South Africa is one of the many countries faced with the serious issues of water scarcity and the high cost of potable water to consumers. Research has shown that by using rainwater tanks, the need for expensive systems such as recycled wastewater can be delayed.

Two rain water harvesting projects revealed

According to authorities and research organisations in Australia, by using rainwater tanks for non-potable applications, the need for expensive systems such as desalination and recycled wastewater can be delayed. In leveraging this, many developers and municipalities are changing legislations and building codes to require the installation of rainwater tanks for toilet flushing, irrigation and laundry uses. Rocla Southern Africa, in collaboration with Rocla Australia, launched the Rocla ecoRain and ecoRain plus water harvesting systems in a bid to encourage rainwater harvesting, retention and re-usage. According to Justin Kretzmer, sales engineer at Rocla, South Africa is one of the many countries today faced with water problems, including the high cost of potable water to consumers. “In Australia there has been a shift towards water sustainable cities and integrated water cycle management. These systems aim to conserve potable supply by implementing the rainwater capture and re-use aspects of water sensitive urban design,” he explains.

With South Africa facing sanitation and water challenges, the ecoRain system, that is designed to capture clean rainwater, which is then stored underground for further use, is a step in the right direction. As the source and quality of any captured water cannot be assured, this system is intended to deliver stored rainwater for non-potable applications, helping to save costs and address some sanitation challenges, while conserving potable water.

How the system works

“The captured water is conveyed through numerous roof gutter down-pipes to the ecoRain filter, which removes all debris and waste greater than 0.5mm diameter in particle size.  Only clean water is then transferred to the system’s concrete tank, while coarse litter is continuously removed from the filter and discharged through the overflow to the stormwater drainage system, ”Kretzmer describes.

Since the tank is installed underground, it will not take up valuable land and the load-bearing capacity allows it to be located almost anywhere on site. While common rainwater harvesting systems are in plastic form and traditionally placed above ground exposing the tank to heat and sunlight, these underground concrete tanks are an ideal method of storing water, proving an almost germ-free environment away from light and heat. “Concrete cisterns are strong, durable, last indefinitely and help to neutralise rainwater,” he adds. The concrete tank capacities range from 3 000ℓ up to over 1 000 000ℓ, and the harvested water can be used for everyday applications such as toilets, laundry, car washing and irrigation.

The RAIN project

In a bid to preserve every drop of water, the Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) Water for Schools, aims to improve access to clean water for over 2 million Africans by 2015 through a US$30 million (R228.83 million) investment in programmes such as the one at Homba Primary School in Khayelistsha, Cape Town. Working together with government, Coca-Cola South Africa is providing schools in disadvantaged areas across the country with basic water and sanitation infrastructure such as working toilets and urinals, taps with drinking water in and around the school area, drainage systems and new basins and taps. The infrastructure upgrades implemented in schools varies according to individual needs as assessed by the Department of Basic Education.“We started the RAIN Water for Schools project in 2010, with nine schools as our legacy project for the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” says Sammy Mohlaoli, senior manager of Community Affairs at Coca-Cola South Africa. “Since then we have identified a total of 100 schools in all nine provinces of the country that are in dire need of basic water and sanitation.”

The lack of running water presents an obvious set of challenges, in particular, health risks. The project is a three-year initiative that will be funded and implemented by The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation working with a number of co-finance and implementing partners, including the Global Environment and Technical Foundation, Re-Solve Consulting, the Mvula Trust and the South African Department of Education. Patrick Katsha, deputy principal of Homba Primary, says not only have some serious health hazards been averted, but learners are also being educated on the importance of basic hygiene while simultaneously becoming conscious of the importance of saving water.

In line with this year’s World Water Day theme, which focused on water and food security, and as part of the Homba Primary RAIN Water for Schools project, rain water is collected by the school and used to water a vegetable garden, which is maintained by women from the local community. The produce grown in this garden is sold, providing economic empowerment for the women.