How Companies Are Preparing for Water Supply Shortfall

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How Companies Are Preparing for Water Supply Shortfall

Faced with the prospect of a water supply shortfall in the future, South African companies are finding ways to reduce their consumption.

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Woolworths  is among those achieving results. "We have cut water consumption by over 50% since 2010," says Justin Smith, the retailer’s head of sustainability.

The company’s water savings start at its head office, where an underground water source replaces 14.5ml of municipal water annually. At its distribution centres, savings are achieved by rain harvesting and using recycled water in toilets, and for air conditioning units and cleaning.

"We are striving to save water across our entire supply chain," says Smith.

This includes farmers. The company launched a Farming for the Future initiative 10 years ago to increase the efficiency of irrigation and soil management.

Another priority is elimination of alien vegetation, which draws more than 7% of SA’s water resources.

Alien vegetation elimination is one of the steps SAB is taking to save water. So far it has allowed the company to save the equivalent of the water used by two of its breweries.

Coca-Cola SA  has turned to technology. "In 2010 we set a target of reducing our water consumption by 20% by 2020. We had already reached that target in 2016," says corporate communication and reputation head Wendy Thole-Muir.

Two of the technologies the company applies make use of scientific reactions to clean and disinfect equipment, while a third enables waste water to be recycled more efficiently.

The result has been a reduction in the amount of water used to produce 1l of soft drink, from 2.13l in 2010 to 1.7l last year.

Coca-Cola SA won’t stop there. "Every year we set increasingly demanding water-savings goals," says Thole-Muir. "It is an ongoing project."

Not all companies consume the volume of water that Coca-Cola SA does, but they are still making a meaningful contribution to water saving.

One such company is  Sun International . Among the initiatives implemented by the hospitality group are low water-usage taps, dual flush toilets, pressure reducers and low-flow shower heads. The company also educates guests on the need to use water sparingly.

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