Question NW495 to the Mr A P van der Westhuizen (DA) asked the Minister of Public Works
12 March 2018 - NW495
Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Mr A P van der Westhuizen (DA) asked the Minister of Public Works
(1) What number of ablution facilities in each building within the parliamentary precinct are still fitted with time-based automatic flushing mechanisms; (2) are there any plans in place to replace the mechanisms with water-saving mechanisms that only flush when needed; if so, by what date will this be undertaken; (3) is there any existing infrastructure, such as storage tanks and pumps, to utilise the ground- and stormwater flowing underneath the precinct for non-potable purposes; if so, what are the relevant details; if not, (4) whether his department has plans to install such infrastructure; if not, why not; if so, by what date; (5) what has his department done to lower the consumption of potable water at the parliamentary precinct during the current drought and what percentage of water saving has been achieved thus far
Reply:
1. There are two buildings within the Parliamentary Precinct that are fitted with the time based automatic flushing mechanisms, at Marks Building M13, 4 urinals and Good Hope Building between room 54C and room 54D, 2 urinals.
2. The Department’s Business Continuity Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct does accommodate the replacement of the mechanisms with water saving ones .The work will commence in April 2018 and shall be concluded by the end of June 2018.
3. The storage tanks/reservoir are used to harvest this non-potable/ underground water and generators are used to pump it out for use.
4. Infrastructure already exists, which is mentioned in point (3) above.
5. To date the Department has used this harvested non-potable water for all external cleaning purposes, such as wheelie bins, high pressure cleaning, window cleaning and or construction projects currently in progress within Parliament Precinct.
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