FEATURES
Yolandi Schoeman with her aWetbox on a water tank .
businesses . The system can be scaled from 1 000l to 50 000l or more , which makes it suitable for a range of applications , from individual families to communities to property developments .
A lot of research went into the concept to ensure its efficiency , says Schoeman . “ I did a considerable amount of work on floating islands and conducted tests to ascertain which of the plants could remove the maximum amount of contaminants from the water . The research on the floating islands significantly contributed to refine the concept of aWetbox .” aWetbox is a nature-based solution that mimics the workings of a natural wetland – but in a box , or a tank . Grey water is run through it , where it goes through a natural biological filter ( consisting of a sand and gravel filter that also adjusts the pH ) as a first phase in cleaning up the water , removing solids in suspension and other contaminants and solids .
In addition , the acidity of the water is adjusted , beneficial bacteria are also grown during the first phase to remove more contaminants ( metals and non-metals ). During the next phase , the water is exposed to thousands of microscopic and other roots of ‘ intelligent ’ plants that remove the remaining contaminants . The plants are referred to as ‘ intelligent ’ as they have phytoremedial properties .
Phytoremediation is the name given to a set of processes that use different plants as a containment , destruction or extraction technique . Tests have shown that this is more cost-effective than conventional treatment methods . aWetbox is a patented and cost-effective solution that is available in an easy-to-assemble kit-form . The payback time once installed is under 12 months . It eliminates 99 % of disease-causing microorganisms and improves the water quality for household use by up to 80 %.
Schoeman says her innovation can bring about a saving of between 40 % and 80 % on a domestic water bill .
“ A lot of the water that is recycled can be used for washing clothes and dishes , flushing toilets , to bathe and , of course , to water the garden . If you integrate this with a rainwater-harvesting system , you can save even more , because you will have more water available for recycling .”
In the case of a house , aWetbox will be installed outside . You will have a tank for all your grey water ( you can also link it to your rainwater-harvesting system ) from where it will be fed to the aWetbox , where it will be treated . From there it will go to a tank that is linked to the plumbing
system of your house , which will enable you to re-use the water .
“ We are in the process of getting aWetbox ready for market and should be able to offer it to clients by the second quarter of 2017 . aWetbox for a family of four is expected to cost between R8 000 and R10 000 ,” says Schoeman .
Schoeman says the GCIP-SA made a world of difference to her business . As the 2016 winner , she received a cash prize and an all-expenses paid trip to Silicon Valley in the US to compete against top performers of other GCIP programmes from across the world . In addition , she won a cash prize for the most promising woman-led team .
“ The programme includes everything an entrepreneur needs to de-risk and scale up a business . It helped us to think and rethink our innovation and go-to-market strategy , unravelling the fine print of getting our business on the road to success and ultimately putting us on the map .
“ Participating in the GCIP-SA programme is not easy , it will stretch your capabilities as an entrepreneur and you will grow in ways that you did not even think were possible . I do recommend this programme to all green- and cleantech entrepreneurs , as it will provide you with a significant advantage when you are ready to enter the market ,” she says .
Schoeman is currently a DTech candidate in Environmental Engineering ( Civil Engineering ) at the Tshwane University of Technology , specialising in Industrial Ecology ( completion date 2017 ). She is also in the process of completing her masters in Integrated Water Resource Management through Monash South Africa , focusing on the diffusion of eco-technology / green infrastructure .
ABOUT THE GCIP-SA
The Global Cleantech Innovation Programme for SMEs in South Africa ( GCIP-SA ) is part of a global initiative that aims to promote clean technology innovation aimed at addressing critical energy , environmental and economic challenges facing the planet . It combines an annual competition and a business accelerator programme where SMEs and start-ups are trained and mentored aimed to the development of more marketable and investor-attractive products and businesses .
The programme is implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization ( UNIDO ) with funding by the Global Environment Facility ( GEF ). In South Africa UNIDO is partnering with the Technology Innovation Agency ( TIA ) as the execution and hosting institution for the GCIP , while the US-based Cleantech Open serves as the main knowledge partner of the global programme .
aWETBOX IN A NUTSHELL aWetbox is wetland in a box that treats water for reuse using a unique biological filter . It is a low-tech , lowmaintenance and low-cost solution that can be integrated into rainwater and grey-water recycling systems . aWetbox can be installed in rural communities facing water security challenges , with or without the collaboration of the local government , as it also comes as a do-it-yourself package . It is also suitable for residential , holiday and corporate developments .
AFFORDABLE
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