For most South Africans accessing safe, drinking water is as simple as opening a tap in their home. However in Gabon, residents in rural areas and the poorer suburbs of big cities have to walk several hundred metres to obtain water from more privileged neighbourhoods. Water pollution has exacerbated the situation.

To remedy the situation, the Government of Gabon has engaged with South African company Intaka Tech to supply water treatment plants to serve the potable water needs of rural areas.These plants will provide an immediate and viable solution, due to their superior corrosion resistance and short installation and commissioning times. The units are easy to operate and maintain.

Intaka Tech CEO, Rodrigo Savoi says: “We are proud to be bringing clean water to rural areas in need and contributing to the future infrastructure of Gabon.”

The company will be supplying three water treatment plants to treat river water that will be installed and operational as of May 2012. Of the units sold, two have a production capacity of 25 000 litres an hour per unit which approximates to 1 100 000 litres per day in total, while the third has a production capacity 6 000 litres an hour, equating to almost 130 000 litres per day.

The units will be shipped to Libreville and transported by rail and road to the central region of Gabon. Although Intaka Tech will supply these units, abstraction and onward distribution will be managed solely by the client.

Chairman of the company, Dr Gastón Savoi says, “This is the beginning of a programme with the Government of Gabon that once again highlights the need to provide access to safe water in most African countries, particularly in their rural areas.”

It is with this commitment that won the company a prestigious Gold Business Initiative Directions (BID) award at the 14th annual Century International Quality ERA Convention in Geneva on 11 March 2012. The company received the award for its leadership and business management excellence.