Q. How does your company contribute towards providing solutions to the shortage of water resources in our country and the effective distribution thereof?

A.Quality Filtration Systems(QFS) has invested considerable time in the development of concepts and processes for water reuse. The reuse of water is important to both municipal and industrial sectors, and is one of the critical methods of addressing shortage of water resources in South Africa. The Siemens Water Technology products implemented by QFS in South Africa are proven technologies with excellent engineering backup from Siemens.

Q.In the South African water industry we have produced many unique solutions to meet rural and urban water delivery challenges. What are some of the challenges you have faced and the solutions you have found in response to these challenges?

A.Siemens Water Technology products that lead the new generation of water treatment provide QFS the opportunity to offer decentralised water treatment for both potable and wastewater. QFS support smaller rural communities with simplified, gravity-driven ultrafiltration membranes and reverse osmosis packages. As part of our community programme, QFS has supplied a 3 m³/day system to an orphanage, incorporating membrane technologies for the treatment of contaminated borehole water.

On the municipal side, QFS supplied the membrane-based water treatment process implemented at the Beaufort West wastewater reclamation plant. This process is set to become the benchmark for direct and indirect potable reuse in South Africa. The Beaufort West project is an excellent example of South African innovation to address water scarcity and supply.In the industrial sector, companies are moving toward zero liquid discharge (ZLD), and industrial effluents are being seen as a new source of process water. By implementing these projects, industry is making freshwater available for use by communities and municipalities. There are unique challenges to treatment and recycling of industrial effluents. The breadth of the Siemens Water Technology portfolio allows QFS to provide unique solutions to address the varied nature of industrial effluent reuse. QFS has installed plants that are helping clients address this challenge. At a large steel mill, our technologies are being implemented as a core part of a ZLD solution.

Q.In terms of water resources management, water treatment, water laboratories, water storage and water distribution, how do your products and/or services benefit the water management sector, in terms of some or all the above topics?

A.The management of South African water resources is critical for sustainable growth. QFS offers not only world-class products but also the local expertise for the implementation, service and maintenance required to successfully manage water resources. QFS provides a complete solution of market leading advanced technologies that compete financially with some of the conventional technologies available, but offers superior water quality and performance.

 

QFS was formed in 1996 and started out selling a range of absolute rated cartridges. The applications focused on pharmaceutical, food & beverage and chemical filtration. The product range was increased in 1998 to include micro filtration hollow fibre membrane systems. The need for micro filtration with low maintenance costs resulted in QFS taking up the Memcor agency for Southern Africa. It quickly became apparent that South Africa could not afford to purchase complete plants from Australia. QFS signed a licence agreement with Memcor and have been manufacturing the Memcor membrane equipment in South Africa from 1999. In this process QFS built the capability to manufacture, install and service the Memcor equipment. Further need for other membrane related plants from its customers resulted in ultra filtration, nano filtration and reverse osmosis being added to QFS’s product range. Applications include potable water filtration, iron removal for potable water, effluent treatment, seawater desalination, mine water treatment, cooling water filtration and sewage treatment. QFS designs, manufactures, installs, commissions and maintains ultra filtration membrane plants.