and analyses. Reductions in household diarrheal diseases of 6% to 90% have been observed, depending on the technology and the exposed population and local conditions. According to the organisation, the most promising and accessible of the technologies for household water treatment are filtration with ceramic filters, chlorination with storage in an improved vessel, solar disinfection in clear bottles by the combined action of UV radiation and heat, thermal disinfection (pasteurization) in opaque vessels with sunlight from solar cookers or reflectors and combination systems employing chemical coagulation-flocculation, sedimentation, filtration and chlorination. All these systems have been shown to dramatically improve the microbiological quality of water. They say that further development, refinement, implementation, evaluation and comparison of household water treatment and safe storage technologies is both justified and encouraged. Full acknowledgement and thanks are given to the University of Johannesburg for the information used to write this article. Water and Health Research Centre University of Johannesburg Tel: +27 11 559 6342 E-mail: tgbarnard@uj.ac.za 360
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p r o j e c t s & c a s e s t u di e s
The availability of water is key to sustainable urban development in South Africa. That is why the eThekwini Municipality’s Water and Sanitation (EWS) Unit’s number one priority is to deliver water to people efficiently, economically, reliably and fairly.
Water the
number one priority
C
urrently, the city distributes an average of 900-million litres of water to 3,5-million people each day. Speaking ahead of World Habitat Day, EWS head Neil Macleod warned that, without critical interventions within the next five years, water restrictions and increased interruptions are a distinct possibility. The worst-case scenario would be for water shortages to restrict or derail both industrial and residential developments in key areas, reducing the prospect of much-needed employment and housing. “This would impact on projects such as the Dube Tradeport, proposed large housing projects for poor families such as Cornubia and new developments in the north and west of Durban. No municipality would like to see that, so we are trying to make sure that this doesn’t happen,” added Macleod. According to the United Nations, 14 African countries already face water scarcity (with less than 1 000 cubic metres of water available per person per year). At least five more countries, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Morocco and South Africa, are expected to face water scarcity within the next 10 years. This is likely to be exacerbated by population growth, urbanisation and climate change.
“Population growth and economic development are the two major drivers of Durban’s water problem. With the democratisation of South Africa, the operational area of eThekwini Municipality increased tenfold, creating massive engineering challenges when it came to delivering safe water and sanitation. “The eThekwini region is still seeing increased migration from rural areas,
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so the population growth rate is above the national average. 2010 saw the highest growth in five years with an additional 30 000 families in the city needing services,” said Macleod. The threat of water restrictions is already very real. “We are at a point where our dams are unable to sustain the current demand over an extended period and the risk of failure is one in 15 years – this means severe water rationing every 15 years as opposed to every 50 years in the past. Durban’s last water restrictions were in 1997 and they are now overdue. A water restrictions committee was set up last year. The only reason why we have not introduced restrictions or rationing is because we have enjoyed aboveaverage rainfall for a number of years.” Macleod explained that, ordinarily, seven years of wet weather is followed by seven years of drier weather. The year 2010 was an anomaly. “As the fourth-driest year in the history of this part of the country, it has been a blip in the sequence of wet years. The situation can turn around very fast. It could flip back to a dry cycle. The impact will be felt the moment we have a drier year.” For Macleod, the greatest concern is that without dams that meet the city’s needs, the risks associated with water shortages are higher. “You get into trouble far quicker. At present, we are seeing that storms are less frequent and more intense. This means you need bigger dams because these dams are not topped up as frequently.” However, the national government has delayed key infrastructural projects such as the building of the Spring Grove Dam, which was due by 2008. Construction begins this year and completion is scheduled for 2014. “The
p r o j e c t s & c a s e s t u di e s plants in the Durban area. Each will be capable of purifying 150-million litres of seawater and will have a life cycle of at least 15 years. For the time being, however, the most effective way of meeting Durban’s growing need for water is to optimise the use to which the city already has access. Macleod said that, for property developers, this meant being far more creative when designing projects. Projects designed to use rainwater and recycled water from the outset are more likely to be approved. He added that, in light of the fact that many developers are banking their water allocations, EWS intended looking more closely at how these are issued. “We need to free up water that has been allocated, but is not being used.” Water-saving measures and substantial investments in maintenance and infrastructure are expected to ensure that the quantity of bulk water purchased over the next three years remains steady in spite of an expected two percent annual growth in actual consumption. Interventions include the replacement of aged reticulation piping, the monitoring, management and reduction of non-revenue water and EWS’s R600-million “Sustainable Water and Sanitation Development Programme for Indigent Communities” project, which is expected to provide 800 000 people living in informal settlements with safe drinking water and sanitation.
Children pour household water from a communal tap in an informal settlement.
Spring Grove Dam will be inadequate for our needs the day when it is completed. It is not a long-term solution as it doesn’t provide additional capacity going forward.” In addition, these much-needed bigger dams are becoming economically unviable. The proposed Mkomazi Scheme, which includes damming the Mkomazi River, is not only likely to run into considerable opposition, but comes with an estimated price tag of R20-billion. “If it goes ahead, it will not be ready before 2030, and that is our most optimistic estimate,” said Macleod. Because traditional dam building is becoming unaffordable from both economic and environmental perspectives, he said more innovative measures are needed. These include recycling plants and desalination of seawater. He confirmed that EWS is looking at ways to reuse wastewater and to recover nutrients such as phosphates for agricultural use. “The reality is that there is no choice, we have to reuse and recycle water and harvest rainwater. The single most important thing is to do this safely as maintaining public health is paramount.” Recycling is not new to EWS. “We have water-reclamation works that convert 35 000kl of domestic sewage into second-class industrial water every day. This is almost to drinking water standards. It is then sold for use in industrial processes. The companies benefit from utilising cheaper water. From our perspective, we can then send our precious potable water to consumers who need it most.” Umgeni Water is also currently exploring the construction of two desalination
Since 2007, substantial reductions in water leaks and theft of water have cut consumption by 12%. This is expected to fall further, from current levels of 33% to 20%. According to the World Bank, this would place the eThekwini Municipality in the top 35% of water-supplier organisations in the developed world and in the top 15% in the developing world. Key to this is EWS’s R1,6-billion Asbestos Cement (AC) replacement programme, which ended in mid-2010 and is expected to give the city at least 50 years of leak-free service. EWS is also replacing faulty water mains and meters, reducing illegal water connections and installing pressure controllers to reduce the number and frequency of pipe bursts. “This equates to a reduction in overall water loss of 105-million litres daily. Every R1m invested in pressure management translates into a R3-million saving on water loss,” Macleod explained. EWS will also continue to invest in much-needed infrastructure. The R864million second phase of the Western Aqueduct project, the single largest bulk water-supply pipeline contract ever undertaken by EWS, is expected to be commissioned by 2014. This will significantly strengthen the capacity of bulk water supply to the western and northern regions of eThekwini by injecting 325 Ml per day with the capacity to potentially peak up to 470 Ml per day. The Northern Aqueduct Augmentation Scheme, which is expected to go out on tender in February 2012, is expected to inject approximately 150 Ml per day into the northern regions of Durban. For more information regarding water scarcity in South Africa, please visit www.waterindustry.org. 360
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f e at u r e : b o t t l e d wat e r
Transparency on bottled
water
“In South Africa today, bottled water is a food-product category of its own, and is regulated by the Department of Health as such,” said John Weaver of the South African National Bottled Water Association (SANBWA).
T
his was not always the case. Bottled water was previously regulated according to the general safety and quality criteria governing the production of food. Bottled water as a consumer product in South Africa constitutes only 1,4% of the total beverage industry while Africa constitutes only 3,3% of the global bottled water market. Recently, the Swiss Gas Association commissioned a study comparing the environmental impact of bottled water versus tap water, in an effort to truly understand whether drinking tap water is healthier for the planet than drinking bottled water. The study found that when comparing unrefrigerated, carbonated tap water with bottled mineral water, the environmental impact of bottled water is five to eight times higher than that of carbonated tap water. According to the South African National Bottled Water Association (SANBWA), some seek to ban bottled water referring to price, quality and environmental and health impact concerns. SANBWA feels that this rationale is flawed. Firstly these people demonise bottled water and canonise tap water while ignoring the cost, quality and health benefits, and environmental impact of other beverages. Secondly the decisions regarding this matter are built on misconceptions and not hard facts, and lastly they have not taken human behaviour and consumption patterns into consideration. A study by Nestlé Waters North America found that only approximately 30% of bottled water drinkers will choose tap water when bottled water is not available and that the remaining 70% will prefer another type of bottled beverage. While convinced that banning bottled water is an ill-thought through reaction to a very real threat to the earth’s environmental well-being, SANBWA and its members are adamant that proper environmental stewardship and an educated and willing consumer can reduce the environmental impact of all beverage production and consumption, and not just that of bottled water. SANBWA adds that its members only use sustainable water sources and work according to standards that ensure their products have a smaller carbon footprint and a smaller water footprint than any other bottled liquid. Furthermore, the amount of groundwater used in the production of South Africa’s total annual bottled water stock is no more than the amount of water used each year to irrigate an 18-hole golf course.
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Defining water types: Approximately 70% of all bottled water in South Africa is natural water. This means that the water of a certain composition, obtained directly from a natural or drilled underground source, is bottled near the source under hygienic conditions. Permitted treatment includes separation from unstable constituents such as iron-manganese, sulphur or arsenic by means of filtration or decantation, without modifying the original mineral content of the water. Water defined by origin: Approximately 20% of all bottled water in South Africa is defined by origin. This means that the water is from a specific environmental source, such as a spring, that does not pass a community water system. Permitted treatments include removing or eliminating dissolved gasses and unstable constituents. Reduction or separation of elements originally present in excess of maximum limits as stipulated in SANBWA’s standards without modifying the general mineral composition of the water. A single or combination of antimicrobial treatments such as 0,2 micron filtration, heat sterilisation, UV treatment or coronation. Addition of air, oxygen, ozone or CO2. Mineral water: This is bottled water obtained directly from subterranean water-bearing strata, which contains mineral salts in various proportions, characterised by its mineral content of constant composition and temperature, taking into account natural cycles and fluctuations. It may be classified as natural water or as water defined by origin. Spring water: Bottled water sourced from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth, which is collected from the spring or from a borehole tapping the underground formation, and which may be classified as natural water or as water defined by origin. Prepared water: Approximately 10% of all bottled water in South Africa is prepared water. This is water that has undergone antimicrobial treatment as well as treatment that alters the original physical or chemical properties of the water. Permitted treatments include antimicrobial treatment. (UV is not allowed as a sole antimicrobial treatment.) Treatments to remove or reduce chemical substances above maximum limits, including treatments that modify the physiochemical composition and characteristics of the original water source. Remineralisation, the prepared packaged water, must meet the requirements for bottled water stipulated in SANBWA’s standards. Environmental impact According to SANBWA, bottled water companies are reducing their environmental footprint by using lighter weight plastics. Today bottles weigh 27% less than what they did seven years ago.The bottles are made of PET, a by-product from oil manufacturing, and are 100% recyclable. Alternative packaging solutions, such as recycled content, are also being developed and used. The bottled water industry financially supports comprehensive recycling programmes and partners with the recycling industry, such as PETCO. The rather emotional argument here is that bottled water businesses deplete natural resources of water and have no green conscience. In addition, it is argued that the bottles used for bottling water create unjustifiable waste, use up oil and taint the environment.
f e at u r e : b o t t l e d wat e r In Europe, the European Federation of Bottled Waters dismisses these claims saying “the bottled water industry in the European Union uses renewable water resources, extracts less than 0,02% of the total groundwater each year and does not waste water as many piped water systems do through leakage”. In South Africa, legislation covering the use of groundwater is well developed and is biased towards ensuring the sustainability of our water resources, rather than depleting them. In addition, SANBWA adds that the business costs associated with bottling natural water also act as an incentive for responsible resource management. In the first instance, legislation requires that any company pumping water from natural sources needs to install a permanent bottling plant before it can start pumping the water. This is a considerable capital investment. Additional costs include acquiring the land, source development and protection. It is simply not viable to set up a plant to run an aquifer dry. Furthermore, according to SANBWA, bottled water production in South Africa is an extremely water-efficient business. It takes only 1,7 litres of water to make 1 litre of bottled water. This is the explanation: The term water usage refers to how much water is used (volume) to make a finished product. This measure, sometimes called water footprint, includes both direct and indirect water usage (in the bottled water industry, that would be water for rinsing and sanitising bottles, plant and general cleaning and sanitation, vehicle washing, floor washing, toilets etc.) and includes water from boreholes and municipal sources. The South African industry benchmark is 1.7:1, and there are plants that achieve ratios of as low as 1,3 to 1,4 by recycling their bottle-rinse water. The following are examples of other water footprints: • 1kg of beef – 16 000 litres of water • 1kg of maize – 900 litres of water • 1 cup of coffee – 140 litres of water • 1 sheet of A4 paper – 10 litres of water • 1 litre of bottled water – 1,7 litres of water Packaging Globally, some 15-million tons of bottle-PET resin are made every year. Most of this goes to the developed economies, but some 1,5-million tons finds its way into the Africa-Middle East region and just over 140 000 tons into South Africa itself.
The figure for the total PET recycled is 26%. This is equivalent to some 37 361 tons in a local market of 142 000 tons consumed. It is important to point out that, unlike several developed countries, South Africa recycles all its PET bottles in the country and does not send any as packaging waste to China for conversion. Today, the value of a used PET bottle through PETCO’s subsidy and market conditions (the price of goods made with the used bottles, and including new PET pellets) is up to R3,50 per kilogram delivered to the recycler. This is equivalent to almost 20 cents for a 2-litre soft-drink bottle, and about 10 cents for a used 500ml water bottle. In addition to recycling efforts, materials are getting lighter and bottles are using fewer natural resources. Bottles currently weigh 27% less than seven years ago. The upshot is that the amount of PET going into landfills is tiny. Furthermore, PET has a 2,5 times lower carbon footprint than glass. When it comes to packaging, bottled water constitutes only 1,3% of the total beverage industry in South Africa. To be effective, efforts to reduce the environmental impact of packaging must therefore focus on all consumer goods and not just target only one industry. The same survey mentioned above, http://beveragelcafootprint.com, explored the environmental impact of bottled water and competitor beverages in detail. Broadly, this survey found that: • Bottled water represents less than one-tenth of one percent of an average consumer’s overall environmental footprint. • Consumption of water of all types (both bottled and tap) accounts for 41% of beverage consumption, while producing only 12% of the associated impact on climate change. In comparison, the combination of milk, coffee, beer, wine and juice provide just 28% of the volume of beverages consumed, but are associated with 58% of the climate change impact. • Water, in all its forms, is the best beverage option for the environment. Tap water, due to the lack of elaborate treatment, packaging and bulk supply, scores better on the environmental score card as drinking water, but bottled water, categorised as a food, has the lightest environmental footprint of all packaged beverages, one that can be reduced by 25% simply by recycling the bottle. However, there is significant variation within the categories of bottled and tap water
Of the 150 000 tons used in South Africa, about 80% is manufactured here and used for many food packaging types like bottles, trays, jars and the like. Beverage PET, however, accounts for 70% of this local consumption. PET is 100% recyclable into fibres for pillows, duvets, insulation and such products, and some back into new PET plastic for new bottles. Water bottles are the cleanest and easiest to recycle. Every year, the country’s businesses and consumers are recycling more, and the industry is working hard to ensure these efforts are sustained and grown. Unaudited 2010 figures show that 38% beverage PET was recycled that year. The target for 2015 is 50% beverage PET. 360
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f e at u r e : b o t t l e d wat e r examined and sensitivity results show potential for wide variation within each of these categories. The conclusions drawn are therefore subject to the conditions of consumer use and the specifics of beverage packaging and distribution.
to water has the effect of lowering the pH, in other words, making the water more acidic on the palate. Compare a still and sparkling water from the same producer, and the increased acidity of the sparkling water should be very evident.
Groundwater age
Water with a very low mineral content, such as water from the Western Cape, has a TDS or mineral content of less than about 50 to 80 milligrams per litre (the main minerals are sodium and chloride). The pH of these waters is also often less than seven. As a result, the sparkling version of this type of water is quite acidic on the palate. In addition, because of the low TDS, it has a low taste profile and its “freshness” therefore gives an impression of drinking water from a high mountain stream.
Unlike wine, that needs to mature, the quality of mineral water is not determined by its age. The age of groundwater could, however, influence the mineral composition, and thus the taste. On average very young groundwater (also bottled rainwater) does not have much time to absorb minerals as it travels through the various rock formations. Therefore it tends to have low total dissolved-solids TDS levels and a light, clean taste. This groundwater is mostly captured at higher elevations in the more mountainous areas. In South Africa, this will typically be in the Natal Drakensberg area. Old water may have a more substantial taste profile, although one does find old water with low levels of mineral content. The age of water is less important than the local geology.
Alkaline water is a water which contains calcium and often magnesium as the predominant dissolved minerals. These raise the pH and alkalinity of the water to provide a broad and full-bodied mouth feel. In the sparkling version, this water is quite complex and will accompany many different dishes. Sulphate water is one that has high levels of sulphate, often accompanied by magnesium. This water has a hint of bitterness, which most people find attractive and will match creamy and sweetish dishes. In South Africa, this is water that is seldom encountered.
Taste profiles At first, you may not be able to discern any taste differences between the different bottled waters you buy. They may, in fact, all taste like water – neutral and tasteless. However, if you compare waters from different sources, you will discover their different characters and complexities, and that certain waters go better with certain foods. Below are descriptions of how just a handful of the waters can differ: A sparkling water is still water with carbon-dioxide gas added. CO2 added
For more information regarding the tap vs bottled water report, please visit: http://www.25degrees.net. For more in-depth information regarding this article, please visit: www.sanbwa.co.za, http://wineenabler.com/comparingthe-carbon-footprint-of-plastic-and-glass-wine-bottles/, www.finewaters. com, or read more on water taste profiles in “Water on the table – A guide to serving and drinking bottled water” by Jenna Gough and John Weaver. 25 Degrees in Africa would like to give thanks to SANBWA for contributing to this article.
Sustainable packaging A
ccording to The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), the role of its packaging is to deliver its products safely to its consumers.The Company adds that there are other benefits as well. These benefits include the fact that the packaging extends the beverage’s shelf-life, minimizes breakage and spoilage, reduces transportation and handling costs, offers product information and provides convenience to the consumer. Over the years, the Company has evolved its packaging in order to minimize the Company’s impact on the environment. Some of the key dates that helped Coca-Cola toward its long-term goal for zero waste: 1969: The Company commissioned the first study to examine the whole environmental impact of a food and beverage package, helping to lay the framework for the life-cycle assessment methodology used today. Only
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through knowing what their environmental footprint is and understanding the factors that influence it, can they make progress in reducing their impact. As science and technology progress, they expect their package designs will continue to evolve to use fewer nonrenewable materials, therebylightening their footprint on the planet. 1978: The Coca-Cola Company introduced the world to the innovative 2-litre polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) plastic bottle. The PET plastic bottle became popular for many reasons: it doesn’t break, it’s resealable, it’s lightweight and it’s recyclable. Since its introduction, the PET plastic bottle has evolved as science and technology have progressed. PET plastic bottles have become more environmentally-sustainable by improving efficiency, increasing recycling and advancing recycled-material use. 1991: The Coca-Cola Company was the first company to launch a beverage bottle made with recycled content. Since then the Company has led the industry in its global use of recycled-content PET plastic bottles. Scientists and innovative entrepreneurs even turn used PET bottles into other
f e at u r e : b o t t l e d wat e r products, such as T-shirts, fleece jackets, notebooks and tote bags. In fact, the Coca-Cola teams working at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games wore uniforms made of recycled plastic bottles. • Extreme winter weather wear – 103 bottles. • Warmer temperatures wear – 55 bottles. • Total kit, including backpack and duffle bag – 238 bottles. 1999: Coca-Cola opened its first bottle-to-bottle recycling plant in Australia. Since then, the Company and its bottlers have opened similar facilities in Austria, Mexico, the Philippines and the United States. 2009: The Coca-Cola Company introduced PlantBottleTM packaging, the first PET plastic bottle made partially from plants that is also a completely recyclable bottle. PlantBottleTM packaging reduces the Company’s dependence on non-renewable resources such as petroleum and reduces potential carbon dioxide emissions from the PET plastic bottles.
packaging is up to 15% made from plants and 50% recycled materials. The Company’s ultimate goal is a carbon-neutral, 100% renewable, responsibly sourced bottle that is fully recyclable. Advantages of PlantBottle® packaging PlantBottle® look, feels and functions just like traditional PET, but it does so with a lighter footprint on the planet and its scarce resources. PlantBottle® is fully recyclable in the existing community-recycling programmes and can be transformed back into new bottles or the wide variety of other products made from recycled PET today. It has the same performance as other PET bottles, meaning there’s no difference in shelf life, weight, chemical composition or appearance.
PlantBottle®
Because it’s made partially from plants, it reduces potential carbon dioxide emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. The use of PlantBottle® packaging in 2010 alone eliminated almost 30 000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.
PlantBottle® is Coca-Cola’s latest breakthrough innovation in beverage packaging. It is the first ever fully recyclable PET plastic beverage bottle made partially from plants.
Another advantage is its ability to strengthen the brand’s connections to customers and consumers. People are responding very positively to the package in each market where it is introduced.
The difference between PlantBottle® and traditional PET plastic bottles is in the materials used to make the bottle. Traditional PET plastic is made using fossil fuels, like petroleum. PlantBottle® is made with a combination of traditional materials and up to 30% from plants
Currently, PlantBottle® is made using sugarcane ethanol from Brazil. Sugarcane ethanol from Brazil is the only first-generation biofuel that is widely recognised by thought leaders globally for its unique environmental and social performance.
Because the end-product is still PET plastic, the PlantBottle® package delivers the same performance regarding shelf-life, recyclability, weight, chemical composition and appearance, but it reduces potential carbon dioxide emissions from PET plastic bottles.
Most sugarcane in Brazil is grown on degraded pastures located over 2 000 km from the Amazon, so it has a lower impact on biodiversity. The Company sources sugarcane ethanol from farms that use effective cultivation processes - the sugarcane is predominantly rain-fed and mechanically harvested.
PET plastic is made up of two components — you can think of them as ingredients: MEG (monoethylene glycol), which makes up 30% of the PET by weight, and PTA (purified terephthalic acid), which makes up the other 70%. The Company has found a way to make MEG from plants, which is why they say their bottles are made from up to 30% plants. Coca-Cola uses the term “up to” because they want to be clear with consumers around the world that the exact amount of material made from plants may vary somewhat as the bottle production starts up or winds down. Some mixing of bio-based resin and non-bio-based resin can occur as the production lines making the bottles have a transition between resins, slightly diluting the percentage of material made from plants. Currently the other 70% of the PET (the PTA) is made from traditional sources. Coca-Cola’s packaging innovation teams are working on technology to develop PTA from plants, but it is a complicated science and they expect it will be a few more years before they have a commercial breakthrough. Meanwhile, in some markets, The Coca-Cola Company is combining material from plants with recycled PET to enhance the package’s environmental performance. For example, in Denmark, PlantBottle™
While sugarcane production has increased in Brazil, there has been no drop in food production. Brazil is a leading exporter of beef, coffee, orange juice, poultry, soya beans and sugar. Most sugarcane expansion is on degraded pastures that do not increase competition for new land or displace other crops. Estimates show that sugarcane production in Brazil could increase thirty times without endangering sensitive ecosystems or taking land destined for food crops. In its first year, PlantBottle® was launched in nine global markets, namely Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Sweden and the United States, on brands like Bonaqua Water, Barqs, Coca-Cola, DASANI, Fresca, iLOHAS, Sokenbicha, Sprite and vitaminwater. The Company used over 2,5-billion PlantBottle® packages to deliver a variety of their products in 2010 and they plan to more than double that number in 2011. PlantBottle® beverage containers can be identified through on-package messages and logos, and in-store point-of-sale displays. For more information regarding PlantBottle®, visit www.thecocacolacompany. com/PlantBottle. 360 360
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Drinking water quality
tried and tested T
op quality drinking water is readily available to South Africans. The newly-released Blue Drop Water Report vouches for this as several municipalities received a cum laude rating on water quality after being assessed. The report, which was compiled by experts from the Department of Water Affairs, concludes that 66 municipalities can now boast Blue Drop certification. Last year only 38 municipalities reached this bar of standards. The Blue and Green Drop certification, introduced in 2008, is used as an incentive to improve municipal drinking water quality and waste management. “Our standards for water quality are aligned with the best international practice,” Edna Molewa, the minster of Water and Environmental Affairs, said. “The latest South African standards follow the international guidelines as set are by the World Health Organisation.” The drinking water quality of 162 municipalities and 914 water-supply systems were assessed to compile the report. In 2009 only 787 water systems were assessed. Molewa said municipalities have to score 95% to qualify for Blue Drop status. “Authorities who did not reach the bar don’t necessarily supply poor quality drinking water, but they fell short of the benchmark score after adding up the points.” Molewa further added that a common misinterpretation of the report stems out of the scorecard results. “The public thinks that if a municipality is not awarded with Blue Drop status, that the water supplied by them is not fit for human consumption, which is not true.” According to Molewa, a Blue Drop certification is awarded to recognise exceptional performance in managing drinking water quality. The minister is pleased with a marked improvement in the submission of performance portfolios by municipalities this year. “For the first time, all the municipalities took part in the assessment, making it easier for us to create a complete database.” She said this will help the department to monitor the exact strengths and gaps per municipality and water-supply system. “This enables us to monitor gradual and sustainable improvement in service delivery.” In the end it all comes down to the figures. According to the minister, statistics in the report is a testament of improvement this year. “Watersupply systems that obtained Blue Drop scores of more than 50% increased to 59%, compared with 47% in 2010,” she said. “Systems scoring less than 50% decreased from 53% to 41%.” Top ten municipalities supplying high quality drinking water: 1. City of Johannesburg 2. City of Cape Town 3. Ekurhuleni Metro 4. Witzenburg Local Municipality 5. West Coast District Municipality 6. Tlokwe Local Municipality 7. George Local Municipality 8. Mogale City Local Municipality
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9. Bitou Local Municipality 10. Emfuleni Local Municipality The performance of wastewater treatment works, all over the country were analyzed to compile the Green Edna Molewa, the Minister of Water Drop Report. A team of 70 assessors and Environmental Affairs. visited the plants and not only assessed the performance of the water works, but also gave advice on wastewater management. “To qualify for Green Drop certification, a plant has to reach a score of 90% measured against stringent criteria,” Molewa said. According to Molewa, statistics paint a picture of improved service delivery. “Waterworks that score more than 50% increased from 216 in 2009 to 460 in 2011.” She said an increase in the number of waterworks assessed shows good faith in the programme. “This year, we assessed 821 plants in comparison with 449 in 2009.” Out of all the plants assessed, 40 reached the bar of standards and received Green Drop status, compared to the 33 plants last year. The number of certifications increased, despite the loss of twenty 2010 recipients who did not qualify for the status this year,” said Molewa. “We are encouraged by the 26 plants that received the status for the first time this year”. To enhance better service delivery, the minister plans to invest in various initiatives to improve service delivery. One such initiative is the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant to ensure that dilapidated infrastructure is improved. The Accelerated Community Infrastructure Programme (ACIP) also features on the minister’s to-do list. “The programme will ensure the rectification of wastewater, mechanical and civil infrastructure.” On top of that, an infrastructure indaba with provincial stakeholders and water boards is scheduled to take place soon. “Information gathered at the indaba will be used to draft a comprehensive investment framework to address a lack of water infrastructure.” The top 10 Green Drop performers: 1. Tlokwe Local Municipality 2. Bitou Local Municipality 3. eThekwini Metro 4. George Local Municipality 5. City of Johannesburg 6. Witzenburg Local Municipality 7. Beaufort West Local Municipality 8. Mossel Bay Local Municipality 9. Overstrand Local Municipality 10. City of Cape Town To download the full report, visit www.dwarf.gov.za, to which full acknowledgement and thanks are given.
R e s o u rc e M a n a g e m e n t
Treatment for water recycling in breweries: Part 2 This is the second in a three-part series on reusing water to make beer, by Dr Bernard Talbot of Talbot & Talbot. This article will focus on filtration methods and other technologies for water recycling in breweries. There are many upsides to the practice of water recycling in breweries besides improving security of supply, reducing water ratios and the resultant reduction in its environmental footprint. Part of the treatment train, anaerobic digestion, reduces about 85% of the organic content of the effluent by converting it first to volatile fatty acids and then to methane, which affords the opportunity to replace about 10% of the fossil-fuel use in the boilers, and reduces the need to consume electricity in downstream municipal or collective treatment plants. A 1 Mhl/yr brewery can produce as much as 0.46 MW of power from the anaerobic digestion of its effluent, and in addition save a further 0.11 MW of power utilisation at a downstream municipal sewage-treatment plant, giving a net advantage of 0.57 MW. Treatment also removes nuisance nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphate and prevents them from entering the receiving environment. Furthermore, recycled water is typically produced on the brewery site itself and operated and maintained by staff that is either employed, or at least sanctioned, by the brewery. This provides an element of control that could be a tangible relief in environments where the operational and maintenance
control of the water-utility companies are poor or non-existent. Too many breweries are setting their sights audaciously on ever-diminishing water ratios, some as low as 2.2 hl:hl., but such targets are not achievable without aggressive recycling of treated effluent. A 20-year-old brewery with old equipment, but a reasonable water management programme, may achieve a water ratio of 4.2 hl:hl. Recycling 65% of the brewery’s effluent leads to an approximate 50% reduction in the volume of water that needs to be brought on site and has the prospects of reducing the water ratio to 2.2 hl:hl. This reduction in water usage takes on extreme significance in breweries that are embedded in water-scarce communities. A typical 1.5 Mhl/yr brewery at a water ratio of 7 hl:hl will consume the equivalent water of 35 700 people and can be conceived as an irresponsible guzzler. In these circumstances it is difficult for the brewery management to claim good environmental performance without demonstrable evidence of water recovery. Talbot & Talbot Tel: +27 33 3461 444 E-mail: talbot@talbot.co.za Website: www.talbot.co.za
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news
Pupils from Doornpoort Primary School took part in National Science Week by doing water-related experiments. (Photos by Nichelle Lemmer)
Company invests in fun ways to educate kids in science National Science Week, which was held in August, created opportunities for corporate giants such as BASF to invest in the development of the youth. The company launched their Kids’ Lab experiments programme during this week to show their support. Then 2011 is also the International Year of Chemistry, of which BASF is a global sponsor. The week was an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), supported by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA). BASF, in conjunction with the science centre at the University of Pretoria, Sci-Enza, and the Walter Sisulu Environmental Centre in Mamelodi, used this campaign to conduct a sequence of water experiments which educate pupils within communities in a fun and exciting way. Pupils between the ages of 9 to 12 had the opportunity to take part in three different water experiments in order to intrigue them to further their interest and enthusiasm in natural sciences. These experiments focused on water storage, water purification and water research and also highlighted the key role of chemistry in providing clean and safe water. Kids were introduced to the methodology used in these experiments. Some of the lessons learned were that chemistry plays a key role in life, chemistry offers interesting and challenging problems, doing chemistry is fun, water is a valuable resource and chemistry facilitates the responsible handling of water. “BASF strives to foster the youth’s interest in natural sciences, especially chemistry. National Science Week presented the ideal platform to achieve this goal,” says Petra Bezuidenhout, the head of corporate communications at BASF. The company also donated lab equipment to both centres that hosted the experiment sessions, to not only serve to educate pupils during National Science Week but also to be utilized well beyond 2011. BASF Holdings South Africa (Pty) Ltd Tel: +27 11 203 2422 Fax: +27 11 203 2430 E-mail: petra.bezuidenhout@basf.com Website: www.basf.co.za
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eThekwini Municipality the best “Green Drop” metro in KZN The Department of Water Affairs established the Green Drop Regulation Programme in 2008 to certify the wastewater systems of all municipalities and water service providers in South Africa. The Green Drop rewards excellence in the management of wastewater during its journey from the source, conveyance in sewer networks, its treatment at wastewater works and its final discharge. Wastewater systems (treatment works and associated wastewater networks) are assessed by departmental auditors to strict Green Drop criteria such as: • Wastewater effluent quality. • Process control and maintenance. • Wastewater quality-failure response management. • Wastewater sample analysis and monitoring programme. • Bylaws. • Asset management. These criteria ensure that wastewater is conveyed and treated to high standards in order to minimise the risk to public health as well as the environment. Recently, failing wastewater systems and their impact on service delivery received a lot of publicity. Therefore, owing to the specific challenges involved with wastewater management in this country, the elusive Green Drop award is held in very high esteem indeed. eThekwini Municipality, represented by the eTekwini Water and Sanitation Unit, was awarded the best Green Drop performance in KwaZulu-Natal. It was also awarded for its top-10 position in the country as the leading metropolitan municipality of all with a score of 90.6%, and won a trophy for the largest volume of wastewater processed to Green Drop requirements in the country. The municipality was also nominated for the best Green Drop team award for its integrated teamwork and preparation for the assessments. The Green Drop award was given to nine wastewater systems in the eThekwini Municipality. The winners were Amanzimtoti, Kingsburgh, Umkomaas, Cragieburne, Magabheni, Southern, Central, Umdloti and Phoenix, who had the best performing system with a Green Drop score of 99.4%. eThekwini Municipality had an overall provincial Green Drop score of 82%, just 1% short of first-placed Western Cape. According to the eThekwini Municipality, this high Green Drop score demonstrates how the team is striving for, and achieving, high standards in the management and delivery of an effective and efficient wastewater service. For more information, contact Mohammed Dildar, manager of the Works Branch, on +27 31 311 8671.
news
New appointment at Thuthuka Group Limited Water Division Graeme Kilfoil, involved with waste-water treatment in sub-Saharan Africa for the past 20 years, has been appointed by Thuthuka Group Limited to manage its Water Treatment and Reclamation Division. In his previous positions, Kilfoil has led teams involved in the groundbreaking Sasol Landlord Project, which took cooling system blowdown water, previously discarded into the river, and treated it for industrial reuse. He was also involved in the recently signed Eskom Kusile water treatment project, where ultra-pure water is produced for boiler feed and potentially hazardous flue-gas desulphuriser brine is taken to a dry salt for landfill disposal. This will be a zero liquid discharge (ZLD) plant. Kilfoil says: “It is generally acknowledged that South Africa, and indeed the whole area of sub-Saharan Africa, is deemed to be seriously water-stressed. Increasingly there is a lot more emphasis being placed on recycling both municipal as well as industrial waste water. Hopefully, the future is that both industrial and municipal water will be recycled on site and municipal water recycled to achieve potable water status. Other countries at the forefront of desalination water treatment with successfully operational plants are Namibia and Singapore. Australia, with most of its population based on the
coast and a fairly barren interior, has similar water issues to South Africa. It has completed many major successful seawater desalination projects. In South Africa, where both the east and west coasts are water-stressed, the only viable solution would be seawater desalination. “By far the hottest water and waste-water treatment topic currently in South Africa and indeed globally, would be acid mine-water drainage. Optimally we as a country need to access it and treat it by one or a combination of processes, such as chemical precipitation, reverse osmosis, electro-dialysis reversal, evaporation/crystallisation and ion exchange. The aim is to achieve potable water as well as converting the salts into saleable products such as gypsum or ingredients for fertilisers and explosives.” Thuthuka Group Tel: +27 83 627 8161 Website: www.thuthukagroup.com
Keep taps on your drinking-water quality It is not difficult to find out precisely what the quality of your tap water is. According to Dr Tobias Barnard, director of the Water and Health Centre at the University of Johannesburg, there are two easy ways to check the quality of your tap water. You can consult the “My Water” function on the Department of Water Affairs website (http://www. dwaf.gov.za/dir_ws/DWQR/) or on your cellphone at www.my-water.mobi. “With this function you can monitor the tap-water quality of any town, suburb or street on a daily basis.” Keep tabs on the national, regional and local level of water quality by using this tool. The tool categorizes the water quality of an area by marking the levels of quality using colour codes indicating if the water quality is excellent, acceptable, needs attention or if an urgent intervention is needed. Another way of knowing what your tap-water quality is at home, is to have your tap water privately analysed by a laboratory certified to provide credible results with reference to the South African National Drinking Water Standards (SANS 241) and the World Health Organization guidelines. Full acknowledgement and thanks are given to Dr Tobias Barnard from the University of Johannesburg for the information used to compile this article.
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