Plumbing Africa May 2018 | Page 3

FITTING THOUGHT 1 Innovations, strategy, and success Whenever there is a situation that is classed as serious or critical and that will affect the way we as humans feel suitably comfortable, like the worldwide water shortage, people are naturally driven to find solutions. Currently, several innovations are finding their way into the marketplace, either through scientific research and development, or just plain, clever ideas based on a need. I still find it quite odd, though, that it takes us so long to really address serious situations, for example rainwater and grey water standards. It is clear that the situation we face with water, not only in South Africa but globally, is a critically serious matter and waiting years for these standards is just no good. The ramifications of running out of contaminant-free water in terms of our health are dire — just think about the possibility that human extinction may come as a result of a global collapse due to multiple diseases running rampant, without a solution to bring them under control. To manufacture machines to develop medicines, you need clean water. To create medicines, you need clean water. To manage or control outbreaks, you need clean water — and so on. This may be an extreme example, but it’s still a possibility, especially because of the fact that the world population is expected to increase by around 35% in the next 30 years. Experts have been advising of water shortages for decades, but instead of actually working on protocols and standards to address alternative ways of using our resources proactively, we once again show a reactive nature in crisis. Now, considering where we see ourselves currently with all the innovations coming through, it is so important to be aware of these technologies and to evaluate if and how they may affect your business strategy. Many of the technologies and ideas that we are seeing, and that will still be released, may be disruptive to markets; meaning that the way they work or their function will shake the markets that have ISSN 1812 - 1705 Audit Bureau of Circulations Oct - Dec 2017 Controlled free distribution         3483 CONTENT MANAGER Benjamin Brits • [email protected] WRITER Dineo Phoshoko • [email protected] CONTRIBUTOR Tristan Wiggill, Ina Opperman SUBEDITOR Elaine Enslin OPERATIONS MANAGER Chantelle van Deventer • [email protected] DESIGN/LAYOUT Selina Morulane • [email protected] NATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES Director: Dale Macnamara • [email protected] External sales: Marcus Pearson• [email protected] Internal sales: Zeldalee du Toit • [email protected] Process coordinator: Estelle Thurtle •[email protected] www.plumbingafrica.co.za been used to the ‘same old, same old’ over the years, or change the way businesses operate. Everyone wants easier and simpler ways of using products, from the installer and maintenance worker to the user. Innovation, to me, means opportunity, and with opportunity comes more business. Naturally, it is essential to work within standards and, through opportunities, to ensure that your business strategy is aligned to market movement and requirements. Meeting your strategic objectives not only brings home the bacon, but also ensures continuation of meeting your goals and leads to high motivation levels, which is essentially what drives you, and the world. In this issue, we continue looking at wastewater and the possible management thereof through natural ecosystems (page 16). We look at rainwater quality and treatment on page 27, while our feature this month considers water storage, specifically related to plastic storage tanks (page 50). Check out our project, the Sun International hotel in Menlyn, Pretoria, on page 32. Don’t forget to enter this month’s competitions: the Wall of Shame competition where you could win a set of the IOPSA Practical Guides, as well as the Blockword competition where a 150ℓ geyser is up for grabs, compliments of Heat Tech. Your feedback is really important to us, so please get in touch at [email protected] with compliments or complaints, your comments or ideas, or any news or events that you would like to cover. We are part of your industry. Enjoy another great and informative edition of Plumbing Africa. 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Disclaimers by individual companies are hereby overridden. Reproduction of any of the content is expressly forbidden in terms of th e Copyright Act of 1987 with all amendments. All requests to reproduce must be made in writing to the Publisher and such confirmation must be given in writing before proceeding. A copy of where the reproduction was published must be supplied to the Publisher at the above address. No reasonable request will be refused provided all conditions are met. All Publication and Exhibition titles are registered as trade marks in terms of the Trade Marks Act of 1993 and are held by Interact Media Defined (Pty) Ltd, Reg No 2014/092774/07. INTERACT MEDIA DEFINED Reg. 2014/092774/07 | VAT. 4560266159 May 2018 Volume 24 I Number 3