Witsand Solar Desalination Plant

Witsand Solar Desalination Plant (WSDP) be solar-powered desalination plant wey dey seaside town of Witsand, Hessequa Municipality, Western Cape Province, for mouth of Breede River. Overview Witsand be tourist place, plus e get around 300 people wey dey live there during low tourist season. During tourist high season, de population fit pass 3,000 people, wey dey cause shortage of fresh water for de town. Western Cape Government help sponsor de plant through dema drought relief fund, plus French Treasury too support am through one fund wey dem set up to help implement innovative green technologies. Technology WSDP be de first solar-powered desalination plant for South Africa. De new technology wey dem use make am possible say dem no need storage batteries insyd de design again. French company Mascara Renewable Water develop de OSMOSUN® technology, den dema local partner TWS-Turnkey Water Solutions bring am come South Africa. De plant ein new Osmosun technology dey use one special "intelligent" membrane wey fit continue dey do reverse osmosis even when cloud cover de sun, so de reduction for solar energy no go stop de system from working. When de clouds move comot, de solar energy go increase again. Dis ability to reduce de effect of changes for de energy wey dey come help protect de reverse osmosis membrane. For night time, wen sun no dey, de design allow de plant make e switch go normal grid electricity den continue dey work till de next morning wen de sun rise. Construction den cost De project cost R9 million (US$605,000), wey e start full operation from 20 December 2018. De cost to produce purified water for dis plant dey between R7 den R8 (US$0.52 to US$0.60) for every 1,000 liters (220 imp gal; 264 U.S. gal). If dem compare am to de temporary diesel-powered desalination plant for Strandfontein, Cape Town, dem dey produce drinking water for R35 to R40 (US$2.62 to US$3.00) for every 1,000 liters. Challenges Secof electricity cost too high for de operation of de plant, dem go only operate am during crisis periods den holiday seasons. References External links Special Report: Water Crisis As at 23 July 2018.