Water conservation awareness is key to sustainability

Volkswagen Group Africa commemorates World Water Week this week with an awareness campaign aimed at encouraging employees to be more mindful of their water usage.

During National Water Month in March, the South African government highlighted that the average South African consumes 237 litres of water per day, significantly higher than the global average of 173 litres per day. Despite this, South Africa ranks among the 30 driest countries in the world, with an average annual rainfall of just 460mm, less than half the global average, according to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Volkswagen Group Africa is committed to water conservation. Since 2010, the vehicle manufacturer has successfully reduced its water consumption in production by 73%. "We continue to explore ways to further reduce our usage," said Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director.

Schwabe noted that the rainwater harvesting at the engine plant and the component plant which was installed last year saved approximately 5 000 kilolitres of fresh water in 2023. “This year we have significantly increased our storage capacity by repurposing the old paint shop tanks into water storage tanks. Rainwater which is harvested would have been lost to stormwater drains,” said Schwabe.

Additionally, the wastewater recycling plant can recycle about 200 kilolitres per day. Clean water is reserved for processes that require uncontaminated water, while treated effluent water is used in ablution facilities and other processes that are less dependent on clean water.

There is also a renewed effort to raise awareness among employees and their loved ones about the importance of water conservation. "Each of us needs to adopt habits that reduce our water consumption. While we recognise that issues such as ailing infrastructure and poor maintenance in the public sector contribute to water wastage, individual responsibility is crucial," Schwabe emphasised.

Volkswagen Group Africa is committed to reducing its environmental impact, with water conservation playing a vital role in reaching this goal.