Ryno Erdmann, Group CEO, Aquatico, discusses the importance of laboratory testing and the services Aquatico has to offer.

 

Tell me about Aquatico and the laboratory services you offer the water sector.

RE Aquatico is an established environmental monitoring and testing company that has been in operation since 1996. We are a proud service provider that offers cutting-edge technology and innovation to our extensive customer base.

Aquatico Laboratories offers the testing of ground-, waste-, surface and drinking water across all sectors of society, including mining and industries, municipalities and government, as well as estates and private homeowners.

What kind of water assessments can you offer your clients?

We offer inorganic analysis of major cations and anions, trace metals, microbiological analyses and organic analyses. Emphasis is placed on turning environmental data into management information that can assess risk as measured against legislative criteria.

What accreditations does your laboratory have?

Aquatico is a Sanas-accredited testing laboratory (No. T0685) governed by ISO/IEC 17025:2005. The laboratory also takes part in the SABS proficiency testing scheme for hydrochemical analysis and the National Laboratory Association proficiency testing scheme for microbiological laboratories.

How do you ensure the integrity of laboratory results?

We do this by investing in advanced analytical technology and highly qualified personnel. We have also developed a software data management system to ensure the integrity of laboratory results through a rigorous set of quality procedures. This reliance on upper-end technology greatly eliminates human error. In-house software development is an ongoing focus in our operations to ensurethe highest integrity – from sampling through to analysis and reporting.

What expertise does Aquatico offer and where does the company operate?

Aquatico offers a highly skilled and experienced team of multidiscipline scientists who can form a link between monitoring the environment and the management and engineering of environmental solutions.

We serve all nine South African provinces and have extended our services into Africa, covering most of the SADC countries. Our head office, which also hosts our modern laboratory facilities, is situated in Pretoria, Gauteng.

Since the start of the Cape drought, people have been looking to alternative water resources such as boreholes. What should people keep in mind when it comes to water quality?

We have seen a noteworthy rise in the number of private homeowners and businesses establishing boreholes as a primary or backup water supply to their properties. I would say that the most important factor is to ensure the fitness of use of the water supply by having the water tested by a recognised laboratory, to provide a comprehensive analysis. Cognisance needs to be taken of municipal by-laws and other legislation with regard to the private use of groundwater resources.

Many of South Africa’s wastewater treatment works are not compliant with minimum standards. How can Aquatico assist in ensuring effluent output meets quality standards?

The old adage that ‘you can’t manage what you don’t measure’ holds true. Aquatico combines field monitoring, laboratory analysis, data management and reporting as a single, integrated and scientific product. This service is further enhanced by specialist investigations like site audits, Blue/Green Drop assessments and impact assessments. Aquatico has established a team of scientists supported by cutting-edge sampling infrastructure and analytical technology, as well as an integrated software management system to provide the full service associated with environmental monitoring programmes.

What can the sector look forward to from Aquatico in 2018?

We are in a continuous state of investment, development and improvement in terms of our service offering. Focus areas for 2018 include a broadening of our analytical scope and accreditation schedule, maintaining and improving on our five-toseven- working-day turnaround time, an improved BBBEE score, and a continuation of our personal and professional service to our customer base. We are really excited about 2018.