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NEWS Page 2 11 September 2009 THEMBA KHUMALO IF WE ARE to reduce the demand we place on the Earth’s ecosystems to a level that the planet is able to regenerate itself, we will need to work together. That’s the message on our “ecological footprint” from Pooran Desa, International Director of BioRegional One Planet Communities. Desai said, “Doing little things such as using water wisely, energy saving utensils and recycling can play a big role in creating low carbon communities.” Desai was speaking at a seminar hosted by the City’s Imagine Durban projecet, at the Botanical Garden’s Visi- tors Centre recently. One Planet Communities is an international initiative that works with housing developers and the construc- tion industry to create mixed- use communities where people can live healthy lives with a fair share of the Earth’s resources. “We are consuming more than we have to and more than the planet can renew. All of this can be avoided if we were to make eco-friendly decisions,” he said. Desai said, “We need to take action now if we are to reverse the damage already caused. We have witnessed the collapse of fisheries, diminishing forest and fresh water systems. All of this has resulted in climate change.” Imagine Durban Project Manager Margaret McKenzie said, “We are starting to talk about climate change and its effects on our lives, however we are battling to take action. “We need to learn a lot from the rest of the world because there are a lot of innovations out there which can help us deal with these issues.” McKenzie said people can easily reduce their ecological footprint if they have the will to do so. “All they have to do is make the right decisions. Saving energy and water, and growing organic gardens can save you money in the long run,” she said. [email protected] KEN MCHUNU A CITY project to manage and reduce water pressure in the CBD has led to savings of 18 million litres of water a day – the equivalent of nearly eight Olympic-sized swimming pools. The project, started by the eThekwini Water and Sani- tation (EWS) Unit in January, is expected to save about R20- million a year. Unit Head Neil Macleod said the service now provided all consumers with a minimum acceptable water pressure of 25m, which was sufficient for a five-storey building. Mcleod said if the plumbing and water systems in high- rise buildings complied with by-laws and national building regulations they should be getting water. Before the unit began reducing pressure it ran an awareness campaign to advise CBD consumers of the plan and to remind them of their responsibilities. Macleod said water pressure in the CBD was being managed so that morning and evenings peak demand is not affected while reducing unnecessarily high pressures during off-peak periods. He said precautions were taken to ensure the fire- fighting capacity of the network was not harmed. Tests had been done to confirm this. Bylaws Mcleod said the drop in pressure would have little effect on consumers – provided the water supply systems of their buildings complied with bylaws and national regulations and had sound plumbing. Further refinement of the pressure management system would take place over the next few months, he said. He said the changes in pressure were being in- troduced gradually to give consumers time to improve their buildings. [email protected] Pressure plan saves millions KEN MCHUNU MORE than 1 000km of new pipes have been laid throughout eThekwini as part of the Municipality’s asbestos cement pipe re- placement project. Alan Kee, Project Executive at eThekwini Water and Sani- tation, said the project, which is scheduled for completion by June 2010, “is going well”. Work is now underway in Durban North and Umgeni Park in the north, Athlone Park and Doonside in the south, Kloof and Gillits in the west, and Queensburgh. At the same time, some 15km of the new modified polyvinyl chloride pipes are being laid in the Central Business District (CBD). Kee said, “From the begin- ning of the project, priority zoning for pipe relay was allocated to areas where the old asbestos pipes were most prone to bursting. “The City’s faults system has records of bursts and we use this information to iden- tify areas where new pipes are most urgently needed.” The R850-million project aims to cut water loss due to burst pipes, saving an esti- mated R248m each year. Trenchless pipe-cracking technology is being used in some parts of the CBD to cut down on traffic disruptions. Project Spokesman, Jochen Dedekind, said, “We are using the same type of machines in Durban, as are being used in First World cities such as London and Brisbane.” He said trenchless methods could not be used through- out eThekwini because in many areas soil was too hard or too soft, to allow the machines to work effectively. Dedekind said more than 12 000 unskilled labourers were being employed a year on the project. “In addition, security guards, plant and material are sourced from local companies.” Dedekind said the four large, mainstream contrac- tors on the project each mentored four emerging sub- contractors. [email protected] Pipe replacement project ‘going well’ ‘Together we can save the planet’ ROMITA HANUMAN A DELEGATION from Germany visited eThekwini recently to hand over 12 000 (about R133 000) to a school in Umlazi to help with energy saving and to buy furniture. Thanks to the donation, the City’s Energy Office will soon be installing solar panels and cells which will charge batteries using energy from the sun. This will slash the school’s electricity bill and provide standby power during electricity outages. Mayor Obed Mlaba welcomed the German funding. “There are a lot of things lacking in our schools. Education is our first priority and we want the best to be done for our future leaders,” Mlaba said. Manoj Singh of the Energy Office said the donors held a series of activities in Germany to raise funds for the eSizibeni Comprehensive School in Umlazi. Principal Sipho Gumbi said, “We will be saving so much, as electricity is expensive. I am glad this partnership between eThekwini and Germany is working so well.” Iris Ruschmeier, known as the “mother” of the project, said, “We want to create relationships with schools all over the world. In Germany we also want to save energy. We are now trying to teach children how to do this”. Pupil Mtobisi Shoba said, “It is interesting to meet other cultures and it is good that we are learning to save energy.” Fiona Coordes, a member of the German delegation, said, “We have found the best way to learn is to meet people from other parts of the world”. [email protected] CARSTEN Laugesen of Danish International Development Agency (Danida) and Manoj Singh of the City Treasury’s Energy Office with a heat pump recently donated to the City by Danida. The heat pump, which has been installed at the Malacca Road electricity depot, extracts heat from surrounding air to maintain the temperature of unused water in geyers at the depot. Unused water loses heat and electricity is required to bring it back to geyser temperature. The use of heat pumps prevents the loss of heat from unused geyser water and so saves electricity. The donation was co-ordinated by the Energy Office Picture: MACK MAKHATHINI Germans sponsor solar system On the Boil Stars come out to shine THEMBA NYATHIKAZI and ALYSSIA BIRJALAL THE eThekwini Citystars 2009 Awards evening was held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre last week. The annual awards recognise service excellence by Municipal employees. Family, friends and colleagues from Municipal departments attended the event, which paid tribute to nominees for their hard work and dedication. “We are gathered here tonight to honour and show our appreciation to all of you. You are all worthy of being recognised for the hard work you do in your departments,” said City Manager Michael Sutcliffe. Nominations were made in seven categories and the winners were: Best Community Outreach: Blessing Ngidi from Electricity; Best Team: Roads Provision (North); Best Leader: David Bryan Thomas from Engineering; Best Batho Pele People’s Person: Emmanuel Nkosinathi Ngcobo from Treasury; Most Innovative Idea: City Budgets Forum; Best Woman Achiever: Jayshree Pershad from Electricity; and City Manager’s Award For Best Department: eThekwini Housing Projects Guests, including Mayor Obed Mlaba and Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo, enjoyed a five-course meal and live entertainment. [email protected] [email protected] WINNER: Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo hands Emmanuel Ngcobo the Batho Pele People’s Person award
