Water, Sewage & Effluent January February 2019 | Page 35

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service provider to efficiently operate
any pumping and water treatment
process include reduced risks,
guaranteed compliance with the
relevant standards, a reduction in
utility costs, and increased water
security. “Despite the fact that
these types of operations can be
quite complex, a capable consultant
can reduce a client’s water bills by
between 30% and 50%. With resource
certainty being a significant challenge
for businesses today, finding ways of
becoming less reliant on municipal
supply is an important issue for every
business,” he says. “Depending on the
client’s situation, we are often able to
install and operate a water treatment
plant (using either groundwater or
wastewater) and sell a client SANS-
compliant potable water at a cheaper
rate than they can buy from the current
supplier,” concludes Fahy. 
innovations
Water and Sanitation if they are
using groundwater. Also, if the water
is going to be consumed by the
public, they need to be classified
as a ‘Water Services Intermediary’
— this is a requirement in Cape
Town, specifically. They also have
to implement monitoring and testing
programmes to ensure that the quality
of the water is maintained.”
The good news, according to Fahy,
is that this responsibility can be
outsourced to a service provider that
can help to make it financially viable.
“A competent service provider is able
to efficiently operate any pumping
and water treatment processes
that one has on site and conduct
regular testing, both for providing
the appropriate certificates and to
proactively manage any water quality
challenges.”
Fahy adds that the benefits to a
business partnering with a specialist
The common misconception about borehole water is
that it is pure, filtered water, but the fact is that there is
a host of factors that could affect the quality, making it
unfit for human consumption, food production and, in
some cases, even industrial applications.
“The common misconception about
borehole water is that it is pure,
filtered water, but the fact is that
there is a host of factors that could
affect the quality, making it unfit for
human consumption, food production
and, in some cases, even industrial
applications. Underground water
often has a high mineral content, and
toxins such as pesticides can filter
through to underground reservoirs,”
says Fahy. “And then, of course,
there’s the threat of microbial content
like bacteria and viruses such as E.
coli,” he adds.
He explains that underground
water can also have high iron or
calcium content, which can result in
borehole water not only being unfit
for human consumption, but also
potentially detrimental to equipment.
“Therefore, if a business intends to
start using underground water for
any large-scale operation, it is likely
that a water treatment plant will be
necessary on site.”
As such, he points out that many
of the properties located above
underground water sources that
enquire about the possibility of
pumping borehole water to their
operations, should note that this is
more complex than one may expect.
Fahy says that a treatment plant
is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
“Each underground water source
has a unique mineral and/or impurity
content, and the treatment plant will
need to be optimised accordingly.
It requires a dedicated team to
continuously conduct quality tests and
run the treatment plant as efficiently
as possible in order to ensure the best
possible return on investment.”
In addition, with many of the
businesses considering this option,
working in the food production and
retail industries, it is also important
to take into account that a number
of regulations on water quality
would apply, in compliance with
SANS 241. “Businesses are taking
on a substantial responsibility when
they start using underground water
for applications that might also
involve human consumption. It will
therefore be necessary to conduct
regular testing on the quality of one’s
processed water and be able to
provide proof to the relevant parties
that the water is up to standard. This
means that one needs the services of
a certified laboratory as well.”
“Businesses should know that
they need to apply for a water use
licence with the Department of
Partnering with a specialist service provider to efficiently operate any pumping and
water treatment process means reduced risks and compliance with the relevant
standards.
Water Sewage & Effluent January/February 2019
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