Accredited Valuing Sanitation Technical Workshop, South Africa

On 24 November 2021, the BORDA South Africa in partnership with the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA)- Young Water Professionals KZN Branch, hosted an accredited technical workshop aimed at providing a platform for knowledge sharing by contrasting the challenges and benefits of achieving Sustainable Development Goals 6: Water and Sanitation for all by 2030 by using conventional wastewater treatment versus decentralised wastewater treatment plants in South Africa context, in particular at eThekwini (Durban) region. The workshop was accredited with 0.5 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points by the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA), South African Council for Natural Scientific Professionals (SANCNASP) and Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). The objecives and goals of the seminar were to provide knowledge through conducting informative presentations at the Riverside Hotel located in Durban-North, South Africa followed by a technical plant tour at the BORDA DEWATS site located at Newlands-Mashu Research and Demonstration site. The technical site tour provided a more in-dept analysis and practical examples of the various components of the designed and implemented DEWATS that treats domestic wastewater from 84 households, which is currently operated and maintained by eThekwini Municipality-Water and Sanitation Unit.

The event attracted 25 water and wastewater treatment practitioners, scientists and engineers from the province of KwaZulu Natal (KZN), with attendees overly impressed by the value of the information provided by presenters and the technical DEWATS tour. In keeping and part of the of the theme of World Toilet Day- “Valuing Toilets“, BORDA togther with WISA Young Water Professionals KZN Branch thought it would be fitting to theme the workshop -“Valuing Sanitation“ as part of the global water and sanitation community. With 3.6 billion people (World Toilet Day | United Nations) in the world that live without access to safely managed sanitation, BORDA South Africa is actively trying to invite, engage and exchange knowledge on DEWATS as an award-winning and recognised sustainable sanitation solution. In the South African context, there is still 14 million people that contribute towards the world figure of people living without access to safely managed sanitation(5 Facts About Access to Clean Water in South Africa - The Borgen Project).