Other Activities
♦ Implementing Agent For Installation Of Rainwater Harvesting Tanks in Western Cape
Over the past 5 years, Overberg Water, on behalf of DWS, installed rainwater harvesting tanks throughout the Western Cape. The Masibambane project identified low cost housing areas in water scarce regions as part of a water conservation and demand management campaign. Several challenges have arisen on the project due to poor project management, workmanship and financial control. Overberg Water has addressed this problem through internal processes and have given its Shareholder the confidence to provide them further projects in the future.
More recently Overberg Water was appointed as the Implementing Agent for the Poor Farmers: Rainwater Harvesting Tanks Project. The project includes several areas, such as Khayelitsha and the West Coast (Graafwater, Elandsbaai and Citrusdal). The project is in the inception stage.
♦ Implementing Agent: DWS War On Leaks
As previously stated, Overberg Water was appointed as the Implementing Agent for the War on Leaks Project in Laingsburg, Western Cape. The project entails the training of youth through a programme to become skilled artisans (plumbers) and in so doing, works toward the 'No Drop' principles being implemented by DWS. Outputs of the project are to reduce water leaks within the households, improve community education and awareness, and conduct water audits and balances within specific towns.
To date the Entity has completed two phases and has trained 32 youths who received accredited certificates of competency. To date, the municipality has reported a 15% reduction in non-revenue water use since the commencement of the project. Further analysis are underway whereby the municipality intends installing bulk meters to investigate the losses in more detail. The project is complete, however, Overberg Water will continue to support its Shareholder in the future should such a project arise.
Overberg Water has been approached by Rand Water to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to assist with the Presidential National War on Leaks project. Overberg Water's role to date has been more of a support role to its regional Co-ordinators. Further engagements are underway to see how the entity can play more of strategic role in implementing the projects in the Western Cape.
♦ Laboratory Services
Funding and resourcing remains a challenge to establish a business plan for a regional laboratory. The vision is that the laboratory will extend services to municipalities throughout the Overberg, Eden and West Coast districts. This service is necessitated by legislative guidelines and DWS programmes aimed at regulating water/effluent quality that are currently undertaken by consultants.
Funding and attracting the required resources remains the major challenge to have laboratory established. It is envisaged that a detailed feasibility study will be completed in the next three years once the entity has overcome several internal hurdles. The concentration will then be focused to understand the financial feasibility, legislative and funding requirements to establish such a laboratory.