While there is increasing and broader appreciation and awareness among all stakeholder groups of the global water and sanitation challenges, the need for disruptive innovation in the water sector remains at the forefront in driving global and local water sustainability, said Water Research Commission (WRC) CEO Dhesigen Naidoo.

Addressing the WRC’s Research Development and Innovation symposium in Johannesburg, Gauteng, last month, Naidoo emphasised water crises and water security as key risk factors, as indicated by the World Economic Forum’s ‘Global Risks 2015’ report.

However, this risk is mitigated by large investment in the water sector, resulting from two particular instruments on the global agenda – the declaration of the United Nations’ (UN’s) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from 2015 to 2030, as well as the Climate Change Conference, otherwise known as the Conference of the Parties (COP) 21.

“These have become rallying points in developing the narrative to ensure that the world enjoys a more sustainable future,” Naidoo said.

Underlining Water and Sanitation Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokoyane’s emphasis on the need to introduce disruptive innovations that would enable a step change in existing global water and sanitation strategies, Naidoo further underscored accelerated innovation and shorter pathways to impact on water research development and innovation.

He added that the industry had “mountains of knowledge and can make a considerable contribution in shortening the supply chain”.

Stimulating the development of an inclusive and vibrant industry was another drive in changing water and sanitation strategies, Naidoo said, noting that countries that had an inclusive strategy for the disabled, the marginalised, youth and refugees in developing the water industry, tended to have a more sustainable system.

Consequently, the WRC Technology Summit, hosted in parallel with the Innovation symposium, explored this aspect in detail, with the launch of several new water-engineering and resource-management innovations, he pointed out.

Naidoo also said that international partnership and responsibility had to be organised in such a way that, not only would international collaboration benefit South Africa, but the country could also accept responsibility in the world as a “contributor to solutions for Southern Africa, Africa and the world”.

Paradigm Shift
Naidoo stressed the need for a change in thinking regarding the water engineering and infrastructure sector, where “the focus lies in reimagining the next 20 years, including . . . the new technological platform that South Africa will need to meet its universal goals”.

He suggested that this focus would centre on new technological innovations and opportunities, but with a heightened awareness on using wastewater, specifically low-energy wastewater treatment, including the accommodation of a demand-side management model.

“Other focus areas would include resource management using big data, leak detection and real-time repair response-mechanisms, as short-term benefits would be gained from this type of management,” Naidoo said, noting that this type of management would add 25% to the water supply of municipalities.

Despite having a significantly inventive scientific fraternity, Naidoo also believed that new industry partners who are brought in to support business development and investment in the sector, could boost the enhancement of projects and innovation to a sufficient demonstration and manufacturing scale in South Africa.

Sector Accolade
Although Naidoo acknowledged that the challenges required a radical shift, he believed that the challenge of creating new innovation is also a significant opportunity, highlighting the achievements of the South African water-engineering sector, which, in partnership with the WRC, has contributed to water knowledge worldwide.

“South Africa’s work on, for example, reverse-osmosis membrane development, has catalysed the development of a vibrant membrane industry worldwide, with reverse osmosis as premier choice for water treatment,” he stressed.

Other achievements include South Africa’s strides and implementation of dry cooling in electricity generation, and the implementation of the Water Act of 1998 for the legislative environment.

“We need to galvanise on these achievements . . . to increase the contributions to disruptive innovation required to subsequently realise the sustainable development goals for South Africa,” Naidoo concluded.