Life Healthcare in the Western Cape has opened it’s water filtration plant, reducing the demand and impact on municipal water supplies.
Life Healthcare, one of South Africa’s largest private healthcare groups, today opened its water filtration plant at Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital which meets the City of Cape Town and Department of Water and Sanitation’s strict regulations.
The water filtration plant comes as a result of the Group’s national water strategy and responsible water management processes and measures to eliminate any impact of the imminent Day Zero on patients, doctors and employees and to assist in reducing the demand on municipal water supply.
Life Healthcare engaged with officials from the City of Cape Town and the Department of Water and Sanitation to obtain permission to become self-sufficient in terms of its water supply and welcomed Deputy Mayor of the Western Cape, Ian Nielsen to join in the official opening of the water filtration plant. The water filtration plant fully complies with the City of Cape Town’s regulations and byelaws and ensures water is fit for human consumption in a healthcare environment.
“The municipal water supply has been switched off, and the hospital is now operating off the grid. We have an emergency storage supply at the hospital which is sufficient for at least 48-hours, should there be any technical glitches with the filtration plant”, said Lourens Bekker, Life Healthcare CEO – Southern Africa.
In partnership with provincial and local government authorities, special contingency measures will also be in place to allow Life Healthcare and specifically Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital, to assist in case of emergencies and to mitigate the risk of water resources further plummeting during the current water shortage.
The Group was also granted formal approval by the authorities to sink a borehole at Life Kingsbury Hospital in Claremont, Cape Town with testing currently taking place before City officials can give the green light for human consumption.
“We hope to soon open the water filtration plant at Life Kingsbury Hospital and remain committed to implementing additional water saving measures, including the installation of reduced flow valves on taps and showers, recycling of water for instrument sterilisation and the reuse of grey water.
As a Group we continue to implement responsible strategies to limit the harmful impact our South African business activities may have on the environment”, concluded Bekker.
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