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South Africa: Water Project to Improve Lives in the Eastern Cape
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BuaNews (Tshwane)
4 July 2008
Posted to the web 4 July 2008
Nthambeleni Gabara
Port Elizabeth
A water project which will see advanced water treatment, water recycling and improved sanitation technologies is set to improve the lives of people living in the province's rural areas.
The Communal Water House project will improve water availability and the management of this resource in rural communities.
On Friday, Science and Technology Deputy Minister, Derek Hanekom unveiled the first ever Communal Water House in South Africa in the deep rural village of Jansenville.
The demonstration unit comprises technologies for water and solar energy use as well as low-water consumption sanitation methods which are adapted to meet the specific needs of communities.
The Communal Water House allows residents to use potable water for drinking and cooking, and to apply grey water recycling to re-use the water for laundry, sanitation and irrigation.
This is done through a grey water treatment device housed within the unit. Water use is further improved as heating is done via solar panels.
Addressing jubilant residents who had gathered at the event, Deputy Minister Hanekom said: "Today we are celebrating the power of innovative thinking and partnership."
The project clearly demonstrates how the government can meet the needs of the poor through science and technology.
"We are confident that this cutting edge technology will enable us to reach the last 12 percent of our people who currently have no access to water."
Mr Hannekom said plans were in the pipeline to roll out the service to between 200 to 800 people in other municipalities.
The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research has invested R21 million in the project.
Germany's Ambassador to South Africa, Dieter W Haller, said he was proud of the fruits the two countries' science and technology collaborative partnership has produced.
"Our partnering with the Department of Science and Technology and its project team aims to benefit the poor and to contribute jointly to better livelihoods in the country," he said.
The project is distinctive because of its holistic, attentive and sustainable approach, said the ambassador.
The two countries have a fruitful history of science and technology collaboration. Currently there are about 80 active projects between the two countries worth approximately 80 million Euros.
The projects are in energy, biodiversity, geosciences, as well as advanced manufacturing.
The German Academic Exchange Service has provided sponsorships of approximately 2.6 million Euros.
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During 2006, this included 272 scholarships for South African and 420 scholarships for German students and researchers of all disciplines.
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