Opportunity Issue 104

WATER
Shopping centres are wising
up to water security
Big shopping centres such as the Table Bay Mall are encouraged not to rely solely on water infrastructure provided by local authorities. Credit: Zenprop
There are six vital things to consider if you want to keep a large shopping mall well supplied
with water, says Mannie Ramos Jnr, the COO of Abeco Tanks.
Even though Cape Town narrowly escaped a drought
four years ago, water scarcity still plagues most
of South Africa. Recent research from the Water
Resources Group suggests the lack of available water
will worsen in the next few years with a third of the
world’s population expected to be living in significant water
stress come 2030.
For big businesses like shopping malls, which have just about
recovered from the pandemic, the threat of unreliable water
sources spells disaster. Without water, mall tenants like restaurant
chains and hair salons will be unable to operate and shoppers would
be unable to use toilets. Everyone’s health, safety and hygiene would
be at risk if the mall doesn’t have enough water to maintain cleaning
standards and be able to put out a possible fire.
Several South African shopping centres did implement some watersaving
measures during South Africa’s most recent water crisis, but
according to Mannie Ramos Jnr, the COO of Abeco Tanks, installing a
few tap aerators is simply not enough.
Abeco has been supplying steel water-storage tanks to large malls
across South Africa for more 40 years now. The number of malls is now
48 | www.opportunityonline.co.za