MAKING WATER OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE – AFRICA’S FIRST

Water technology company Aqua Air has launched Africa’s first atmospheric water generating plant in Pretoria aimed at tackling the critical scarcity of drinkable water in South Africa.

The company was founded in 2018 by CEO Keamogetswe Matsho. It is a BBB-EE level 1 company that produces purified bottled water for clients in various sectors.

Aqua Air Africa uses industrial and municipal scale water generating units to extract humidity from the air and collect it in raw water storage tanks. The water is then processed through a UV sterilisation system and ozonation to inhibit the growth of micro-organisms.

The plant, which is located in the old Ga-Rankuwa industrial zone, produces 10,000 litres of clean potable water from air daily and Aqua Air Africa plans to expand this to 100,000 litres, creating a sustainable water technology solution to address the country’s looming water shortage crisis.

A decade-long drought has put immense pressure on South Africa’s water systems and has had a devastating impact on agriculture and communities, especially in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Free State, Kwazulu Natal, Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

Dam levels are currently on average around 58%, compared to 69% for the same time last year. Without intervention, South Africa faces a deficit of about 3 000 billion litres of water per year by 2030. In his weekly letters, President Cyril Ramaphosa warned that years of drought had put immense pressure on South Africa’s water system and that water insecurity would become the biggest developmental and economic challenges facing the country unless it took drastic measures to conserve sources and promote efficient use.

“Unless we take drastic measures to conserve water sources and promote efficient use, water insecurity will become the biggest developmental and economic challenges facing this country. Our current energy challenges will seem small by comparison,” said Ramaphosa.