Water supply

Is my water safe to drink? Expert advice for residents of South African cities

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

In early March 2024 the residents of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city and the economic capital of the country, were hit by extended cuts in water supplies. This was a new low after months of continuous deterioration. Professor in the School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand Craig Sheridan sets out the risks this poses to drinking water in the city. What can get into my water that will make me sick?You can have chemicals in the water that are toxic, or you can have pathogenic organisms which can make you ill.

Key Points: 


In early March 2024 the residents of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city and the economic capital of the country, were hit by extended cuts in water supplies. This was a new low after months of continuous deterioration. Professor in the School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand Craig Sheridan sets out the risks this poses to drinking water in the city.

What can get into my water that will make me sick?

  • You can have chemicals in the water that are toxic, or you can have pathogenic organisms which can make you ill.
  • As a general rule, South Africa’s water works are able to remove almost all chemicals such that the water is safe to drink.
  • The water treatment works also disinfect the water, killing harmful bacteria and viruses.

Is my tap water safe to drink?

  • And if the water has residual chlorine in it, that means the supply to your home is good.
  • Unfortunately, this relies on drinking water treatment works functioning properly, which is not always the case.
  • The department of water and sanitation runs an auditing process of the water treatment works and the water they supply.

My water supply has been interrupted a lot. Is my tap water safe to drink?

  • If there is no water in the pipe, and there is an underground sewage leak near the water pipe, or contaminated storm water near the pipe, there’s a real possibility that contaminated water can enter the pipe.
  • As water supply returns, this “first flush” down the pipe has the potential to contain contaminants.
  • If your water remains brown or discoloured, report it and drink purified water.

I get my water from a mobile water tanker. Is this safe to drink?

  • But there are far too many instances of
    unscrupulous, roaming water tanker suppliers selling water, especially in areas with no access to safe tap water.
  • Since water supplies have become less dependable, the state has turned to businesses to supply water to communities.
  • If this is the case, it is sensible to purify the water.

What are the diseases that make drinking water unsafe? How are they spread?

  • When water is sent to a laboratory for testing, the first test is for an organism called Escherichia coli, or E. coli.
  • But if it is found in the water, there is absolute certainty that the water has been contaminated with faecal matter which has not been properly treated.
  • This is why it is used as a screening tool for more serious diseases which are also spread through faecal matter.
  • It is highly contagious and can spread by contact mainly from drinking contaminated water, food or from unwashed hands.

If I store water in bottles, how long before it’s unsafe to drink?

  • How warm is the water?
  • Water safety cannot be fully assured without analysing the actual water.
  • At the Centre of Water Research and Development we are doing research partly funded through the Water Research Commission to develop test strips to give a rapid analysis of drinking water quality that can easily be understood by the general public.

Is purifying water difficult?


At the University of the Witwatersrand we commissioned a short animation in all of South Africa’s 11 official languages as well as French and Portuguese on how to prevent cholera transmission and how to purify your water to ensure you stay safe. We have also shared guidance on how to purify your water to make it safe.
Craig Sheridan receives funding from The Claude Leon Foundation, the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), The Water JPI, The BMBF, FORMAS and the Water Research Commission. Craig Sheridan is a member of the South African Institution of Chemical Engineers (SAIChE), the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), and the International Water Association (IWA).

SJW Group Announces 2023 Financial Results

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 22, 2024

SJW Group (NYSE: SJW) today reported financial results for 2023.

Key Points: 
  • SJW Group (NYSE: SJW) today reported financial results for 2023.
  • “With a strong fourth quarter, our 2023 financial results and operating performance exceeded expectations and the initial earnings per share guidance we set for SJW Group at this time last year,” stated SJW Group Chair, CEO, and President, Eric W. Thornburg.
  • In 2023 SJW Group invested $272 million in infrastructure and water supply, which exceeded our 2023 capital expenditures guidance of $255 million.
  • When considering the company's 2024 guidance relative to actual results in 2023, it is important to note that the company's adjustment to income tax reserves in 2023 resulted in an increase of $0.14 per diluted share.

Cadiz Closes Financing, Secures Development Capital For Water Supply Projects

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 6, 2024

LOS ANGELES and GENEVA, March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadiz, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDZI / CDZIP, the "Company") announced today that it has completed a financing transaction that significantly strengthens its financial position and provides the Company with liquidity to accelerate development of its water supply projects in Southern California. The financing includes a new $20 million loan to fund operations and capital expenses associated with development of the Company's water supply projects and extends all debt maturities to 2027.

Key Points: 
  • $57 million credit agreement includes $20 million to support development and construction of water supply projects before the next drought.
  • The financing includes a new $20 million loan to fund operations and capital expenses associated with development of the Company's water supply projects and extends all debt maturities to 2027.
  • "This financing puts us in position to be delivering water before the next drought hits California," said Susan Kennedy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cadiz.
  • Cadiz owns 45,000 acres of land in the Mojave Desert with 2.5 million acre-feet of water supply, 1 million acre-feet of water storage capacity and more than 200 miles of pipeline assets that stretch across Southern California.

XPRIZE WATER SCARCITY COMPETITION LAUNCHES TO UNLOCK THE ABUNDANCE OF EARTH'S SEAS AND OCEANS

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 1, 2024

ABU DHABI, UAE, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- XPRIZE, the world's leader in designing and operating large-scale incentive competitions to solve humanity's grand challenges, today launches XPRIZE Water Scarcity. Made possible by a $150M investment from the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, this 5-year global competition, with a $119M total prize purse, is designed to drive widespread access to clean water by creating reliable, sustainable, and affordable seawater desalination solutions. Competing teams will aim to develop technologies that can responsibly expand access to the water contained in Earth's seas and oceans, positively impacting billions of people globally, and creating a world where clean water is more equitably available and sustainably abundant.

Key Points: 
  • ABU DHABI, UAE, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- XPRIZE , the world's leader in designing and operating large-scale incentive competitions to solve humanity's grand challenges, today launches XPRIZE Water Scarcity.
  • With seas and oceans holding over 96% of Earth's water, seawater desalination has become an increasingly attractive option for providing reliable access to water for countries and communities around the world.
  • XPRIZE Water Scarcity is the first competition of its kind focused on disrupting desalination systems at this scale.
  • We're confident this prize will initiate a necessary step-change in desalination efforts to help address global water scarcity," said Lauren Greenlee, executive vice president of Food + Water + Waste, XPRIZE.

XPRIZE WATER SCARCITY COMPETITION LAUNCHES TO UNLOCK THE ABUNDANCE OF EARTH'S SEAS AND OCEANS

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 1, 2024

ABU DHABI, UAE, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- XPRIZE, the world's leader in designing and operating large-scale incentive competitions to solve humanity's grand challenges, today launches XPRIZE Water Scarcity. Made possible by a $150M investment from the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, this 5-year global competition, with a $119M total prize purse, is designed to drive widespread access to clean water by creating reliable, sustainable, and affordable seawater desalination solutions. Competing teams will aim to develop technologies that can responsibly expand access to the water contained in Earth's seas and oceans, positively impacting billions of people globally, and creating a world where clean water is more equitably available and sustainably abundant.

Key Points: 
  • ABU DHABI, UAE, March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- XPRIZE , the world's leader in designing and operating large-scale incentive competitions to solve humanity's grand challenges, today launches XPRIZE Water Scarcity.
  • With seas and oceans holding over 96% of Earth's water, seawater desalination has become an increasingly attractive option for providing reliable access to water for countries and communities around the world.
  • XPRIZE Water Scarcity is the first competition of its kind focused on disrupting desalination systems at this scale.
  • We're confident this prize will initiate a necessary step-change in desalination efforts to help address global water scarcity," said Lauren Greenlee, executive vice president of Food + Water + Waste, XPRIZE.

Bahri Wins Guinness World Record for Largest Mobile Desalination Plant

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 29, 2024

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bahri Desalination, a specialized business unit of the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri), the global shipping and logistics leader, has established a new milestone in seawater desalination production, reinforcing its position as the industry pioneer with the largest floating desalination plant ever built on a marine barge.

Key Points: 
  • Bahri Desalination Sets New Benchmark with Record-Breaking Floating Seawater Desalination Plant, in Line With its Efforts to Support Saudi Arabia's National Water Security
    RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bahri Desalination, a specialized business unit of the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri), the global shipping and logistics leader, has established a new milestone in seawater desalination production, reinforcing its position as the industry pioneer with the largest floating desalination plant ever built on a marine barge.
  • The achievement was celebrated at an event held at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, where Guinness World Records officially recognized Bahri Desalination's innovative mobile seawater desalination plant as the largest of its kind.
  • Ahmed Alsubaey, CEO of Bahri, said: "We are honored to receive this distinction from Guinness World Records that validates our status as pioneers in engineering large-capacity, mobile seawater desalination solutions.
  • The record validates Bahri Desalination's status as an industry pioneer in building large-scale, cost-effective mobile seawater desalination plants that can be deployed to new coastal locations.

Bahri Wins Guinness World Record for Largest Mobile Desalination Plant

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 29, 2024

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bahri Desalination, a specialized business unit of the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri), the global shipping and logistics leader, has established a new milestone in seawater desalination production, reinforcing its position as the industry pioneer with the largest floating desalination plant ever built on a marine barge.

Key Points: 
  • The achievement was celebrated at an event held at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, where Guinness World Records officially recognized Bahri Desalination's innovative mobile seawater desalination plant as the largest of its kind.
  • Ahmed Alsubaey, CEO of Bahri, said: "We are honored to receive this distinction from Guinness World Records that validates our status as pioneers in engineering large-capacity, mobile seawater desalination solutions.
  • This record reflects our cutting-edge work in deploying sizeable mobile floating desalination capacity where it is needed most along our coastlines."
  • The record validates Bahri Desalination's status as an industry pioneer in building large-scale, cost-effective mobile seawater desalination plants that can be deployed to new coastal locations.

Colorado River Online Tools Offer Insight for Local Residents

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 22, 2024

ROWLAND HEIGHTS, Calif., Feb. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rowland Water District (RWD) has launched a Colorado River public outreach campaign, helping customers learn more about their water and where it comes from.

Key Points: 
  • It delves into the complexities of our water delivery system and how Southern California residents, including those in the RWD service area, are impacted by the Colorado River.
  • The Colorado River is a core piece of the water supply in California, providing water to areas such as San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside.
  • RWD, along with other Southern California districts, has historically relied on a combination of State Water Project (SWP) allocations and Colorado River water to supply its customers.
  • Go to https://rwdlegupdates.org/colorado-river/ to visit the campaign and learn more about the Colorado River.

WINT joins the Mayor of London's exclusive Grow London Global programme, setting stage for rapid international acceleration

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 22, 2024

NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WINT Water Intelligence, a leader in water management and leak-prevention solutions for construction, commercial, residential and industrial applications, has been named as part of the Grow London Global Cohort 3 – a prestigious programme supporting innovative startups as they scale and expand their international presence out of the United Kingdom and build new global markets.

Key Points: 
  • Grow London Global is a 12-month programme for businesses with a presence in London that want to expand internationally.
  • We're honored to join this elite cohort and proud that Grow London Global recognizes the powerful results and value we offer to the global market."
  • Grow London Global is an arm of London & Partners and supported by the Mayor of London.
  • "I am delighted to welcome WINT to Grow London Global (GLG), the successor to the hugely successful Mayor's International Business Programme," said Sara French, director of trade & growth, Grow London Global.

Cadiz, Inc. and Heerema IGS Announce Financing Agreement to Drive Growth

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

LOS ANGELES and GENEVA, Feb. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadiz, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDZI / CDZIP, the "Company") and Heerema International Group Services BV ("Heerema"), the Company's largest shareholder, are pleased to announce a new financing agreement to support growth and capital investments in the Company's water supply, pipeline, filtration and storage assets. Under the agreement, Heerema will acquire the Company's $21.2 million Senior Secured Loan held by BRF Finance Co., LLC, ("BRF") and provide the Company an additional $20 million to support capital investments and growth. The Maturity Date of the combined $41.2 million Senior Secured Loan will be extended to 6/30/2027.  As part of the agreement, the holders of the Company's existing $16 million Junior Convertible Loan have also agreed to extend their Maturity Date to 6/30/27. Following the transaction, the Company will have no debt due prior to 2027. 

Key Points: 
  • LOS ANGELES and GENEVA, Feb. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadiz, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDZI / CDZIP, the "Company") and Heerema International Group Services BV ("Heerema"), the Company's largest shareholder, are pleased to announce a new financing agreement to support growth and capital investments in the Company's water supply, pipeline, filtration and storage assets.
  • Under the agreement, Heerema will acquire the Company's $21.2 million Senior Secured Loan held by BRF Finance Co., LLC, ("BRF") and provide the Company an additional $20 million to support capital investments and growth.
  • As part of the agreement, the holders of the Company's existing $16 million Junior Convertible Loan have also agreed to extend their Maturity Date to 6/30/27.
  • "Heerema's vision is aligned with Cadiz in every respect, and we believe in the Company's future," said Pieter Heerema.