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Murray & Roberts water opens it’s Organica water resource recovery demonstration facility for Ethekwini Water Services
25 April 2018
Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal, 25 April 2018 - Murray & Roberts Water (“MRW”), a Trading Division of Murray & Roberts Limited, today opened the first Organica Water (“Organica”) Resource Recovery Demonstration Facility for eThekwini Water Services at the Verulam Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Harry Singleton, Operations Executive, Murray & Roberts Water comments: “MRW secured the exclusive license for Organica Technology in South Africa (and non-exclusively in the rest of the SADC region) early in 2016. We are excited to open our first Demonstration Water Resource Recovery Facility for eThekwini Water Services at the Verulam Wastewater Treatment Plant. We believe wastewater infrastructure in South Africa is in need of innovative and sustainable thinking and our combined technology and experience can offer the domestic solutions required”.
Murray & Roberts Water, part of the multi-national Murray & Roberts engineering and construction Group, offers the capability and expertise to undertake feasibility studies, design, supply equipment, construct, commission, operate and maintain water and wastewater treatment plants in Africa. The company provides complete water treatment solutions with appropriate technology and structured commercial packages to meet client requirements.
Ednick Msweli, Head, eThekwini Water and Sanitation comments “It is our aim to provide all citizens within the eThekwini Municipality access to appropriate, acceptable, safe and affordable basic water supply and sanitation services. The Organica demonstration plant allows us to apply innovative and sustainable technology to the water and sanitation services we provide to the people of eThekwini, specifically in the realm of wastewater services.”
Localised wastewater treatment specialist Organica brings a highly imaginative approach to wastewater treatment in urban and suburban areas. Organica’s treatment facilities utilise active biofilms on natural (plant) and/or engineered (patented biofiber media) root structures, all housed in a fully-enclosed, odourless facility. The result is a solution which offers 50-75% reduced physical footprint compared to conventional wastewater treatment solutions, with up to 30% reduction in operational costs, all in the form of a pleasant botanical garden-like environment that enables the wastewater treatment plant to be located virtually anywhere, thus substantially lowering infrastructure costs to connect to customers and enhancing land value around the facility.
Oscar Palomino, Senior Manager, Organica Water comments: “An Organica-powered facility is more than just a wastewater treatment plant. It is also a water reclamation garden, educational facility, and symbol of sustainability in the community that enables cost-efficient water reuse and allows for maximized development opportunities - particularly in populated areas where footprint and odor are significant concerns.”
About eThekwini Water and Sanitation
eThekwini Water and Sanitation is a unit of the eThekwini municipality and is responsible for the provision of water and sanitation services to all customers in the municipality. We have as our core values, a customer focus, cost consciousness and a concern for the well-being of our staff.
The Unit is continually looking for new and innovative ways to provide services to our customers and has been recognised through many awards and acknowledgements.
Initiatives such as free basic water, flow limiters, the use of plastic bodied water meters, polypropylene water piping, ground tanks and semi-pressure water service levels, urine diversion toilets, anaerobic baffled reactors, the use of grey water for urban agriculture, customer services agents, condominial sewerage and a customer water debt repayment policy were first introduced to South Africa, here.
For more information about eThekwini Water and Sanitation, please visit http://www.durban.gov.za/city_services/water_sanitation/Pages/default.aspx
About Murray & Roberts
Murray & Roberts is a leading engineering and construction services group of companies. It has delivered infrastructure projects throughout South and Southern Africa for more than 110 years, and is today recognised as an international engineering and construction group. The Group offers engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, operations and maintenance services in the oil & gas, underground mining, power and water, as well as the civil infrastructure and building markets.
Murray & Roberts Water provides complete water treatment solutions with appropriate technology and commercial packages that are structured to meet specific client requirements; these include:
- Mine Water Treatment
- Sea Water Desalination
- Industrial Effluent Treatment
- Municipal Water and Waste Water
- Water treatment for Re-use
- Water Supply for Power Generation
- Infrastructure
For more information about Murray & Roberts, please visit www.murrob.com
About Organica Water
Since its founding in 1998 Organica has worked to bring its sustainable wastewater treatment solution to cities and communities around the world. Today, with more than 80 references in ten countries and four continents, Organica is recognized as the world leader in providing localized solution for the treatment and reuse of wastewater. While the Company offers a highly efficient biological process, its signature focus is on addressing the total cost of treatment by developing localized solutions that integrate into any population center. To achieve this goal they feature unprecedented integration of all engineering disciplines – process, mechanical, civil, electrical, controls, and architecture – to minimize capital costs, maximize operating efficiency, and create iconic structures. Each Organica plant has the appearance of a botanical garden bringing the natural world into towns and cities, creating new spaces and enhancing quality of life for residents thus changing the relationship of communities to the environment, waste and resources.
For more information about Organica, please visit www.organicawater.com
Further information:
Murray & Roberts
Ed Jardim
Group Media and Investor Executive
Organica Water
Oscar Palomino
Senior Manager
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