Bernelle Verster, Bridget Fundikwa and Dyllon Garth Randall
“Introduction of the level 6 industrial and commercial restriction tariffs has significantly improved the business case for most water efficiency interventions.
However even under normal conditions, some of these projects remain financially feasible”
The GreenCape
Sector Development Agency, a non-profit organisation that drives the widespread adoption of economically viable green economy solutions from the Western Cape, has developed a financial feasibility excel tool to help commercial and industrial buildings choose suitable interventions. The user can specify the consumption reduction required and interventions considered. With several assumptions and calculations, these are then translated to potential savings.
This has now been published into an industry brief available on the GreenCape Website[i2] .
The Western Cape is currently experiencing a severe water crisis, and when the threat of Day Zero was first announced (the time when the municipal water supply would be cut off and alternative emergency water collection points would come into effect) many companies and residences rushed to secure alternative water sources, mainly through drilling boreholes to access groundwater. But, as GreenCape shows, this is the last option in terms of increasing cost and complexity:
Understand water uses and risks
- Reduce consumption
- Re-use onsite water
- Find an alternative water supply
www.green-cape.co.za