Sustained Healthy Waters for South African School

The community in Temba, Hammanskraal (north of Pretoria) today started operating a water purification system at Reneilwe Primary School that will provide safe, pure water to not only the students, but also the local community and neighbouring Itereleng Primary School.

The area’s water sources are afflicted by high levels of nitrate and phosphate contaminants, making municipal water unsafe to drink. The new ultrafiltration membrane and ultraviolet light system removes impurities from groundwater pumped out of a new borehole and can supply up to 4,000 liters of healthy drinking water per hour, driven by solar power. A water kiosk has been built to dispense it to the local community and generate revenue for the school to operate the system sustainably. DuPont Water Solutions sponsored the project, donating a multi-technology water treatment plant.

The South African N.G.O., Kusini Water, was granted permission for the project in October of 2020 and partnered with DuPont Water Solutions to get water flowing in just 4 months.

Furthermore, The US Embassy in South Africa collaborated on the project, helping to ensure five “water champions” from the community that have been receiving training from Kusini Water since November 2020 to autonomously operate and maintain the plant.

Kusini Water’s CEO Murendeni Mafumo said, “In South Africa, 1 out of 3 schools do not have access to safe water and clean sanitation, putting our school children at risk of serious sickness from waterborne diseases. We are delighted that the community of Temba is now one of over 50 sites in the country we have helped in our mission to provide 5 million people with 5 million litres of safe water in 5 years. Our thanks go to DuPont Water Solutions and the US Embassy for partnering on this vital community-led project.”

Inaugurating the plant on March 22 is not a coincidence. “World Water Day is all about the vital importance of fresh water”, said Semano Sekatle, Regional Commercial Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa “We are delighted to be involved with such a beneficial project as this, which contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation. With the right partnership approach, no one in this world need suffer from a lack of safe water, as effective and highly advanced technology is available that can be community-run.”

“I applaud Kusini Water and their partner DuPont Water Solutions, who are helping to ensure that access to clean water and sanitation are a priority and reality for communities that have had little to no access in the past.” said Frank Whitaker, Minister Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria.