Water as tool of recovery in Covid’s wake

SOUTH Africa is in a depressive state.

Economists agree that the lack of water security negatively impacted GDP growth in many sectors as the structure of the economy continues to depend on water-intensive industries.

Statistics SA data indicate significant gaps in access to water and deficits in access to improved and safe sanitation. An important solution is a new paradigm that recognises water as an instrument for economic growth.

Let us examine some of the elements of an innovative strategy and road map to water facilitating a sustainable economic recovery.

One is a new model for private sector participation to provide water of varying qualities, depending on the intended use. This is an evolutionary model with utilities and public service providers as sole/primary purchasers.

The designated sources of this “new water” will be sub-prime quality waters and wastewater. This includes acid mine-water, brackish aquifers, saline waters inland and coastal waters.

South Africa plays a leading role in developing technologies in new sanitation and has been part of the development of ISO 30 500 for non-sewered sanitation. We lead in demonstrating NewSan solutions.

The Water Research Commission’s (WRC) strong global partnership means the country is poised for a sanitation revolution and a global brown revolution. They include a global market for NewSan technologies and services, plus beneficiation of the sanitation waste.

This ranges from waste as fertilisers to high-end beneficiation to produce clean energy, liquid fuel, high-value chemicals, protein products and lipids.

New business models for toilet provision, products and services; reusable water and nutrients; data and information provide new benefits across the economy and society.

The WRC, with partners including the African Development Bank, has developed a model called social franchising. This is community-based entrepreneurship development with centralised support mechanisms. The core in the pilots has been the provision of maintenance services for school sanitation and management of waste.

Sustainable community-based businesses with large employment potential have been realised and celebrated in the pilots.

There’s also a reticulation integrity programme. A reconceptualised War-on-Leaks programme operating on three levels: 1. Bulk level refurbishment as an industrialisation project; 2. Entrepreneurship development to sustainably manage projects at municipal level to bring down the average 40% non-revenue water and +25% treated water lost to leaks. This is a R12 billion to R15bn loss each year – and a quarter of all treated water – to inefficient reticulation.

Further, there is a commissionaire model for private capital investment with public payment on revenue returns. There are also intelligent water systems, while the 4th Industrial Revolution in water management has proliferated globally.

From SMART meters to intelligent control systems and remote sensing – the future of water management is here. This is an opportunity for South Africa to become the water Silicon Valley of the global South.