Case study: Domestic water reuse at SAPREF refinery, Durban, South Africa

SAPREF refinery, a 50:50 joint venture between Shell and BP Southern Africa, has signed a 20-year agreement with Durban Water Recycling to meet part of its requirements for potable water with reclaimed water. In this water-stressed area, the use of reclaimed water significantly reduces pressure on potable water supplies.

Public water provider Durban Metro has set out its intention to focus more on upgrading supply infrastructures to households in residential and rural areas, and has agreed to lease its Southern Sewage Works to Durban Water Recycling, a subsidiary of OTV (Vivendi). Durban Water Recycling will extend the plant to allow the upgrading of domestic wastewater to a water quality suitable for industrial use. The company has been granted a 20-year concession to operate the Southern Sewage Works and produce and sell 43,000m3 of reclaimed water to SAPREF and the Mondi Paper Mill.

Thirty per cent of the 11, 000m3 of potable water used by the refinery will be replaced by reclaimed water, to be used for cooling purposes and firewater.