CONTRARY to the usual practice of face to face congratulations when reaching milestone events, the Covid-19 pandemic caused Maskam Water’s 10th anniversary celebrations to be conducted by webinar.
The milestone event referred to the decade long supply, manufacture and installation of the ubiquitous Clarus Fusion Sewage Treatment System which features more than 50% local manufacture, by Maskam Water through a joint venture (JV) with licence holders, the Zoeller Pump Company of the USA.
Success in saving
Numerous businesses and authorities, including the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs & Development Planning (WCDEA) at its Dorp Street HQ in central Cape Town have found the advantages of the Fusion system appealing – utilising recycled grey water for sanitation purposes, irrigation or industrial usage – saving precious resources, capital expenditure and huge amounts energy. The WCDEA save over 1 million litres of potable water per annum just in toilet flushing with its Clarus Fusion unit.
The company have sold more than 280 Fusion units across sub Saharan Africa, the UAE and Mauritius since acquiring the distribution rights from Zoeller in 2010. More than 20 units have been supplied to customers in the Franschhoek Valley, (where the first plant was installed in 2010).
Dignitaries congratulate
Passing on their congratulations and good wishes were local dignitaries David Maynier, Western Cape Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, US Consul General Virginia Blazer, Ashton Mpofu, senior analyst at Green Cape and Sid Peimer, executive director of the Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Joining the webinar from Louisville, Kentucky in the USA was Zoeller Pump Company president Bill Zoeller who recalled the decade long association with Maskam and particularly with founder and CEO, Gerhard Cronje.
Gerhard Cronje gratefully accepted the good wishes praising the commitment of the company’s dedicated workforce and took the opportunity to detail the decade long timeline of the development success and relationship with Zoeller.
Although Zoeller’s products are sold in over 50 countries, Maskam is the only company outside of Zoeller’s home base in the USA, to be trusted to manufacture the company’s products locally.
“With 98% of the county’s water resources already allocated and the ever present spectre of drought where towns have run completely out of water, has taught us that status quo cannot remain. “We need to think differently and act differently when it comes to our water resources. On-site treatment and re-use is one of the most sustainable, if not THE most sustainable, ways of saving water / alternative water source” he reiterated.
New bylaws
In 2018 the City of Cape Town set the trend in water conservation on a more permanent and sustainable way. The new bylaws now stipulate that all new buildings and alterations that require the submission of a building plan must have water saving devices or an alternative water source for non-potable use. It is hoped that more municipalities may take this enlightened approach soon.
- Contact for more information: Maskam Water
