Many companies are embracing water stewardship in response to water scarcity and climate variability, but sub-standard infrastructure often stands in the way of their progress.
According to SRK Consulting (South Africa) Hydrologist Kivana Singh, these infrastructure-related challenges present significant obstacles to companies on their journey toward Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) certification. The international AWS standard is a globally applicable framework for major water users to understand their water use and impacts, and to work towards sustainable water management within their catchments.
"The most common issues we encounter include ageing and poorly maintained infrastructure, inadequate wastewater treatment systems and ineffective stormwater management", said Singh. "We also find that there are often outdated or insufficient monitoring systems, limited stakeholder engagement in infrastructure planning, and a lack of dirty water containment".
Water Loss and Quality Concerns
This typically leads to significant water losses and deteriorating water quality. Water losses can arise from leaking pipes, faulty valves and ageing supply systems that are prone to inefficiencies, while water quality deterioration is often driven by failing sewer infrastructure, overloaded or poorly maintained treatment systems, and inadequate containment of pollutants. All these factors can result in the release of contaminated water into the environment, she pointed out.
Water shortages whether due to infrastructure issues or drought – pose a growing risk to businesses as their supply requirements will not be prioritised over residential users in a crisis, she noted. Given the difficulty and cost of transporting water in bulk when supply disruptions occur, there is a strong incentive for businesses to proactively manage their water-related risks.
"Another important issue is the ineffective management of clean and dirty water flows", she explained. "In many operations, infrastructure for diverting clean stormwater away from activity areas is either insufficient or poorly maintained".
At the same time, she continued, dirty water generated from high-risk zones such as workshops, wash bays or chemical storage areas is not always properly contained or treated. This results in the mixing of clean and contaminated water, which can enter surface or groundwater systems and cause pollution.
