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CTICC aims for water-neutral events

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The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) is hosting a number of major annual conventions and exhibitions throughout 2018, and with thousands of guests visiting the Mother City for these events, the CTICC is trying to minimise its impact on the water grid.The City of Cape Town’s Level 6B water restrictions remain in place, and so the CTICC will be working with event organisers and clients to ensure that upcoming exhibitions don’t place more pressure of the municipal water grid.“The CTICC is open for business. Our focus remains on reducing water use wherever possible and ensuring our events run successfully and in a responsible manner,” says CTICC CEO Julie-May Ellingson. “[We will be] hosting all our 2018 events with the same passion and dedication to service excellence,” she iterates.

Steps to save water

The CTICC has been using water saving techniques for a few years - reducing its consumption by an average of eight million litres per year for the past six years. It remains committed to saving water by implementing the following initiatives:
  • Cut off the water supply to bathroom basins and offer waterless hand sanitisers instead.
  • Serve bottled water, sourced from certified producers outside of the Western Cape.
  • Use water-wise cooking methods when catering and supply the kitchen with water from non-municipal sources.
  • Install rainwater storage tanks that can hold 65 000 litres, which will be used for cleaning.
  • Use the CTICC’s air-conditioning system to create water from the air and collect the water in large storage tanks.
  • Cut down on laundry and dishwashing loads and introduce biodegradable crockery for events. Disposable paper towels and cups will be used at the coffee shop.
  • Install additional storage tanks with a total volume of 550 000 litres.
In addition, the CTICC is also investing in a reverse osmosis plant that will generate 200 000 litres per day. This plant is currently in the design phase.

CTICC a major contributor to the economy

The recent statements by DA leader Mmusi Maimane that Day Zero will not happen in 2018 has caused outrage and widespread condemnation from society. The need to save water is just as important as ever, whether Day Zero is a possibility or not.“As the number one venue for international conferences in Africa, we are concerned about the potential impact of inaccurate and alarmist messaging on our industry. We are focusing a lot of our effort to explain to clients and delegates that Day Zero is not inevitable and that by working together this can be avoided,” states Ellingson. The CTICC created over 7000 jobs through its 482 events in the 2016/2017 financial year. In total, R3.7 billion was poured into the national economy as a direct result, making the CTICC an important contributor to job security and the economy. “If we don’t host events, we place these jobs at risk and households in Cape Town and across South Africa would be affected,” argues Ellingson.___Averda is a leading waste management provider with over 50 years of experience across three continents. Through growth, transformation and engagement, we strive to find new ways of managing waste while protecting the community and environment. ___By pairing international expertise with local insights, we have secured our position as one of South Africa’s most respected providers of waste management and industrial cleaning services. We also operate in the recycling, infrastructure inspection, hydro-demolition, high-pressure water jetting and catalyst handling industries. ___Follow us Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for the best tips on recycling and the latest industry news. See our Instagram and YouTube channels for more insights into environmental affairs and our work with local communities.