Environmental Impacts of Wastewater Reuse Standards By Joanne Karzis

1. Environmental Impacts of Wastewater Reuse StandardsBy Joanne Karzis

2. SABS Standards Division Mission: To protect the integrity of the South African market and end user To create a competitive advantage for the South African Industry To improve market access Locally & Internationally

3. Introduction • Water is an important natural resource • What should the consumer look for when opening the tap? • ISO is developing standards to help with both safe and aesthetically pleasing drinking water

4. Introduction • National standards are developed through the work of technical committees. The intention is that the technical committees represent the major role players in a particular field to achieve maximum buy-in into the standards • The development of standards can be initiated by an individual, an organization/institution or a government department provided a written request is accompanied with the necessary motivation

5. What is standard? A standard is a document established by consensus and approved by TC, that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for products, services, or processes and production methods, including terminology, symbols, packaging, marking or labelling requirements as they apply to a product, service, process or production method. A standard shall consistently perform in the way it was intended and shall establish a common language which defines quality and establishes safety criteria

6. What are standards used for ? Basis for voluntary transactions (Market system) Conformity Assessment (Inspection, testing, certification) DTI Standards To protect the consumer

7. SANSSouth African National StandardsAvailable in the Water Sector • A Total of 162 SANS Standards have been published under the auspices of TC 147 (50) and it’s two sub committees: • SC 147A, Water Sampling and Analysis ( 86) and • SC 147B, Microbiological and Biological Treatment and Assessment of Water (26) 2. The above committees are run by the Food and Health Standards Department

8. TC 147 Water • Four “Homegrown” standards: • SANS 241: 2006, Drinking Water • SANS 1241: 2008, Aluminium sulfate for general purposes • SANS 1827: 2009, The safety of water treatment chemicals for use in the food industry • SANS 1865: 2006, Point-of-use drinking water treatment units • and 48 EN adoptions: • on the different Chemicals used for treatment of water intended for human consumption

9. SC 147A Water – Sampling and Analysis • 29 “Homegrown” test methods for different chemicals. • 10 ASTM adoptions of standard test methods for different chemicals in water • 47 ISO adoptions on various chemical methods

10. SC 147B Microbiological and Biological Treatment and Assessment of Water • 18 ISO adoptions of microbiological test methods • 1 BS adoption: • SANS 886:2009/BS 8496:2007, Water quality – Enumeration of micro-organisms in water samples – Guidance on the estimation of variation of results with particular reference to the contribution of uncertainty of measurement. • 7 “Homegrown” standards: • SANS 203:2007, Bactericidal and algaecidal efficacy of swimming pool chemicals • SANS 1127:2007, Algaecides for use in freshwater swimming pools • SANS 1497: 2006, Biocides for use in industrial cooling water • SANS 1498: 2007, Algaecides for use in industrial cooling water • SANS 5221:2007, Microbiological analysis of water – General test methods • SANS 5682: 2006, Efficacy of Algaecides

11. Standards Under Development in South Africa • TC 147 Water: • SANS 241-1: 200X, Drinking water Part 1: In terms of microbiological, physical, organoleptic and chemical parameters at the point of delivery • SANS 241-2: 200X, Drinking water Part 2: Application of SANS 241-1 • 893-1:200X, Legionnaires’ disease Part 1: Risk Assessment • SANS 893-2:200X, Legionnaires’ disease Part 2: The control of Legionella in Water systems • SC 138 F: • SANS 10252-2:1993 Water supply and drainage for buildings Part 2: Drainage installations for buildings. Revision of the above document will include a clause on “grey water” (drain water/waste water). • Future Projects: • Wastewater reuse

12. Maintenance of Standards The Maintenance of Standards is a very important aspect of the Standardization process. Amendments Revisions 5 yearly scheduled reviews (Reaffirmations)- Vote A standard may be revised or amended at any time to keep abreast with the technology and market needs and demands

13. Standards Available in the Water Sector Internationally • ISO: • Chemical standard test methods • Microbiological standard test methods • Biological standard test methods • BSI: • Uncertainty of measurement: Microbiology • ASTM: • Drinking Water Guidelines. • Chemical standard test methods. • WHO: • Drinking Water Guidelines. • EN: • Chemicals used for treatment of water intended for human consumption

14. Standards Under Development Internationally • ISO: • Reuse of Waste water • Uncertainty of measurement: Microbiology • Microbiological method • Sampling methods • Chemical methods • ASTM: • Luminescence Quenching of Dissolved Oxygen

15. Types of Standards Voluntary standards (98 %) In contracts, or by commercial or public pressure In absence of legislation, can be used in courts as reference Standards referenced in legislation By sanctions under the appropriate legislation Can be amended via the standards process (quicker) Prepared by consensus - committee PRODUCT STANDARD: Requirements for fitness of purpose CODE OF PRACTICE: Good practice as carried out by competent professionals (“How to” standards) STANDARD TEST METHOD: Repeatability, reproducibility, assurance of meaningful result SYSTEM STANDARD: e.g. Quality management system

16. Standards development process Technical Committees (TC) and subcommittees (SC) TC/SC is a group of representatives that is concerned with standardization, responsible for identifying the need for, and preparation of South African national standards, in a defined field and that reflects valid national interests within that field. What is (Working Group) WG? WG is a group of experts appointed by a TC to deal with a particular project or with a particular aspect of a project

17. Committee Membership and Responsibilities • P-member: Participating member, with an obligation to attend meetings, comment and vote • O-member: Observer, receives all the documentation, may come to meetings and comment if they like, does not have to vote • Membership of a TC does not imply automatic membership of an SC • A member of a TC may at any time elect in writing to: • Change membership status or end membership of any committee or • Begin membership of a subcommittee • Membership of a SC is not affected by termination of membership of the parent TC

18. South African Participation in ISO • South Africa is a P-member of the following ISO TC and it’s SC’s in the Water Sector: • ISO TC 147 Water Quality • ISO TC 147 SC1 Terminology (SABS Chairman and Secretariat) • ISO TC 147 SC2 Physical, Chemical and Biochemical methods • ISO TC 147 SC4 Microbiological Methods • ISO TC 147 SC5 Biological Methods • South Africa, recently changed from O to P member of this committee with the intention of participating in the development of international standards in this field. SABS will be adopting standards under the auspices of this committee in the near future • ISO TC 147 SC6 Sampling – General Methods • There are Experts representing South Africa which actively participate in many working groups under the auspices of the above committees

19. Positive Effects of Standards on the Environment • Standards • minimize harmful effects on the environment • maximize efficiency of available natural resources • leads to sustainable development of the water sector in South Africa • mandatory standards - regulated by the Department of Water Affairs ensure that South Africans receive safe drinking water, and protect the consumer • protect and maintain water sources • Through correct reuse of wastewater, natural water sources can be sustained

20. Standards: National Strategy - Water • Maximize the use of standards: • Increased involvement of all stakeholders • Create awareness on the use of standards • Align with international standards and trends • Partnering with the regulator to ensure that national standards are referred to in legislation – e.g. Department of Water Affairs has made SANS 241 mandatory by referring to it in The Water Act • Standards are a faster way to add to or amend legislation as compared with Regulations which could take much longer to complete

21. Positive Aspects in Standards in the Water Sector at the moment • Active technical committee • Participation in international standardization • Production of high quality standards. • Production of standards referred to in legislation • International alignment of standards

22. National Implementation • Challenges • Insufficient expertise in specialized fields • Insufficient involvement of smaller stakeholders • Participation • Adaptation of international standards practical for use nationally within South Africa • Mechanism • Awareness programs • Stakeholder engagement

23. What is expected of a nominating organization? • Continuous representation of organization on the relevant committee. • Inform the Standards body of any change of nominee • Ensure that the organizations representative is: • familiar with relevant technical matters • able to effectively represent the organization’s views • able to participate competently and actively (meetings, voting, comments) • Brief representative on collective view of organization • Arrange for a replacement for the representative • Encourage use of standards it has helped prepare

24. What is expected of a representative of a nominating organization? • Attend meetings • Participate fully (vote, comment) • Consult with nominated organization • Thoroughly and objectively consider comments on drafts • Use the rights of membership for the good of the nominating organization and the area of interest represented • Be impartial and broadly represent national interests • Work towards alignment with existing international standards where possible • Follow internationally recognized principles of consensus and transparency

25. Way Forward • Further participation in international standardization • Alignment with international standards where possible • Adapt standards for South African conditions in order to solve anticipated problems in the country and the region • Close liaison with government Departments and tertiary institutions to help produce and implement high quality standards suitable to the South African conditions • Assist stakeholders with production and maintenance of standards. • Taking environmental aspects and impacts into account as well as considering sustainable development of natural resources when developing standards • Engage stakeholders in order to determine standardization needs in the Water industry and to ensure that standards are developed and available timeously

26. WHERE CAN THE STANDARDS BE OBTAINED? • info@sabs.co.za/ tel (012) 428-6666. • www/sabs.co.za - “Standards” under “SABS Products and Services”.