Featured
Solving environmental law confusion: Lawyer Lizette van der Walt launches innovative app
Lizette van der Walt is a lawyer specialising in environmental law. In her 27 years of experience, she noticed a general confusion around environmental laws in South Africa and decided to help by creating the Enviro Legal app. This app is designed to help users...
Featured
Turning The Tide To Achieve SDG 6
Coming off the back of the WISA 2024 Biennial Conference and Exhibition, we can all agree that accelerated change is needed in achieving SDG 6 by 2030. As we celebrate 30 years of democracy this year and honour women during the month of August, it is fitting that we...
Featured
[Industry Personality] Carin Bosman: Make noise and have a code
The water sector is filled with passionate people, Carin Bosman is one such passionate person, and she serves to remind us of all that water is for the betterment of humanity, and when you are tasked with doing what is right, you have to make some noise. Early on in...
Featured
[Cover Story] 40 years strong: Lethabo Intake Pumping Station’s historic refurbishment
A part of Rand Water’s proactive infrastructure maintenance project comprised the refurbishment of pumps and electrical boards at the Lethabo Intake Pumping Station. This key facility pumps water to ESKOM Lethabo Power Station and supplies over half of Gauteng via the...
Indicators of water quality: temperature, depth and conductivity
Water can transmit heat, sound, and electricity and the Keller’s CTD multiparameter probe measures all three parameters. The acronym ‘CTD’ stands for conductivity, temperature and depth and is determined by the following sensor elements:...
New preferential procurement regulations: a “placeholder”
The new Preferential Procurement Regulations allow organs of state to set quantifiable, transformative goals in their tenders. Bidders will need to consider tender documents carefully to determine whether they may be eligible to receive points for...
Software designed to facilitate wheeling
George Municipality is believed to be the first electricity provider in South Africa to pilot Access Energy, a freely licensed software solution that automates the reading, processing, and billing of electricity smart meter data. “The need for this...
DWS’s ‘captain’ and his plan for 2023
Senzo Mchunu, Minister of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), addressed delegates at the Biennial WISA Conference 2022. Going forward, he maintains that a larger focus must be placed on assisting municipalities with the delivery of water...
Creating a World Without Waste
Like many companies that make products we all love, Coca-Cola’s packaging has contributed to the global packaging problem; however, the beverage multinational is taking bold action to help solve this challenge. Recognising that packaging accounted...
Pioneering wastewater technology trialled by eThekwini municipality
Traditional aeration technology has low oxygen transfer efficiency (between 10% and 15%) and high energy consumption (approximately 50% of the overall operating expenditure of the plant). Fluence Corporation MABR (membrane aerated biofilm reactor)...
Sustainability
Empowering SA women working in automation, manufacturing and infosecurity
The month of March marks International Women’s Month, with International Women’s Day celebrated on 8 March. Adopted by the United Nations, this year’s theme of ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’ recognises the gap in...
[OPINION] The road to sustainable mobility
In 2023, we are standing at the crossroads of significant decisions to be made around the interdependency between our future Energy and Mobility industries in South Africa. Make the wrong decisions, and we will likely pay the price in terms of...
Collaborative talent pipeline initiatives start to reap rewards
Lack of awareness around the employment opportunities in the pulp and paper industries, combined with the challenges of South Africa’s poor education outcomes, have led to a talent shortage, but the industry’s collaborative efforts in addressing...
Mpact reports robust operations and strong financial performance
Mpact, the largest paper and plastics packaging business and recycler in Africa, reported their year-end results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2022. Bruce Strong, Mpact Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’ve had a good year thanks to our...
SABS cautions against unverified claims of degradable plastics
South Africa generates 2.4 million tons of plastic waste every year, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). This means that every South African contributes about 41kgs of plastic waste per year and about 14% is recycled. The South...
Creating a World Without Waste
Like many companies that make products we all love, Coca-Cola’s packaging has contributed to the global packaging problem; however, the beverage multinational is taking bold action to help solve this challenge. Recognising that packaging accounted...
Industry News
Promoting localisation in the manufacturing sector
Building local industrial capacity for the South African market has become a priority for the Department of Trade Industry and Competition, and highlights a growing need for organisations to promote localisation within the manufacturing sector....
Opinion
Two decades of plastic piping
Sizabantu Piping Systems has recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. What has changed in piping systems over the past 20 years? Sizabantu Piping Systems was established in 2002 as a Marley Pipe Systems BBBEE initiative to focus on the marketing...
[THOUGHT LEADERSHIP] How to recession-proof your construction company
Recessions and serious economic downturns often debilitate companies that are unprepared for the worst. For many, it could take years to recover, if they ever do. To ensure your construction company survives the next economic decline, some...
Metro News
Government must support Rand Water to prevent continued vandalism of bulk water infrastructure
Over the last five days whole parts of the City of Tshwane have grappled without water due to a lack of supply from Rand Water. The primary driver of these shortages have been incidents of vandalism which have taken place alongside planned...
Water crisis intensifies due to lack of maintenance of infrastructure
Gauteng residents have been left with no water due to Rand Water’s lack of adequate and regular maintenance of its water infrastructure, says the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng. According to DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Infrastructure...
Gauteng to spend R1.2 billion towards resolving energy crisis
The Gauteng Provincial Government is set to release R1.2 billion towards resolving the energy crisis in the province. “In a few weeks, we will appoint six developers who will commence the construction of an 800 megawatts solar farm in...
Waste
Engineering
Little relief for consulting engineering industry in SONA 2023, highlights AECOM
South Africa urgently needs to accelerate its infrastructure project pipeline and ensure sufficient technical capacity at the municipal level. This is the message from Darrin Green, Africa MD of globally trusted infrastructure firm AECOM. While...
Rising debt levels cloud construction growth in 2023 – GlobalData
Construction output in Sub-Saharan Africa grew by an estimated 1.7% in 2022, compared to a growth of 3.2% registered in 2021. The industry is forecast to record growth of 3.2% in 2023, however, significant downside risks persist, most notably the...
It’s time to raise the relevance of the engineering profession in SA – SAICE
2023 is a year of opportunity for the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) to actively raise the relevance or value of the engineering professional, as perceived in the public sector; as well as its own relevance as a ‘thought...
Technology
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Water & Sanitation Africa
The official magazine of the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA), the magazine publishes content dealing with the supply, governance, financing, treatment and measurement of water and sanitation in southern Africa.