Physical asset management company Pragma will continue to install greywater recovery plants at petroleum group Shell’s various Ultra Cities, where possible, following the success of its award-winning recycling plant, which was installed at Shell’s Three Sisters Ultra City, next to the N1 Highway, near Beaufort West, in the Western Cape, last year.
This is according to Pragma project coordinator Willie Brynard, who tells Engineering News that recycling plants should become more popular, as South Africa is a water-scarce country and conserving water is important in this regard.
Last year, Pragma was the winner in the innovation and optimised category at the Shell Engineering Team Excellence Awards and also took third place at the Shell Batho Pele awards for its 150 m3/d effluent treatment and greywater recycling plant.
The plant has resulted in the recovery of 25 000 ℓ/d of water out of season and 120 000 ℓ/d of water in season at the Three Sisters Ultra City.
“The awards recognise the work we’ve done with our contractors. It definitely inspires and motivates us to develop further innovations. South Africa has many areas where there is a shortage of water and saving water is a passion of ours. This project has proved that the pressure on borehole water can be lifted. It’s also aesthetically appealing and owing to its size, is easily maintainable. As long as it’s serviced regularly, it should be operational for a long time,” says Brynard.