FEATURES 23
Plug-in Pods Smart technologies , such as the wastewater recovery pods from KaacKai , can be used to generate high quality clean water that can be used for watering gardens , cleaning paved surfaces and irrigation or toilet flushing . The modular Pods come as a plug-in to conservancy tanks and contain patented Danish patented Bioblock cubes and biofilm that house microbes that assist in the breaking down of waste .
“ Air blowers agitate and distribute oxygen , creating an ideal environment for microbial digestion of unwanted nutrients in the wastewater , with minimal use of power ,” says Paige Albyn from KaacKai . “ After treatment , water flows into the clarifier chamber , where bio-sludge is recycled back to the conservancy tank and water is disinfected using UV filtration . The result is high-quality , safe , chemical-free and environment friendly water ready for reuse for gardening , or for various purposes .”
The pods are highly efficient with a one-to-one water generation from wastewater , the smaller pods use the equivalent of a 40-Watt light bulb that stays on all the time .
“ The smart wastewater recovery pods are not only about minimising damage to our environment , however crucial that is ,” says Albyn . “ They also save money . The average IRR for a medium sized pod for example is around 15 %, depending to a large extent on the civils works .”
Benefits : Modular , odour reduction , eco-friendly , easy to install and maintain , compact and efficient ( 1-1 ratio ), and energy effective .
There are toilet solutions available in order to support sustainable sewage disposal .
Propelled Air Toilets Air propelled toilets from Propelair utilise an efficient technology that can lead to saving both water and energy . This comes with a claimed 84 % reduction in water usage .
Supplied by Propelair
Propelair uses propelled air to assist in flushing .
These toilets use only 1.5l litres of water per flush . When compared to the SA average of 9l per flush , it ’ s easy to see why it ’ s a water saver .
So how does a Propelair toilet work ? A two-section cistern provides one section for air and one for water . Before flushing , the lid is closed to form an airtight seal . The flush sensor is activated , and water goes into the pan to wash it and a blast of air from the pump follows . Because the lid is sealed , the air escapes and pushes out the pan contents .
The rest of the water fills the water trap . The flush takes 3 seconds , and the toilet is ready to be re-flushed in about half a minute .
These toilets can be fitted anywhere , falling in with whatever necessary design for the commercial washroom . It saves water , which is vital for a water scarce country like ours .
Benefits : Water saving , reducing cost on the environment and the cost effective , reduces the spread of infection from virus and bacteria .
Non-waterborne systems Pit latrines are still being used in South Africa . These could pose a danger to users if they are not well built or well maintained . They are often associated with bad odours , flies and could be regarded as unhygienic . Many South Africans make use of these latrines each day .
Supplied by KaacKai .
A KaacKai pod .
Supplied by Ecotanks
EcoTanks ’ Big Red wastewater treatment plant .
June 2024 Volume 30 I Number 4 www . plumbingafrica . co . za