ENVIRONMENT and ENERGY
<< Continued from page 19
water reuse. Worldwide research into
water reuse is producing new information,
which needs to be considered in guiding
and regulating water reuse projects. The
Department will review and/or develop
standards and guidelines for water reuse.
Water reuse projects may be implemented for
a large spectrum of potential water users. The
different categories/types of water reuse will
require quantitative standards to define and
manage the fitness for use.
The standards must be developed to address the
following aspects:
• Water quality variables of concern in a
specific water reuse application;
• Quantification of risk and acceptable risk
levels; and
• Monitoring requirements in terms of water
quality variables, frequency, and location of
sampling/analysis.
Clear incentives
Water reuse projects are much more likely to
be implemented where it is more cost-effective
compared to other water supply alternatives.
Households and business have limited budgets
and will generally choose the least-cost options
to meet their water use needs.
Similarly, municipalities are resource constrained
and typically opt for least-cost choices related
to securing water supplies for their residents in
order to limit water price and municipal rates
increases. Sound water reuse outcomes will
arise where the relative costs and benefits of
alternatives are not distorted.
Where fresh water supplies are heavily
subsidised, water users are much less likely to
choose water reuse options, even if these options
are cost-competitive with the cost of securing
additional fresh water supplies. Conversely,
subsidising the reuse of water is unlikely to
lead to least-cost outcomes and the efficient
allocation of resources.
The Department will take the importance of price
signals and incentives in water reuse decisions
into account when reviewing the raw water
pricing strategy.
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
21
Information to support sound
decision-making and implementation
The Department recognises the important role
that good information plays in supporting sound
decisions. There are three asp ects of information
to consider:
• Educating users with respect to the benefits
and acceptance of water reuse;
• Providing people who are considering
water reuse with clear guidelines on how to
implement water reuse projects; and
• Sound methodology in the evaluation of
options to balance water requirements
and supply.
Methodologies for evaluating water
resource development options
Water resource reconciliation studies
undertaken for specific catchments and water
systems in South Africa routinely consider
conventional water supply augmentation options
alongside water reuse, desalination, and water
conservation and demand management options.
The Department will continue to develop and
refine the methodologies used to assess options
to ensure that options are evaluated on a
comparable basis and that the methodologies
employed support sound decision-making.
Guidelines for implementing
water reuse projects
The Department will develop guidelines for
the implementation of water reuse projects.
These guidelines will support sound decision-
making and implementation. The guidelines
will address the management and control,
project implementation, choice of technology,
operations and maintenance, project financing,
development and implementation of tariffs,
and public and stakeholder education,
engagement, and consultation. Separate
guidelines will be developed for different types
of water reuse projects.
Technology selection
The selection and implementation of the
appropriate treatment technology are key to
the successful implementation of water reuse
projects. It is strategically important to achieve
this objective by:
• Selecting capable agencies/organisations
with knowledgeable and competent staff to
implement and operate reuse projects;
August 2017 Volume 23 I Number 6