The provision of sufficient, potable water in Africa is becoming ever more challenging nowadays. And this is no more so than in the case of far-flung, scattered or peri-urban communities that are often overlooked in terms of this essential provision.
Ideal for use in such locations are Intaka Tech Water Purification Plants (WPP), which can be supplied to even the most distant locations within short delivery and installation time frames. Intaka Tech is helping to ensure that the rights to such basic human needs are effectively met.
With its head office in South Africa, the industrial gateway to the African continent, Cape Town based Intaka Tech, manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art water and gas equipment, operates throughout South Africa and its neighbouring countries, and is committed to growing and entrenching its presence in Africa on an ongoing basis.
Accelerating service delivery
In South Africa it is currently working in conjunction with Government on ongoing projects, to accelerate service delivery and enhance the health care and wellbeing of the people of South Africa.
Rodrigo Savoi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Intaka Tech said, “South African Government is currently under pressure in terms of service delivery, especially in the water sector, and with the provision of pure water to remote communities… Our objective is to work in partnership with Government where-ever possible to contribute to its goal to provide effective, appropriate services to comprehensively address South Africa’s water needs.”
For example, Intaka Tech has supplied 20 of its WPPs, each of which can produce up to 50 000 litres of potable drinking water per hour, to various district municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal. Phases two and three of the 20 installations are currently being carried out.
The two most recent KwaZulu-Natal Intaka Tech WPP installations took place in December. The first was in the rural area known as Gogovuma, situated about 70 kilometres inland from Stanger, falling under the iLembe District Municipality. The second was in rural Macabazini, a part of the Sisonke District Municipality, with Bulwer being the closest town to Macabazini. The Gogovuma WPP has already been commissioned and is up-and-running, and the Macabazini WPP is soon to follow suit.
The Intaka Tech WPP’s are suitable for operation at rural municipalities and communities where the current water sources are not sufficient to warrant larger schemes, or where the relevant technology is not in place.
As the Intaka Tech WPP’s are easily transported and transferred, they are the ideal intermediate solution where no bulk water supply exists and where such systems are under pressure to deliver. An installation illustrating how the WPP’s are easily transported and transferred is that of ten Intaka Tech WPP’s, these were installed at various hospitals throughout the Northern Cape. They served their purpose well and are now ready to be relocated to other facilities, where they are needed.
The company is engaging with Government in the build-operate-transfer (BOT) concept for water delivery. Governments around the world have generally used BOT schemes as a method of financing the construction of urgently needed infrastructure projects.
Savoi explains that, “The BOT concept enables Intaka Tech WPPs to provide an immediate solution to water delivery, in that they are able to deal with pressing water requirements “immediately”.
The WPP’s and their components can easily be transported to their destination, no matter how remote it may be and installed without complications. This degree of mobility allows the WPP’s to be operational within six days once the plants have been delivered. To date over 100 WPP’s are located in South Africa and its neighbouring countries.
All Intaka Tech WPP’s are manufactured from grade 304 stainless steel, which is corrosion resistant and does not damage or degrade the environment. The WPP’s are also energy efficient, making them ideal for applications in South Africa, a country under pressure in terms of electrical supply provision.
Intaka Tech is an ISO 9001 registered company, and the water produced by the WPP complies with the WHO guidelines for drinking water and SANS 241:2006.
The WPP’s are backed by the company’s comprehensive after sales support network, as well as its service and maintenance agreement, this includes the supply of operational chemicals.
Fundamental to the ethos of Intaka Tech, is its resolute commitment to meaningfully benefit the clients and the communities it serves. Savoi said, “We are pleased to be able to assist in providing all South Africans with access to pure water and to help enhance their wellbeing”.
Expansion into Africa
As part of its expansion further afield, in 2008 Intaka Tech was awarded a R300 million contract for water purification plants to produce 78 million litres of drinking water per day in Angola. It is also currently undertaking a number of new projects in other neighbouring countries, to help develop and transform the continent’s infrastructure.
Its ongoing expansion within South Africa and the greater African continent, emphasises and bears testimony to Intaka Tech’s resolute commitment to meet the needs of its clients and the communities in which it operates, thereby enhancing their lives.