Water, Sewage & Effluent September October 2018 | Page 31

innovations
their role in water management and
the need for alternative sources to be
found and used.
The media, too, have an important
part to play, making sure that
responsible, factual information is
presented to keep the severity of the
water situation in South Africa in
the public discourse and high on the
political agenda. u
In 2007, DWAF published the National
Artificial Recharge Strategy as part of
the Integrated Resource Management
Strategy for South Africa, and in 2015,
the WRC published a guideline for
the direct reclamation of municipal
wastewater for drinking purposes,
with a focus on the monitoring systems
required to ensure the safety of the
water produced. Both of these are
valuable resources. There is also
a great deal of information on best
practice available internationally.
The oldest direct potable reuse
(DPR) plant in the world was built
in Windhoek, Namibia, in 1968, in
response to the severe drought in the
region at the time. DPR is the planned
introdu ction of recycled water either
directly into a public water system
or into a raw water supply such as
a reservoir. The Windhoek plant
operated for 40 years with no adverse
health effects linked to the water
produced by it. According to the WRC
guideline, South Africa has three of
the seven operational DPR plants in
the world.
Most recycled water comes from
indirect potable reuse plants, where
water from wastewater, including
sewage effluent, is reclaimed and
treated. South Africa has one of these
in the Western Cape for surface water
augmentation.
South Africa therefore has four
operational water recycling plants,
which shows that we have the know-
how, information, technology, and
experience we need. Let us use it to
expand the recycling and reuse of
water.
Then, when the next El Niño event
strikes, or the influx of people to the
cities becomes even greater, we
will be prepared, with alternative
water source systems in place and
operational as part of a water mix that
will help to alleviate water shortages.
We need to start phasing in systems
now, so that we do not have to pay
the disproportionate costs of creating
them when crisis strikes.
We have not yet done enough to
implement our policies on water
recycling and reuse. But public
awareness of water scarcity has risen
substantially with the Cape Town Day
Zero coverage, among other things.
Ordinary citizens are learning about
About the author
Dr Henry Roman is currently
the
director:
Environmental
Services and Technologies at
the Department of Science and
Technology (DST), and current
chair of the International Water
Association — Southern Africa.
Water Sewage & Effluent September/October 2018
29
For the water sector, transitioning to a circular economy presents an opportunity to
accelerate and scale-up recent scientific and technological advances that support greater
efficiency in the sector, and to fast-track achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
We need to start
phasing in systems
now, so that we do
not have to pay the
disproportionate
costs of creating them
when crisis strikes.