Cape Town: from Science to Policy

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Looking for evidence-based and cutting-edge solutions to the Cape Town water crisis. 

Ideas? 

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12 Answers

  1. Pressure management

  2. Focal Line Solar has a system that produces fresh water from a variety of sources for agriculture or feed to a potable water plant.

    Answered on by

  4. dear Silvia, i really hope you manage to sustain yourself through this very difficult period. even though it is record dry, in the end the rains will come. what people are trying now to reduce water use is most important. share tips, go to outskirts and townships to learn from people who live with much less water (and around the globe. hand out washing bowls common in areas with no direct water supply). don't forget sanitation solutions. set up social networks to maintain service even if you come to depend on communal taps. ship in drinking water. support (small scale) solutions that are flexible and can be discontinued (or some crazier ideas: https://futurism.com/cape-town-day-zero-ideas/). for the more long term I think this article is important. http://www.wri.org/blog/2018/02/3-things-cities-can-learn-cape-towns-impending-day-zero-water-shut  .   yourS

  5. Come bring your solutions to the hackathon happening in Cape Town this weekend. It's face-to-face there, and online here for people throughout the globe:

    https://community.oscedays.org/c/channels/water-hackathon

    2 Comments

    1. the link is not working 

      can you resend

      Tx 

      Meiring 

       

      1 Comment reply

      1. The website is www.aquagen-isi.com we use microalgae to enhance the conversion of wastewater into renewable resources in water energy and biotech products.  This is a "Utility Of The Future" technology platform.   We can help communities become more self sufficient and resilient while creating a strong local circular economic base. 

  7. I would suggest looking into the Aquagen Infrastructure Systems wastewater solutions approach.  Cape Town has an opportunity to show the world how to turn a crisis into an opportunity to implement solutions for a more sustainable 21st Century.  The water crisis will not go away, so why not capture the renewable resource opportunities now being wasted along with the wastewater.  Create a sustainable resource platform in renewable water, energy and biotech products while creating a strong local circular economic value by reclaiming and utilizing the valuable resources you are now just throwing away that are polluting your ecosystems.  Stop doing things because it's the way it's always been done.  In no uncertain terms, that is why we're in the trouble we're in globally.   As a reluctant visionary, I am bringing forth the Aquagen Infrastructure Systems, Inc. technology to save our planet.   I also find it interesting that a guy from Cape Cod could help bring about a more sustainable Cape Town and help demonstrate a new path to  more sustainable future utilizing what we already have.  Seems to all fit somehow.

  8. Have you explored options for Solar Distillation, Pervaporation Membrane Technology or  residential level Desalination? Are you looking for solutions at city level or residential? The politics in South Africa make it difficult to present new and cutting edge technologies which benefit the people on ground level. I am afraid provision of water will go the same direction as with the power grid.....if you want water security, each resident or company to take responsibility for themselves.

  9. Dear

     


    I hope everything sees you well.

     I have designed a fluid retention device which can be used for large holding tanks, flood defence, land retention, aqueducts and we are in the process of designing a self sufficient desalination tank for warm countries by using solar panels, water turbines and the sun.

     The system which i have designed is totally concrete free, can be installed on any terrain above ground, faster to install and requires minimal skill and machinery/plant.

     Benefits of using Neptune's products
     No Concrete required - Up to 40% cheaper than concrete
     Situated above ground for easy access
     Fast installation
     Low maintenance
     Minimal ground preparation
     Environmentally friendly 95% recyclable.
     We use recycled products where possible.
     Will last over 75 years
     Cladding can be installed to imitate grass, stone or other landscape effects.
     Solar panels to be installed around the system, this would pay for itself in the long run and or to be used as a backup to generate electricity.

     You can visit my website at http://www.neptunesolutionsuk.com

     I hope to hear back soon,

     Best regards,
     Mike

    Regards,     Mike Mulvihill Founder chief engineer Neptune Solutions Global Ltd http://www.neptunesolutionsuk.com   Mobile:  0754 109 2111

    1 Comment

    1. Explain to me how this is an ​evidence-based ​and cutting-​edge solution to the Cape ​Town water ​crisis (and not just spam)?

      1 Comment reply

      1. Dear John thank you for your comment is appreciated this is not spam with granted patterns in 70 countries worldwide even in South Africa technology is a combination of 30 years processing if you'd like any more information do please connect with us on LinkedIn and I would be  happy to educate you on the Neptune system

  10. Mobile desalination (RO) units can serve a multitude of applications including hotels, resorts businesses, restaurants- even residences. Plus, any industries with high-demands for water consumption. Larger desalination containers (self-contained desalination in a shipping container) can be deployed easily and quickly and provide drinking water for decades to come. Costs for these are from about USD  1-cent per gallon, or 4 liters, to about USD 3 cents per gallon, 12 liters. 

    on  the coast means easier access to sea water and therefore desalination via reverse osmosis. It seems to take the least amount of energy for the highest output of clean potable water.

  11. I would Highly recommend following Anthony Turton a Professor at Unv. of the Free State, Center  for Environmental Management.  He has written extensively on Water Resources... 

  12. Cape Town is on the western seaboard, which receives cold winds. its sister towns in terms of location is Walvis Bay and Swakopmond in Namibia. These areas have desert climatic conditions

    Hence, due Cape Town's geological location, it is prudent that any planning on sustainable water supply to this city should include sea water desalination.

     

    1 Comment

    1. The emergency drilling for groundwater that is now taking place in Cape Town should have been implemented several decades ago. The source potential of groundwater in the Cape Town area has long been speculated, but not systematically explored and assessed. South Africa has the in-country scientific and technological expertise needed for long term water supply planning but has not overcome the procrastinating short-term political myopia that has prevented the necessary investment in quantifying  back-up groundwater resources.

      The "lesson" from the Cape Town crisis is that cities should invest now (in advance of a possible drought situation) in scientific assessments of potential surrounding groundwater reserves.  Wells could be constructed and well-heads secured, and  so that if a crisis occurs all that is needed in the installation of pumps. Depending on the individual well's supply potential these sources could then be quickly integrated into the water supply distribution system or serve as temporary independent supply sources.

      Perhaps the most important benefit of advance identification of potential groundwater supply sources is that land-use protection strategies can be implemented to avoid the specter of contamination. The biggest hurdle ............. educating decision-makers!