Efforts to save water are gaining traction in South Africa.
Sustainability group, Ecolab, for example, recalled how they set up a working group because one of their clients was experiencing difficulties with supplying water to their factory. The result of the working group was a solution to recycle wastewater discharge to the sea. The impact of this action, according to Nalco Water, was a 20% reduction of the City’s water use, and water discharged to the sea.
Now, Rand Water and SAGIC (South African Green Industries Council) have an agreement to save water use starting in Spring and Summer this year.
Most water volumes are registered in Gauteng for abstracting water – database recorded by the Department of Water Affairs back in 2016, showed more than 2.01 billion m3 (cubic meters of water), disposing waste amounted to 1.50 billion m3. Water stored amounted to 0.72 billion m3, while discharged water, amounted to 0.38 billion m3. Back in 2016, underground water in Gauteng amounted to 0.10 billion m3.
A report by the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), found water sources in Gauteng are mainly water schemes (57.8%), rivers/streams (31.7%) and boreholes (4.7%).
The highest water use, according to the CSIR report by Dr Nebo Jovanovic, found industry concurred the highest water, taking some 73% of the total amount of water used, to the value of1.51 billion m3. Agriculture and mining topped the list of users.
According to the CSIR/ Jovanovic report, Gauteng is also the highest ranked Province in
discharging wastewater. It is also the second highest in total water withdrawals and the third highest in removing groundwater.
Picture: Flickr bias Jason Jones of Creative Commons