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NEWS
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The schools were audited by Cobra Watertech for water leaks, who then recommended the materials required to fix the leaks. A water demand baseline was established at the six schools identified for the pilot by logging individual water meters. An innovative device called Aquatrip was installed and programmed at all six schools to reduce pressure and restrict flow during nonoperational times, thus preventing leaks. |
initiative at the remaining 12 schools. Rand Water
Foundation pledged funding support to the value of
R1-million for plumber training during 2016.
Sasol South Africa committed a resource from its
Risk and SHE Division, as well as two resources from its Secunda CSI team. Cobra Watertech committed resources to conduct leak audits at schools, as well as
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providing formal plumbing training. |
“ Water demand management projects require significant investment to realise meaningful savings.”
Major leaks were seen in four of the six schools. Water consumption from all six schools averaged 1 000m ³/ week and was reduced to 275m ³/ week by identifying and fixing the leaks. Cogta and the municipality identified 12 local unemployed youth from the community who were interested in being trained as plumbers. They were given on-the-job training, as well as formal training by Cobra Watertech. Funds were approved by Sasol South Africa – Secunda CSR for the implementation of water leakage reduction at a further 12 schools in Govan Mbeki Local Municipality.
The entire pilot project was funded by Sasol South Africa – Secunda CSR to the value of R1-million, and it committed a further R1.5-million to implement the
The Department of Water and Sanitation, as part of the National Water Resource Strategy 2( NWRS2), has mentioned the development of a water offsetting policy and is currently amending this to a water stewardship framework policy, encouraging public – private partnerships in this sector.
The initiative is supported as part of Sasol South Africa’ s CSI mandate, but is also pursued to showcase how partnerships beyond the factory fence can realise results, as well as to shape the discussion that water conservation / water demand management projects require significant investment to realise meaningful savings. PA
April 2017 Volume 23 I Number 2 www. plumbingafrica. co. za