Waterlab (Pty) Ltd

Looking for someone to light up our front desk! Apply now!

Looking for someone to light up our front desk! Apply now!

Looking for someone to light up our front desk! Apply now!

Up for a challenge? Waterlab needs an energetic, responsible person to assist us with getting our samples safely back to the lab. Apply now!

Drinking water standards and quality are essential for several reasons that significantly impact daily life: 1.Health and Safety: Clean and safe drinking water is crucial for overall health. Contaminated water can lead to a range of health problems, including gastrointestinal infections, cholera, dysentery, and other waterborne diseases. Adhering to water quality standards helps prevent these illnesses, ensuring that individuals and communities stay healthy. 2. Nutritional Value: Water is a vital component of nutrition. Safe drinking water plays a role in digestion, nutrient absorption, and hydration, which are all essential for maintaining energy levels and overall physical performance. 3. Economic Impact: Poor quality water can lead to significant economic costs for individuals and communities. Health care costs associated with treating waterborne diseases can be substantial. Additionally, communities with unsafe drinking water may suffer from reduced productivity due to illness and the economic burden of water treatment solutions. 4. Environmental Protection: Standards for drinking water quality also help protect natural water sources. By setting regulations for pollutants and contaminants, these standards encourage the preservation of ecosystems and aquatic life, which ultimately contributes to a more sustainable environment. 5. Public Confidence: Knowing that there are strict standards and regulations in place helps build public trust in water systems. When citizens are confident in the quality of their drinking water, they are more likely to consume it, leading to better hydration and health outcomes. Access and Equity: Ensuring drinking water quality standards fosters equitable access to safe drinking water. Vulnerable populations often face greater risks from contaminated water, and addressing these disparities is vital for public health and social equity. The draft SANS 241 document is out for public comment - get the draft at the link below.

Vacancy for an Aquatic /Environmental Scientist... Do you fit the bill? Apply now!!!

Vacancy for an Aquatic /Environmental Scientist... Do you fit the bill? Apply now!!!

#WISA2024 was a wonderful conference and we have come back with a new perspective and an increased urgency to Turn the Tide. We had the opportunity to present a summary of the draft SANS241 Drinking Water Guidelines which provides some significant changes. These include the different monitoring required for water supply systems versus borehole systems ( >5000 people, low variability groundwater), the inclusion of requirements for monitoring of mobile tankers and static tanks and the inclusion of some organic parameters and additional requirements for monitoring of brackish water (intestinal enterococci). In addition, there are important Annexures for Parameters of Concern (Annex A) and Water Treatment Chemicals (Annex B). The water quality risk assessment is critical to the development of the System Specific monitoring program and this along with the Mandatory Process Risk Parameters will ensure that the available funding is allocated correctly spent to safeguard public health. Thank you to the hardworking team who have crafted this document Deborah Trollip Anri Joubert Claudia Karrappan@Hennie Kotze Kim Hodgson Dr Swastika Surujlal-Naicker (Pr. Sci. Nat), Lelethu Bungu Mariette Swart @Rodney Mathebulu Moitswadi Solomon Makate #drinkingwaterquality #SANS241 #WISA2024 #turnthetide

❓ Do you have H5N1 on your mind ❓ Yeah, me, too. There are still so many unanswered questions. While the situation unfolds, it can be helpful to understand influenza broadly to put H5N1 into context. How can you brush up on influenza in general? Well, by reading our 📰 Influenza Information for Water Professionals 📰 fact sheet! In this resource, you'll learn about: - Why influenza is a concern - The differences between influenza virus types - Who is at risk for flu - What we know about the persistence of the virus in the environment - The role of wastewater monitoring for seasonal flu and H5N1 and the results of ongoing wastewater surveillance efforts - How to protect yourself if you work with untreated wastewater - Some H5N1 specifics Developed by the Water Environment Federation with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this fact sheet benefited from the expertise of our fantastic reviewers: Bruce Adams, Scott Bessler, Daniel Gerrity, @Michael Jahne, Melissa Mimna, Naoko Munakata, and @Steve Rhode. Thank you all! Download the fact sheet for free at nwbe.org ➡ https://lnkd.in/eB2XmbRh #H5N1 #influenza #publichealth #waterprofessionals #wastewater #wastewatersurveillance #factsheet