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Many Hotels and businesses are now getting into the green movement as we now realise how much money can be saved. The obvious tips can save you on your utilities, but you can also save by installing environmental systems.
Rainwater Harvesting, Grey water recycling and a range of solar systems can save your business money. If you would like any information about how your business can reduce utility spend, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Trying to tighten up the expense sheet plays a huge role in increasing profitability. For hotels/business, a large portion of expenses are directly related to the utility costs of water and electricity. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to reduce water and electricity output. The most essential guidelines for lowering the expenses of these key utilities are conservation and utilization of ‘green’ technologies.
Conservation
There are several ways a hotel can go about encouraging both guests and staff to make smart energy and water choices. The easiest is to place attractive signs in guest rooms and public areas that remind guests and staff to turn off lights and appliances when not in use. Also make it mandatory that housekeepers do so every time they service a room. During turnovers, housekeepers should also unplug all the appliances. Just remember that hard to reach plug ins are an inconvenience for customers so determining which items are unplugged should be a room by room decision.
Lighting is a huge energy user so investing in the installation of timers or key-activated lighting is a great cost slashing action. Public restrooms, conference rooms and rarely occupied outdoor areas are great places to utilize timer or motion-detection lighting. Guest rooms and storage areas are appropriate places to install key-activated lighting. This makes sure the lights are off when the room is empty, saving energy costs along the way. Using outdoor light fixtures with photosensers will also help conserve the use of lighting energy by only having lights on during low-light times – no soon and no later! Remote activation is also a great technique to keep heating and cooling costs down. Using thermostat controls to keep public areas at optimized levels will help lower energy bills and increase customer comfort. Continue reading Tips to save your business money
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Due to the pollutions of our scarce and valuable water resources, the consumer could face price hikes of Eskom quantities. If you harvest your rainwater for household consumption, you could dramatically reduce your reliance on the municipal grid and save yourself some money.
Eco Origin have now done installations for AVI, Vodacom, Wits university and many residential homes. If you would like to know about rainwater harvesting, the costs involved and the payback period, please contact us.
Water prices for South Africans could in the near future quadruple as a result of the escalating pollution of the country’s water resources by the country’s mining industry.
“If we don’t find a special development where we can mine without affecting water resources, the prices of water will go up. Someone will need to pay for either the treatment of water or getting more water, and I believe that person is the consumer,” said Koos Pretorius of the Federation for a Sustainable Environment.
Pretorius, who was speaking on the sidelines of the AgriSA’s Water Conference in Kempton park, said the sad reality was between 30 and 40 percent of South Africa’s power utility Eskom’s electricity generation was still reliant on coal.
“We are mining sensitive areas where there is a conflict of interest between mining, agricultural production and the quality of water. We need to move away from this urgently,” Pretorius said. Continue reading Water Prices could quadruple
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As most of us saw on Carte Blanche last night, there is a huge problem with acid mine water in Gauteng. This threatens the streets of Johannesburg, it’s inhabitants and alarmingly the surrounding fresh water.
If you would like to know more about how you can install systems like rainwater harvesting to protect you from this threat, please contact us.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) urges the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs to act immediately to avert overflow of acid mine drainage below the City of Johannesburg. 
The city sits on top of what is referred to as the Central Basin, an area with a legacy of over 100 years of mining. In the absence of the pumping of mine water from this basin for more than a year now, the acid mine drainage is rising at between 600mm and 900mm a day, with its current level being 600m below the surface. At this rate overflow will happen in the city, possibly even in the CBD, in early 2012, compromising the integrity of buildings and causing incalculable damage. The window of opportunity in which to formalise a concrete response to this impending disaster is now only a few weeks away, as the lead time for the required engineering will take between 7 and 8 months thereafter.
MPs of the DA that serve on the Portfolio Committee of Water and Environmental affairs have spent the last few days touring various sites in Gauteng and Mpumalanga that are currently experiencing acid mine overflows or are likely to experience overflows in the very near future. On the East Rand, we saw firsthand the disaster that is the Aurora mine, where untreated or partially treated acid mine drainage has been flowing into the adjacent Ramsar wetland for much of this year. This mine, beset by financial problems, that include the non-payment of workers, needs to increase its pumping and treating of water or risk further mineral reserves below the East Rand being lost. Continue reading Acid Mine Drainage threat
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We all need to make sure that we take care of our gardens as many foreign and invasive plants are taking over, having a negative impact on the surrounding water table. Eco Origin are currently doing a drive to encourage all our clients to plants indigenous plants and trees as opposed to foreign ones.
Speak to your closest nursery and find out which plants are affecting your garden and also find out which local plants would grow best in your area. If you would like to know more about how you can conserve water in your home/property, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Invasive alien plants now infest 20-million hectares of South Africa – an area twice as large as previously estimated.
The shock finding comes from an Agricultural Research Council (ARC) report commissioned by Water Affairs.
“The previous figure was 10 million hectares. We knew this was an under-estimate, but we didn’t think it was this big. It’s come as quite a shock,” the department’s natural resource management programme operations head, Christo Marais, told Sapa.
The ARC had briefed the department on the new estimate at a Working for Water (WfW) implementation meeting earlier this month.
Marais said it had long been obvious there was an under-estimation of the scale of the problem, particularly in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
Invasive alien vegetation, including various species of wattle, pine, poplar, weeping willow, gum trees, hakea and prickly pear, among others, pose a serious threat to South Africa’s water supply, as well as the country’s agricultural potential and biodiversity.
If the 20-million hectares of alien invasive vegetation across the country could be condensed into a single area, it would form a dense, impenetrable thicket about twice the size of the Kruger National Park.
Marais said that 15 years ago, government had established WfW to tackle the problem of invasive aliens, while at the same time provide skills training and employment for thousands of poor, jobless citizens, particularly in rural areas.
In the current financial year, the project had been allocated “a more than R635 million budget”.
Asked how long it would take to clear 20-million hectares of alien vegetation, and what this would cost, Marais said a “conservative” estimate was R34 billion over the next 25 years.
Left untouched, the alien vegetation would spread at an average rate of one percent a year, threatening water and food security.
“This is actually one bit of good news. We initially estimated it was spreading at five percent a year, but the figure now appears to be one percent,” he said.
According to the ARC report, over 600 000 hectares (condensed area) of the Eastern Cape are infested with black, green and silver wattles, as are more than 300 000 hectares in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Eastern Cape has also lost over 200 000 hectares to prickly pear, and the same area again to invasive Australian gums. Continue reading Invasive alien plants
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The economic impact of water shortages in Gauteng could be catastrophic. We do notice that the standard government answer for water issues is always “new sources” and not on conservation or water catchment.
We have installed some fantastic commercial systems that range from backup water supply to safeguard business from water shortages to large scale rainwater catchment and grey water re-use.
Large companies like AVI and Vodacom as well as educational institutions like Wits University have taken this step with us. They are now paying less for water and reducing their impact on Gauteng’s already stressed infrastructure.
If you would like to know more about how you can save water in your business, please do not hesitate to contact us.
SA’s economic hub will run short of water should a severe drought occur in the next 10 years, as water losses have not been stemmed and new sources of supply are still 10 years away, according to a leading engineer.
The second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project will supply Gauteng only in 2020, although, according to experts, SA’s major Vaal River system is already in deficit, as is the Umgeni system.
Negotiations were still under way with the government of Lesotho regarding the flagship project, the Department of Water Affairs said on Friday.
“It is expected to take more than nine years to prepare for and implement the project,” the department said. Once implemented, this second phase would be able to transfer 479-million cubic metres annually to SA. Continue reading Gauteng water shortage risks
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Since Eco Origin’s recent acceptance as a preferred supplier of Jo-Jo products we have been blown away by the response for many of their products. Jo-Jo are now launching a new slimline tank. If you would like to hear more about this please contact us.
JOJO Tanks are proud to announce the official launch of the new “JOJO Slimline Tank”. 
NEW FROM JoJo tanks… the JoJo Slimline™
Perfect for rainwater harvesting and water security use in the city, this streamlined compact design is ideally suited for urban areas where space is a consideration.
The JoJo Slimline™ is 1800mm x 750mm, holds 750lt of water and fits easily through a regular door frame. Its ergonomic design ensures that it can be mounted around corners and down narrow walkways of urban homes. Connect a few Slimlines in a series to maximise water storage capacity.
Connect a JoJo Slimline™ to the water mains to secure continued water supply when the municipal water is cut off.
The JoJo Slimline™ is fitted with
1. An inlet / overflow with a 40 mm female thread
2. A bottom outlet with a 40mm tank connector; fitted with a thumbscrew
3. A sieve with a stainless steel mesh to keep out leaves and mosquitoes.
4. A black, child-safe clip-on lid to keep the dust out and to ensure that no algae grows in the tank.
5. A brass 20mm lockable tap strategically positioned to allow easy access to a watering can or a bucket.
Like all other JoJo tanks, the Slimline™
1. Carries a 5-year product guarantee.
2. Only uses the best quality food grade virgin materials to withstand the test of time.
3. Is UV resistant – lined with a carbon black food safety accredited lining material to stop algae growth
4. Is manufactured in a variety of colours to satisfy clients’ requirements.
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Eco Origin is now a prefered supplier of all Jo-Jo products. If you would like any information regarding our products, please contact us.
VERTICAL TANKS
| TANK |
TYPE |
DIAMETER |
HEIGHT |
SG |
| 260-Liter |
Water |
640 mm |
850 mm |
1 |
| 500-liter |
WaterChemical MediumChemical Heavy |
800 mm |
1 000 mm |
11.4 |
| 1 000-Liter |
WaterChemical MediumChemical Heavy |
1 100 mm |
1 300 mm |
11.41.6 |
| 1 500-Liter |
WaterChemical MediumChemical Heavy |
1 420 mm |
1 300 mm |
11.41.6 |
| Value Tank |
WaterChemical MediumChemical Heavy |
1420 mm |
1 600 mm |
11.41.6 |
| 2 500-Liter |
WaterChemical MediumChemical Heavy |
1 420 mm |
1 800 mm |
11.41.6 |
| Under-Roof |
|
1 800 mm |
1 850 mm |
1 |
| 5 000-Liter |
WaterChemical MediumChemical Heavy |
1 800 mm |
2 040 mm |
11.41.6 |
| 5 500-Liter |
WaterChemical MediumChemical Heavy |
1 800 mm |
2 300 mm |
11.41.6 |
| 10 000-Liter |
WaterChemical MediumChemical Heavy |
2 200 mm |
3 040 mm |
11.41.6 |
| *15 000-Liter |
WaterChemical MediumChemical Heavy |
2 600 mm |
3 450 mm |
11.41.6 |
| *20 000-Liter |
WaterChemical MediumChemical Heavy |
2 600 mm |
4 200 mm |
11.41.6 |
HORIZONTAL TANKS
| TANK |
HEIGHT |
LENGTH |
WIDTH |
LID |
| 240-Liter |
570 mm Diameter |
1 070 mm |
- |
- |
| 500-Liter |
830 mm |
1 260 mm |
775 mm |
- |
| 600-Liter |
690 mm |
1 440 mm |
940 mm |
- |
| 750-Liter |
665 mm |
1 490 mm |
970 mm |
- |
| 900-Liter |
820 mm |
1 450 mm |
940 mm |
- |
| 1 000-Liter |
1 000 mm |
1 650 mm |
985 mm |
- |
| 1 500-Liter |
1 400 mm |
1 900 mm |
1 130 mm |
- |
| 2 250-Liter |
1 030 mm |
2 120 mm |
1 368 mm |
450 mm |
| 2 500-Liter |
1 050 mm |
1 950 mm |
1 600 mm |
450 mm |
| 5 000-Liter |
1 520 mm1 500 mm |
2 550 mm2 500 mm |
2 050 mm2 100 mm |
450 mm |
| 5 500-Liter |
1 450 mm |
2 510 mm |
2 120 mm |
450 mm |
| 5 000-Liter LP |
1 700 mm |
2 200 mmDiameter |
- |
450 mm |
| 6 000-Liter LP |
1 850 mm |
2 200 mmDiameter |
- |
450 mm |
* There are many more Jo-Jo products, so if your needs are not covered above, please contact us.
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Schoemansdal – Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Buyelwa Sonjica signed a water-sharing agreement with her Swaziland counterpart, Tsandzile Dlamini, at Driekoppies Dam in Mpumalanga on Friday.
Under the agreement, communities living on both sides of the border will have the right to use water from the dam.
“SADC member countries have agreed to preserve water and promote the sharing of resources among ourselves, and therefore this is a good move for both countries because the project will benefit the citizens of both South Africa and Swaziland,” said Sonjica.
She reminded community members who attended the launch that water had to be used sparingly.
“As we celebrate our achievement today, we should never forget the fact that Swaziland and South Africa are indeed water-stressed countries. We do not have a surplus of water and we cannot afford to abuse our precious water resources. A few good thunderstorms or rising dam levels can never be invitations to waste water or to underestimate its value,” she said.
During the signing of the agreement on Friday, three agricultural sheds and a variety of farming implements were handed over to beneficiaries from the Schoemansdal, Schulzendal and Middelplaas communities, who were forced to relocate when construction of the Driekoppies Dam started in 1994.
The various communal compensation projects amount to more than 260ha under irrigation using water from Driekoppies Dam, as well as about 2900ha of farming land used for various crop cultivation projects.
Sonjica told the beneficiaries that a “mammoth task” awaited them in ensuring the success of their projects.
“Today, the ball is in your court and I challenge you to take heed of the teachings you received from your various mentors and take full responsibility of your projects. By so doing, you will ensure continued success, and your work will be hailed as one of the best of all dam relocation projects. Continue reading South Africa/Swazi Water deal
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Encouraging news that the government are to hold a summit in aid of KZN’s poor water situation. Price rises and a lack of infrastructure for the poorer regions make KZN water situation one of the worst around the country.
If you would like to privately start taking control of your water needs, why not harvest your rainwater or re-use your grey water and start saving yourself some money and reducing the stresses on the grid. Contact us or request a quote.
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal will address the province’s water crisis in a summit to be held before the end of the year, the party’s provincial secretary said on Monday.
The ANC found serious water shortages in northern Zululand and the Midlands, said ANC provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala.
“Some people have no running water and they don’t have nearby rivers to draw up water from. The situation is very serious,” he said.
Studies had shown that more than 400,000 people in KwaZulu-Natal had no access to clean water.
The provincial government last held a provincial water summit in 2005.
Zikalala said the ANC would invite government think tanks, water experts and the community to the meeting.
“We want to make sure that the resolutions of the previous summit are implemented. We want to deal with this water crisis,” he said.
More than four million people in South Africa have no access to clean water.
South Africa also has ageing infrastructure, unauthorised connections to its systems and a lack of skills and capacity in all three spheres of government.
- TIME Live
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A fantastic workshop is going on in the Gauteng at the moment, dealing with issues concerning the environment and especially water conservation. Bad water habits are learnt young, and any program that deals with water issues is money well spent.
WHILE most young people enjoy the extended school holidays and World Cup, high school pupils from Gauteng host cities took time out to learn more about life skills, the environment and its conservation.
More than 400 Grade 10 and 11 pupils from various schools were randomly chosen to take part in a week-long camp from June 7 as part of the department’s water conservation campaign.
As part of the annual camp hosted by the department of water Affairs in Gauteng, this year’s project encompassed the World Cup theme, youth month and conservation.
Pupils were able to watch the soccer spectacle at their camp at the Ithuba Community School in Ekurhuleni.
The Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve was used as base camp.
The pupils woke up at the crack of dawn every day and climbed a hill at the nature reserve. Once at the top they waited for the sun to rise and then sang the national anthem. Continue reading Environment workshops for children
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Water Rhapsody a WWF Green Trust award winner can save us up to 90% of our municipal water bills.”
 WWF Green Trust Award
Against a global rainfall average of 870mm per year, South Africa receives a pitiful 450mm, making it the worlds 30th driest country. Water Rhapsody, with 15 years experience in water conservation, is number 1 in South Africa in Grey water recycling systems and Rainwater harvesting systems. Water Conservation Systems Water Rhapsody with 15 years experience in water conservation, is number one in South Africa in Grey water re-cycling systems and Rainwater harvesting systems. Against a global rainfall average of 870mm per year, South Africa receives a pitiful 450mm, making it the world's 30th driest country. With scant resources channeled to water infrastructure in South Africa, it is up to each one of us to play a role in water conservation. With Water Rhapsody we can go green and save up to 90% of our municipal water bills.
Grey Water re-cycling A bath uses 120 litres and a shower 80 litres of water. When used, that water is called grey water. You pay for it, and then it all goes down the drain. A Garden Rhapsody uses this grey water to immediately irrigate your garden saving you a substantial portion of your water bill.
Rainwater harvesting It is now viable to harvest rainwater for your whole household. This includes rainwater harvesting, storing and pumping rainwater for bathing, showering, toilet flushing, pool, laundry and irrigation. Rainwater harvesting together with other Water Rhapsody products like Multiflush and the Poolside tank can save up to 90% of your water bill
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