09 May How water tanks are a solution to the water crisis in South Africa

How water tanks are a solution to the water crisis in South Africa

Water is a scarce commodity on the African continent as a whole. The severity of the situation has been brought to the forefront by the recent Coronavirus pandemic.

South Africa has reached a crisis point when it comes to water supply. It is already a semi-arid country that has faced the impact of drought and climate change will make drought even more frequent in the future.

Apart from the amount of water for supply, South Africa also faces challenges like a failing water infrastructure due to lack of maintenance, and the unequal distribution of water amongst the population.

So with the WHO and most experts saying that the frequent washing of hands prevents healthcare associated infections what happens when a large percentage of the population doesn’t have access to adequate water supply?

How can South Africa combat the problem of a lack in water supply?

Thankfully Abeco saw the severity of the problem 40 years ago and came up with a solution in the form of water tanks. Abeco Tanks was started in 1983 and is today a leading supplier of tanks into Africa.

Mannie Ramos Junior, the COO of Abeco Tanks explains that water tanks are a solution to relieving the water supply problem in South Africa.

They can be both a temporary and a permanent solution in assisting communities with water supply.

Abeco Tanks has been supplying water tanks to countries in the Middle East, Africa and Central America for 40 years.

“As we are a proudly South African company we have been supplying our steel tanks throughout South Africa. Our tanks assist with water supply to many communities rural and urban and can hold as much as 50 million litres of water or as little as 1,800 litres of water at any given time. Our tanks can also have multiple taps to reduce the amount of time spent waiting for water,” says Ramos

Abeco Tanks is the first water tank supplier to call their tanks water banks i.e. they act as a savings account storing water for a time of crisis.

“Covid-19 was a time of crisis for all communities and these water tanks acted as more than banks to communities. They were a critical resource for the prevention of infection and the spread of Covid-19,” he further explains.

The benefit of steel water tanks in South Africa

There are six reasons why steel water storage tanks are suitable for the water supply crisis in South Africa:

• As they are modular in design they can vary in size.
• They can hold up to 50 million litres of water at a time – far more than plastic tanks can.
• As they can hold so much water they don’t have to be filled up daily and can service the needs of larger amounts of people.
• The tanks can have multiple taps reducing the amount of time people wait to get water.
• They are manufactured from high quality steel and can withstand certain temperatures resulting in tanks that last for over 50 years.
• The water they hold is hygienic as the sun’s rays cannot penetrate the steel causing algae build-up.

What is the right size water tank?

Abeco Tanks can custom manufacture tanks to suit the specific need and it is imperative to select the right size water tank.

“Many countries are trying to use tanks holding 5000 litres of water for large communities and for obvious reasons this is not working,” says Ramos

“A standard tank for a South African household is a tank holding 5000 litres of water. The average South African uses up to 235 litres of water a day so it is easy to see that more consideration needs to be taken when selecting a water tank.”

How many people can a water tank supply?

Using the fact that an average South African uses up to 235 litres of water a day:

• A 5000 litre tank will suffice for 21 people a day
• A 100 000 litre tank will be enough for 425 people a day

Now let’s assume that a person can only carry up to 10 litres of water at a time:

• A 5000 litre tank will then be enough for 500 trips per day
• A 100 000 litre tank will be enough for 10 000 trips per day

There are other factors to take into consideration:

• 10 litres of water would be used by one household for washing, cooking and drinking.
• The water tanks would sometimes only be refilled weekly.

It is clear to see from these examples that a 5000 litre water tank would not work when serving the needs of most communities.

Abeco Tanks are used by hospitals, clinics, hotels, office blocks, shopping centres, schools and the list goes on. They are used to keep the four pillars of the African economy going namely agriculture, mining, industry & business.

Their steel tanks are elevated or ground level water tanks and come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Abeco Tanks can custom manufacture a tank to fit your specific need and your specific space.

In conclusion

Water tanks are the perfect solution for a looming water supply crisis in South Africa. Water tanks are a long-term investment and require careful planning.

Abeco Tanks is available to assist with the planning to ensure the project is done properly without any waste of finances or time.

As a company they have a solid reputation for being reliable before, during and after and for delivering on the needs of their clients and the communities they serve.