Down the drain
How water leakage affects us and what we can do about it.
By Darren Oxlee
Impact of water waste
As can be expected, the wastage of
almost 40% of South Africa’s water exerts
a significant impact on the entire national
population. Here are some of the major
costs:
Financial
The financial costs of water leakage
are in the billions. And we all feel it as
individuals, communities, businesses,
municipalities, and participants in the
broader economy. This is not just because
we are all paying for water that we do not
use, but because water loss results in
bigger burdens, like higher water tariffs
and water restrictions.
Socio-economic
Water leaks cost municipalities billions in
lost revenue; money that could have been
better invested in community upliftment,
reticulation, and service delivery. Further,
water wastage results in water metering
and billing for communities that, in the
past, enjoyed free water.
Environmental
As the 30th driest country on the planet,
South Africa has a water leakage
problem that impacts significantly on the
environment. Water is a scarce resource
and, as the human population grows,
more pressure falls on water resources,
agriculture, and local ecosystems.
What is being done
There has been some progress in
addressing leakages in parts of the
country, especially given the water crisis
14
Opportunity in crisis
in the Western Cape. With an increase
in general awareness about water
management, many of the major metros
now have contact centres for reporting
water leaks.
Smart water metering, although early
in its adoption, has also begun to provide
better data on leak detection. This allows
service providers to respond faster when
problems arise.
According to GreenCape’s 2017 Water
Market Intelligence Report, “South
Africa’s water infrastructure and
resources are valued at a replacement
value of around R1.3-trillion, while the
average investment required over the
next decade is R855-billion.” This opens
up significant business opportunities for
entrepreneurs and investors.
For instance, in the months and
years to come, demand for plumbers
and reticulation engineers will increase,
while smart metering will become more
important as we move towards smart
cities. New and innovative ways of
managing and saving water (smart taps,
toilets, urinals, and the like) will become
more important and any business related
to the conservation and management of
water resources, especially if innovative,
will be well positioned to thrive.
We’ve known for years that a water
crisis was coming. With our poor national
infrastructure and global warming on
the rise, it is likely that this is only the
beginning. But with some initiative and a
bit of forward planning, we may be able to
lessen the burden of leakage. u
Government to-dos
To adequately address the crisis,
government must proactively maintain
our reticulation systems. This should
start with proper funding allocated to
the water and sanitation departments for
maintenance projects, skills upliftment,
education, and training.
Further, I believe that all municipalities
should be given a non-revenue water-
loss target — we should be aiming for
30% initially and 20% longer-term, at a
minimum.
What individuals can do
Government may have a crucial role
to fill in addressing water leakage, but
it is important to remember that leaks
can occur anywhere in the reticulation
system — including end-points like
toilets and taps. So, we all play a part in
the problem. Apart from finding and fixing
leaks in our private homes, offices, and
businesses, here’s what else we can do:
Individuals
• Implement smart metering to give
alerts when leaks occur.
• Track water usage using an app and
set water usage targets.
• Shower instead of bath.
Communities
• Educate children about the
importance of conserving and
managing water.
• Respect free water; it is not
something to throw away.
• Report water leaks as soon as you
see them.
Residents’ associations
• Track and manage water at the bulk
supply level and report this back
to residents to create awareness
about water consumption.
• Implement a smart metering
solution to give alerts when water
consumption exceeds thresholds or
leaks are detected.
Water Sewage & Effluent March/April 2018
A
ccording to World Wildlife Fund
South Africa’s (WWF-SA) 2016
report titled Water: Facts and
Futures… Rethinking South Africa’s
Water Future, as much as “37% of water
in our urban piped water systems leaks
out or is used illegally”. That is more
than a third of our country’s water going
down the drain — and I believe that this
number is conservative.
With the water crisis in the Cape,
looming water concerns across the world,
and a growing population, this figure
remains far too high. What effect does it
have on us as individuals, communities,
and businesses? What is being done?
How can we make a difference?
About the author
Darren Oxlee is chief technical
officer at Utility Systems.