Company Annoncement - The agreement recently achieved at the COP21 climate-change summit in Paris, France, is a landmark all of us can celebrate, says Mega Water Corporation founder and CEO, Rudy Roberts. “This important step forward in trying to limit the impact of climate change should not distract us, however, from the fact that many countries face serious challenges in dealing with water scarcity across Africa, including South Africa,” he says. “Achieving a reliable supply of treated and clean water for our people is another aspect of the environmental challenges we face. Without such reliable water supplies, personal health and industrial progress are at risk.”

Gauteng-based Mega Water is South Africa’s first emerging business to operate in the water-industry sector. It was founded just over a year ago to deliver integrated, sustainable solutions within the water industry in response to government funding constraints on strategic rollout of new and rehabilitated water infrastructure. “Demand for water remains high in South Africa and is likely to continue rising,” says Roberts. “In 2014, it was estimated that nationally one in 10 households still had no access to piped or tap water and one in 20 households still had no toilet or were using a bucket toilet.” This is despite the fact that South Africa has 179 dams with a capacity of 37 billion cubic metres.

“The widespread drought which we are currently suffering clearly makes it difficult to extend quality water supply and is already resulting in watershedding in parts of the country,” says Roberts. The overall picture of our water resources shows ageing and deteriorating water infrastructure, polluted water sources and poorly managed dams, water treatment and sewerage plants, he says, in addition to the drought’s challenge. “The Department of Water Affairs’ annual shortfall in funding for existing infrastructure maintenance and new infrastructure initiatives is about US$3 billion,” says Roberts. “This is where we believe that private-sector participation by companies like Mega Water can help provide innovative and efficient solutions, revolutionising our country’s water supply.” Mega Water and its strategic partners have already successfully provided clean piped water to Free State homes for the Naledi Trust. This was achieved by innovatively rehabilitating existing groundwater supply using a renewable energy source. The company also expects to install 40 boreholes by the end of this year, delivering a further 140 boreholes within the next five years.
“Another of our innovations was securing the rights to supply chlorine-gas dosing systems to municipal water-treatment plants across the country,” says Roberts. “We have so far deployed more than 30 plants in Greater Gauteng and surrounding districts and expect to complete rehabilitation or installation work on a further 70 plants within the next five years.

“In addition, we have completed three comprehensive Water Utility Audits on major hospitals for the Free State Department of Health, covering security of water supply, chilling plants, disinfection, energy savings, and hygienic wastewater management and removal. We know such services are vital for the health and welfare of all South Africans so we continually research international best practice to find solutions that can help all stakeholders realise the ambition of equitable water delivery for all.” Mega Water continually researches international best practice to find water-supply solutions that are efficient and practical, says Roberts.

“We appreciate such services are vital for the health and welfare of all South Africans,” he says. “So we are deeply committed to doing what we can to help each and every stakeholder realise the ambition of equitable water delivery for all.”