10
NEWS
Wattapac, conserving every
drop of a precious resource
Reducing water wastage during geyser replacements,
as well as maintenance through innovation.
South Africans have monitored rainfall and dam levels
closely in the wake of the water crisis in the Western
Cape, and when the City of Cape Town imposed level
six restrictions in January this year, the message was
clear: every drop really does count.
Every customer along the pipeline has an ethical
responsibility to re-evaluate how they harvest, use, and
distribute water. Plumbers work with water daily and can
provide invaluable insight into water-saving techniques in
the built environment.
Not only does
the Wattapac
save water, but
it also decreases
the time to drain
and refill geysers,
pumping it
faster than
the municipal
supply does.
Charles Watt is a licenced, registered plumber who has
been active in the industry for 20 years. He teamed up with
Charles Beresford, who has four decades of manufacturing
experience, and together they prove what can be achieved
when different industries work towards a common goal.
They recently registered their company, Wattapac, and have
begun to showcase their solution to water wastage in the
plumbing industry: the patented Wattapac.
Watt explains, “Millions of geysers are sold annually in
South Africa, and unacceptable amounts of water are
discarded by plumbers during geyser replacements alone,
equating to more than 120 million litres. This does not
include element, anode, and drip tray replacements, for
which there are no statistics.”
The Wattapac reinforced PVC bag (or bladder) is locally
manufactured, with pump rotation and durable welded
seams that can withstand temperatures of up to 70°C
WATTAPAC
Once attached, the bladder allows the geyser to drain and
refill, thereby reusing the water from the geyser instead of
it being discarded. The Wattapac is also a suitable water
drainage and storage mechanism for any other industry and
is directly supplied to the public and retailers alike.
At this stage, approximately 65 plumbers are successfully
using the Wattapac and it has been well received to date
by the industry, which is evident from invitations by IOPSA
to give demonstrations at the industry body’s various
meetings. Moreover, Wattapac’s technology was accepted
by the City of Cape Town (COCT) Water and Sanitation
Department as an alternative product or technology in
2017, which subsequently led to invitations to exhibit at
the COCT Old Mutual Drought Crisis Expo and the PenBev
Coca-Cola Water Expo held on 29 and 30 November
2017, respectively. Wattapac’s successful presence at
these events has resulted in requests to attend further
shows this year.
Gavin Long of South Peninsula Plumbing, a service
provider for the Fogi Insurance Panel, purchased
Wattapacs for each of his plumbing vans at the end of
November 2017 and sings the praises of the water-
saving device. “We save an average of 750 to 1 000
litres of water a day when using Wattapac to replace
burst geysers and elements. Not only does the Wattapac
save water, but it also decreases the time to drain and
refill geysers, pumping it faster than the municipal
supply does.”
Wattapac emphasises
the importance of saving
water, saving time,
and saving money for
all parties. PA
SAVING WATER, SAVING TIME, SAVING MONEY
tel: 021 788 1114 • [email protected]
www.wattapac.com
WATTAPAC WATER STORAGE BLADDER FOR
GEYSER REPLACEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE
PACK CONTAINS:
Bladder, all
connections,
clear hose
(between pump
& pack),
valves & pump
in carrier bags
to house and
transport.
and six-bar pressure. All fittings and attachments have
been used in the plumbing industry for years.
February 2018 Volume 23 I Number 12
Charles Watt leading
Wattapac’s presentation
to IOPSA members in
Cape Town.
www.plumbingafrica.co.za