Overview
South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) demands substantial growth, but at an environmental and natural resource cost. To realise the full benefits of social, environmental, and economic progress, a fresh and innovative approach is imperative. Water stewardship is the catalyst for tangible, sustainable solutions.
Whilst many businesses and industry players recognise the valuable impact of water stewardship on their businesses’ sustainability, translating stewardship insights into practical actions remains a challenge. Bridging the gap between stewardship concepts and action strategies is essential, empowering companies to meaningfully engage in water stewardship within, and beyond the factory fence.
The Challenges
By 2030, South Africa is projected to face an estimated water deficit of 17% unless urgent action is taken to optimise water usage and management. As a water-scarce nation, action is critical.
South Africa has prioritised economic development to reduce poverty and inequality through job creation. However, the drive to stimulate economic growth is expected to place significant strain on the country’s water resources. There is an urgent need to ensure sustainable growth by shifting towards a more socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and economically beneficial use of water resources.
Amidst this backdrop, Industrial Parks (IPs) have emerged as vital players in supporting economic growth. Their dependence on water for much of their processes, however, requires a new and more sustainable approach to industrial water use.
In recent years, industry has become increasingly aware of their corporate risk to climate vulnerabilities and water insecurities. This has resulted in a range of efforts to foster water stewardship approaches that enable discourse between the public and private sectors. However, the translation of water stewardship into meaningful and practical actions at a site level is lacking. Many industries are unable to effectively implement water stewardship within their operations.
The Solution
Pegasys was appointed by Water Witness International (WWI), in partnership with the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) and the International Water Stewardship Programme (IWaSP), to deliver strategic support to water stewardship stakeholders in South Africa. Our engagement included three pillars:
- Championing stewardship in Industrial Parks (IPs).
- Empowering strategic partners through training, mentoring and capacity building.
- Strengthening stewardship initiatives.
A standout achievement of this project was the development of a new framework for promoting water security for IPs. South Africa counts 27 publicly owned IPs currently part of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s (dtic’s) programmes. IPs can be growth engines promoting rapid economic growth, industrialisation, employment and attracting foreign direct investments.
As investment in IPs increases, there is a pressing need to balance economic growth with environmental and social objectives. To ensure the realisation of IPs’ full potential and their competitiveness in the global market, Pegasys reviewed their guidelines and standard operating procedures.
Through close collaboration with dtic and GIZ, Germany’s main development agency, Pegasys developed the Water Stewardship Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support sustainable water management in IPs. The SOPs provide practical guidance to enable IPs and park tenants to assess their water use and make informed decisions to manage water more efficiently.
The Impact
In May 2022, dtic officially launched and adopted the Water Stewardship Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Industrial Parks. Recognised as a key tool by stakeholders, the SOPs offer new ways to promote water use efficiency amongst industry.
By offering a means to standardise and systemise the adoption of water stewardship in the operations of parks and park tenants, South African industries can integrate water resource management practices into their core competencies. Whilst the SOP is aimed at IPs, they are also relevant for Special Economic Zones (SEZ), industrial zones and Precincts amongst others.
The development of the SOPs marks a transformational milestone, as the water stewardship agenda was owned and driven by a non-water entity such as the dtic. As part of dtic’s vision to develop a dynamic, industrial, globally competitive South African economy, they will act as a custodian of the country’s IPs and adopt a proactive approach to guide IPs on how to sustainably manage water resources utilising water stewardship.
Beyond the boundaries of the water sector, the SOPs reach new role players, and target industry and businesses to help them better understand the role of water stewardship in driving water security, and supporting sustainable social and economic development, and creating value in IPs.