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Sea Water-210x297-afrique du sud_2010_Mise en page 1 03/08/10 15:14 Page1 www.degremont.com www.degremont.com SEA WATER: SOURCE OF REUSE LIFE. Degrémont's membrane filtration technology is suitable for the whole range of treated wastewater uses, from agriculture and landscaping to industry and many others. Already valued by farmers and industries, the clean water produced by this demanding process makes a major contribution to water conservation and environmental protection. DESALINATION Degremont draws its desalination experience from its portfolio of more than 250 reverse osmosis plants © Les Éditions Stratégiques around the world. The process removes mineral salts by forcing water to cross a semi-permeable membrane. With the growth in world demand for drinking water - and with 40% of the world's population living within 100 km of the sea - this technology offers a sustainable solution for the supply of potable water. FOR THIS & OTHER DEGRÉMONT’S WATER TREATMENT PLANT EQUIPMENT, CONTACT : DUMI LUTHULI, Deputy Managing Director [email protected] MORNAY DE VOS, Business Develop. Mg [email protected] Tel: +27 (0) 11 807 1983 Fax: +27 (0) 11 807 4118 www.degremont.co.za THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT SPECIALISTS CONTENTS 4 UPFRONT WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 14 From a flood to a trickle – Water for all but only if we start saving WATER HISTORY 20 Kamanassie Dam WATER QUALITY Dryland salinity: Threatening water resources in the semi-arid 24 Western Cape URBAN WATER SUPPLY 27 Cape Town – Water for a thirsty city (Part 1) WETLANDS 30 Working together to protect SA’s wetlands KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION 32 The importance of producing impactful research KNOWLEDGE SHARING 35 Climate change in a climate of change WATER KIDZ Rain, rain don’t go away! THE WATER WHEEL is a two-monthly 36 magazine on water and water research published by the South African Water LAST WORD Research Commission (WRC), a 46 Heritage-biodiversity link celebrated at historical site statutory organisation established in 1971 by Act of Parliament. Subscription is free. Material in this publication does not necessarily reflect the considered opinions of the mem- bers of the WRC, and may be copied with acknow ledgement of source. ISSN 0258-2244 November/December 2010 Volume 9 No 6 Editorial offices: Water Research Commission, Private Bag X03, Gezina, 0031, Republic of Cover: The government’s latest water resource planning strategy report has reaffirmed how South Africa. precarious South Africa’s water situation is. Tel (012) 330-0340. Fax (012) 331-2565. See page 14. Cover design based on a WRC Internet address: photograph by Guy Stubbs. http://www.wrc.org.za Editor: Lani van Vuuren, E-mail: [email protected]; Future water supply – Editorial Secretary: Mmatsie Masekoa, What are our options? E-mail: [email protected]; Layout: Drinie van Rensburg, E-mail: [email protected] The Water Wheel November/December 2010 3 Upfront Conference to look at future role Environmental Water diary of groundwater department lays SMALL WASTEWATER TREATMENT down the law SYSTEMS NOVEMBER 23-24 he Department of Environmental The Second WISA Small Wastewater TAffairs has embarked on a six Treatment Conference will be held month campaign to inspect compli at the Regent Hotel, in East London. ance to environmental legislation. Email: [email protected] or The Environmental Management [email protected] Inspectorate, commonly referred to as the Green Scorpions, is carrying out MINE CLOSURE he call for papers is open for the next sustainability in the years to come will the compliance assessments across NOVEMBER 23-26 TBiennial Conference of the Ground make evergreater demands on ground the country. It is expected that up to The Fifth International Conference on water Division of the Geological Society of water. This challenges hydrogeologists 40 environmental authorisations and Mine Closure will be held in Santiago, South Africa. and fellow professionals to find new ways 20 waste licenses will be inspected Chile with the theme ‘Responsible The conference, which is being organ to progress, often with limited resources. during the campaign. Closure: Living up to Communities’ and ised in association with the International Papers have been invited on the According to the department, the Stakeholders’ Expectations’. Association of Hydrogeologists, will be following topics: climate change and main objectives of the campaign are Email: [email protected] or held in Pretoria from 19 to 21 September drought, dealing with uncertainty, water to monitor adherence to conditions Visit: www.mineclosure2010.com with the theme ‘Groundwater: Our Source quality, merging science and policy, stipulated in environmental manage of Security in an Uncertain Future.” mapping and data, water and energy, and ment plans and waste licenses as HYDROLOGY Financial, economic and environ from pollution to remediation and protec well as to improve the general status DECEMBER 6-10 mental changes and uncertainty require tion, among others. The closing date of compliance within the regulated The School of Bioresources Engineer innovative approaches to hydrogeological for abstracts is 30 November. For more community through taking proper ing and Environmental Hydrology science and groundwater management. information, Email: [email protected] enforcement actions in the event of at the University of KwaZuluNatal Delivery of services and environmental or Visit: www.gwd.org.za noncompliance. is hosting a course on Advanced Modelling of Water Flow and Solute Transport in the Vadose Zone: HYDRUS Will urine become a commercial fertiliser? at Skukuza. Enquiries: [email protected] DESALINATION he Bill and Melinda local sources of nutri FEBRUARY 9-11 TGates Foundation ents is growing. The Australian Water Association has provided a grant of Eawag has many 4th Membranes and Desalination US$3million to support a years of experience Specialty Conference will take place joint project by the Swiss in the research of at Crown Plaza, Surfers Paradise. Federal Institute of Aquatic urine separation, and Enquiries: www.awa.asn.au Science & Technology has done successful (Eawag) and the eThekwini preparatory work INDUSTRIAL WATER USE Water and Sanitation in Nepal, which FEBRUARY 15-17 Utility in South Africa to demonstrated that The Water in the Southern African develop technical solutions urine processed Minerals Industry Conference will be for urine processing for to make the held at the Ingwenyama Conference nutrient recovery. phosphorusbased & Sport Resort, White River. The event The separate collection fertiliser struvite can is hosted by the Southern African of urine provides innovative opportuni of urinebased fertiliser, thus enabling help to close regional nutrient cycles Institute for Mining and Metallurgy ties for the improvement of sanitation a cheap, efficient and widelyaccepted and promote awareness of the value of (SAIMM) and will seek to explore and the recycling of nitrogen, phospho sanitation system to be set up. the nutrients contained in urine. “This and define water and miningrelated rus and potassium. The project, to be There is a growing awareness that in experience plus the collaboration with challenges within the southern African undertaken over the next four years, many parts of the world an alterna an extremely progressive adminis region, propose solutions and possible will study the logistics of collection tive is needed for the conventional trative department in Durban were funding methodologies. Enquiries: and transport of urine from toilets to sewerbased sanitation and central important reasons for developing our Raymond van der Berg (Conference processing facilities. Scientists will also wastewater treatment system. At the project in South Africa,” says Kai Udert, Coordinator); Tel: (011) 834-1273; Fax: examine ways in which sanitation can same time, the global demand for the Eawag researcher in charge of the (011) 833-8156; Email: Raymond@ be paid for by the production and sale fertiliser is so great that interest in South African project. saimm.co.za; Visit: www.saimm.co.za 4 The Water Wheel November/December 2010 Upfront R&D spend up, but SA still off target Polluters must pay, says Minister needed to focus specifically on boosting the skills level and increasing the number outh Africans responsible for her department had concluded the of postgraduate students – which she Scontaminating the land must Framework for the Remediation of pointed out currently stood at only 34% of pay. So says former Minister of Water contaminated land. “The coming into all graduates. & Environmental Affairs Buyelwa effect of the contaminated land sec Part of the country’s challenge was that Sonjica. tion of the Act is imminent. I will soon research funding was dispersed according “We have taken the view that be able to identify contaminated land to sectors, which meant there was not a the cost of reducing pollution must and order investigations to determine central point of administrative control, be shared between people who are the extent of contamination as well as leaving research areas largely dependent responsible for waste, the polluters. the form of remediation required.” on the focus of a particular department. The private sector accounted for 58% We are now saying the policy of the There will be a database or register of spending on research with 24,4% of polluter pays will be strictly pursued of all contaminated land which will be research spending being in the field of without fear,” the minister said. She linked to the Deeds Register to ensure espite spending R2,4billion more on engineering sciences. The remainder was speaking at awaste management that transfers take into account infor Dresearch and development (R&D) last of research spending is concentrated in conference held earlier this year. mation relating to the contamination year, South Africa is still failing to meet natural sciences (20,6%), medical and Sonjica also announced that of land parcels. the government target of spending 1% of health sciences (14,6%), information and GDP on R&D.