MechChem Africa May-June 2020

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Heiner Freese of SBS Tanks argues the case for a much stronger focus on water security in SouthAfrica’s manufacturing sector. Manufacturers need to prioritise water security

A lack of a consistent and reliable water supply is having a big impact on the growth and profitability on many businesses in South Africa – particularly those in the manufacturing sec- tor – and these businesses need to act swiftly to implement measures and solutions that are going to mitigate water security risk and better prepare them for an uncertain future. According to theWorldBank, with roughly 663-million people lacking access to drinking water and 2.4-billion people worldwide still lacking access to sanitation, water security is still considered to be one of the biggest global risks. But, it’s not just individuals who are suffering. Heiner Freese, chief operating and fi- nancial officer at SBS Tanks notes that here in South Africa, water security has become an ever-increasing business objective and a concern for every citizen as the climate con- tinues to change and continued water supply

challenges at municipal level become ever more evident. No surprise, then, that across a variety of environments, including those in which SBS Tanks specialises – such as mining, fire protection, municipal, manufacturing, food and beverage, healthcare, hospitality and property development and management – there has become a greater need to mitigate the risks associated with water security. This has been driven home by the fact that South Africa has a growing population and a developingeconomycurrentlyunderfinancial pressure, and these factors can only increase the pressure on the country’s water supply system, which, in turn, is already suffering from years of neglect and poor maintenance. As a result, many businesses should be – and some already are – looking at creating their own water supply to avoid disaster and take control of their own destiny, rather than rely on the traditional water authorities to supply water.

Additionally, the cost of water has in- creased drastically andwill continue to do so, making the collection of rain water and the harvesting of water from unused resources just a couple of examples of where the return on the investment in water storage solutions can start to make economic sense, while pro- viding continued supply that may otherwise not be guaranteed. Nearly all industries require water, even if it is just drinking water for employees. Liquid storage tanks are a safe way to store water and if one looks at thewater provision process, tanks are a common occurrence in any system, fromextraction fromrivers right through to storing wastewater for recycling. Further, process water – water that can- not be classified as drinking water and is used in connection with technical plants and processes in production companies – is an important ingredient in many products, with water also often used in the cooling process of many manufacturing plants, such as the coolingof furnaces insteel manufacturing. It is here, within non-

food manufacturing envi- ronments, notes Freese, that mitigating water security issues is crucial and becomes a safety concern. In these areas it is highly likely that a furnace for instance, that does not have sufficient water for cooling could explode, threatening life and property. Taking that thought a step further, fire is a threat that affects all businesses and it is becoming more common in new develop- ments of both warehous- ing and residential accom- modation that insurers

Liquid storage tanks are a safe way to store water and if one looks at the water provision process, tanks are a common occurrence in any system, from extraction from rivers right through to storing wastewater for recycling.

require property owners to provide for and install sprinkler systems and standby water tanks. Throw in the fact that in South Africa we are starting to hear more and more about ‘water shedding’ – as opposed to load shed- ding – and you have a scenario that requires responsible businesses to build in contingen- cies, such as the installation of water tanks, which have the ability to mitigate the risks of low water pressure, water shedding, or even no water being provided through the municipal water system. www.sbstanks.com

SBS Water storage solutions Established in 1998, SBS ® Water Systems pioneeredtheconceptofZincalume ® Water Storage Solutions in the South African marketplace and is a leading name in the liquid storage tank industry worldwide. Using advanced design techniques and by collaborating with South Africa’s leading structural engineers, SBS Tanks ® designs, manufactures and installs easily transport- able, prefabricated Zincalume ® steel panel

tankswithmulti-layeredPVCinternalliners. The SBS ® range has been engineered, designedanddeveloped fromover 20years practical experience in the water storage industry and continues to be extended and improved. The company is ISO 9001: 2015 and ISO 18001: 2007 accredited and is also proudly affiliated to leading professional bodies and organisations. q

40 ¦ MechChem Africa • May-June 2020