Boreholes bolster health services

BOREHOLES are being drilled at all provincial hospitals as health services cannot operate without water.

Western Cape Health Department spokesman Darren Francis said the province’s hospitals consume 1.8 million kilolitres of water a year and “cannot operate without water as it is an essential part in the rendering of health services”.

The Provincial Disaster Management Centre has a priority list of contingency plans to ensure hospitals don’t run dry. Groote Schuur Hospital, where drilling has begun, is a priority site on the list.

“The recently activated borehole on the Karl Bremer site delivers 10 000 litres per hour, with a second borehole in progress.

“The Department of Transport and Public Works is busy activating two existing boreholes at Tygerberg Hospital and the water from the borehole at Khayelitsha Hospital is currently being tested for safety of usage.

“Other hospital sites across the province, where there are existing boreholes, are presently being tested for suitability of usage and functionality of these boreholes

“The department has a water preparedness plan that strives to conserve water, monitor water usage as well as how we can mitigate the effect on service delivery,” said Francis.

“Whilst boreholes may provide essential relief in the short term, we have to be careful that we do not exhaust this source.

“In the longer term we are therefore seriously considering rain water harvesting.

“Many hospitals have great potential for this,” said Francis.

Water storage capacity had already been ascertained at all the facilities and additional initiatives being undertaken include, “increasing water storage where necessary, reinstatement of existing boreholes and the drilling of new boreholes and improving operational and equipment efficiencies, to decrease water consumption”.

“Pilot projects include the implementation of rain water harvesting at False Bay Hospital, recycling laundry grey water at the Lentegeur Laundry and recycling black water at Mitchells Plain Hospital,” said Francis.

PICTURE: CHRIS COLLINGRIDGE The Health Department is drilling boreholes at all provincial hospitals.