The CoE, in partnership with the Ekurhuleni Water Care Company (ERWAT), hosted industry giants at the City Meets Business stakeholder engagement on June 21.
The engagement at the Alberton Council Chambers saw the MMC for Water and Sanitation, Thembi Msane, and Kennedy Chihota, the managing director of ERWAT, a municipal entity, engage the top 100 bulk water users and property developers in Ekurhuleni on plans to champion responsible water use for business continuity.
The purpose of the engagement was for the private-public sectors to join heads in finding amicable alternative water-saving methods without crippling their production amid the continuous increase in water demand that has put strain on bulk supply.
Reflecting on the engagement’s theme, Responsible Water Usage for Business Continuity, the MMC said: “The theme underscores the collective responsibility to manage our water resource effectively while ensuring businesses in Ekurhuleni thrive.
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“We also applaud the industries that managed to reduce their water usage by 51% and encourage other industrial water users to follow suit,” concluded Msane.
The engagement updated the business sector on the interventions put in place that have seen the city reduce its non-revenue water.
These interventions include the replacement of aged water meters, leak detection devices and one-on-one engagements with industries to assist in finding alternative water-saving methods without crippling their production.
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Chihota said the municipal entity’s mandate is to treat wastewater, domestic and industrial. Chihota further explained how the entity can help businesses pre-treat wastewater effluent before releasing it into sewage systems and how industries can optimise their operations and reduce water use.
ERWAT is also involved in water reuse and reclamation, supporting the city’s initiative to use water responsibly and sparingly.
Chihota said ERWAT has a comprehensive range of services for industrial customers, with a specialised commercial business section to solve wastewater issues, while hosting a variety of analyses through its SANAS-accredited ISO17025 laboratory.
Among the guest speakers were Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) representatives, who highlighted how the DWS, Rand Water, and municipalities would co-operate in the water-saving initiative.
