Slowly but surely, South Africans are being forced to contemplate the inconvenient truth of water being on the endangered list. The increasingly limited access to this once plentiful resource is resulting in water taking centre stage in all our thinking.

For the most part, we’ve been a culture that just ‘turns on the taps’ – at worst we need to walk to a tap, but something comes out. High water costs, especially in the commercial and industrial sectors, are forcing professionals and government alike to re-think our potable use. Not only is the bottom line affected, but the future of water security impacts on continued operations and expansion of South Africa as a nation.

It’s no surprise that the whole subject of water savings has now become a growing business and, as with any new and fashionable sector, there are both experts and pretenders swimming in the same proverbial pond.

Should water conservation get more of a focus? How should South Africans approach the subject of water conservation?

A strategic understanding is required by answering questions like: What your water is used for, how much is needed and where is your water being used? Answering these questions by means of a simple flow chart brings a visual perspective to what’s going on behind all the taps and the pipes in our walls.

One of the key findings the flow chart will reveal is that many of our water uses don’t require the quality drinking water that they currently use, for example toilet flushing, washing and industrial cooling, to name a few.

This forces other questions…do you wish to own and operate the equipment required to take responsible courses of action and enjoy the savings they offer? Do you want to commit to a particular technology? What is the cost of water going to be?

How important is water security and water quality?

All these questions impact on the decision to buy equipment or to partner with a company to provide sustainable water solutions.

As a company concerned with water security, we take a strategic look at primary use, reuse, potential savings and alternative sources of water. Factors which shape our thinking include the fact that all our municipal water is treated to potable standards, but less than 1% is used for drinking.

Also, wastewater from domestic sources consist, on average, of 20% black (toilet) water and 80% grey (washing) water, which can be treated and reused. Then there’s the issue of rainwater harvesting, which proves to be financially viable provided the right data and designs are employed.

One thing is for certain, whether South Africans like it or not, the issue of water needs to be considered. For the discerning and the responsible, Aquainnovate can ensure that you’ve done your part in water conservation while making your bottom line look hydrated in the process.