Expert input
Helen Hulett , general manager of Talbot & Talbot ’ s Water Risk & Strategy Business Unit , offers her input on wastewater treatment .
Q : What are the main challenges of wastewater treatment in South Africa ?
TT : The primary challenge to wastewater treatment in South Africa is the lack of recognition of the financial value of wastewater , a consequence of multiple factors , including : 1 . A poor understanding of the resources captured within wastewater streams . This not only includes the actual water , which once treated is often of a better quality than the original supply , but can also include others such as energy and input materials . Consequently , the treatment of wastewater can provide significant financial savings to an organisation .
2 . A water price that is not reflective of the true cost and importance of water , making it difficult for industry to equate the lost opportunity of discharging wastewater compared with treating and reusing the resource and avoiding further withdraw and non-compliances .
Q : What methods are most popular and what is the company ’ s focus ?
TT : Talbot & Talbot has 28 years ’ experience in the provision of sustainable water and wastewater solutions to our clients across Africa . We have differentiated ourselves in the industrial space with an enhanced specialist knowledge of multiple treatment processes and technologies in a range of sectors , including industrial , food and beverage , mining , agro-processing , petrochemical , and municipal sectors .
Our team has particular experience and success in the specialist field of biological treatment . These systems are extremely effective in treating contaminated water and recovering water and energy through biogas generation .
Q : What is the company ’ s differentiator in the field ?
TT : Talbot & Talbot has not only been designing and constructing wastewater treatment systems across Africa for the last 28 years , but also operating many of these systems for our clients . Operating systems that have been designed by our own singleeagle . com
Treated wastewater can provide significant financial savings to an organisation .
engineers , as well as those designed by other companies , has enable us to strengthen our service offering through a continuous learning and knowledge exchange between engineers and operators .
Our approach to delivering best value for our clients is to ensure that we develop bespoke solutions that address our clients ’ specific challenges while supporting their longer-term strategic drivers . As such , Talbot & Talbot is not bound by specific technologies , but rather will identify and propose the most suitable and robust solution for any particular situation .
Q : Please comment on SA ’ s present wastewater landscape
TT : South Africa receives on average 450mm rainfall a year compared to a global average of 870mm , making us the world ’ s 30th driest country . Despite this , we have historically managed water very poorly . However , the growing water supply challenges faced by the country over recent years is driving change , and the next few years will see a significant transformation in the way water is viewed , managed and regulated . u
References
1 . Ariel ' s Evo Science Blog . http :// arielevoscience . blogspot . co . za .
2 . Difference between blackwater and greywater . http :// www . differencebetween . net / miscellaneous / difference-betweenblackwater-and-greywater .
3 . Eco-friendly wastewater treatment systems . http :// www . sewtreat . co . za .
4 . How wastewater treatment works . https :// www3 . epa . gov / npdes / pubs / bastre . pdf .
5 . Sewage treatment plants . https :// gozonewater . com / sewage-treatment-plants .
6 . UV disinfection for wastewaster . https :// atguv . com / atg-uvapplications / wastewater .
7 . Wastewater – what is it ? https :// water . unl . edu / article / wastewater / wastewater-what-it .
8 . What is wastewater treatment ? https :// www . conserve-energy-future . com / process-of-wastewatertreatment . php . netwroking contributor industry debate environment infrastruture municipalities
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