February 2024
Built according to sustainable principles and practices, Waterfall City completed a project in January 2024 that further underscores its commitment to environmental stewardship. The Waterfall Common Services Company (WCSC) installed a solar system at Gate 6 of Waterfall Country Estate to be used exclusively to power the irrigation plant also located there. This heralds a significant jump towards green energy and mitigating the ongoing scourge of load shedding.
The plant provides irrigation water to several other estates in Waterfall City, as well as the entirety of Waterfall Drive and Polofields Drive. Managed by WCSC, the irrigation plant maintains the lush, indigenous landscapes characterising the area.
Thys Redelinhuys, General Manager of WCSC, highlights the critical role of this solar system: “Thanks to the solar installation for the irrigation plant, we can now more effectively irrigate during the hot dry months following winter, while being completely unaffected by load shedding. This means we no longer need to take on additional expenses such as getting water tankers and can guarantee that our gardens stay green while also ensuring the long-term health of the irrigation plant.”
The irrigation plant, which can pump two million litres daily during peak times, is one of the cornerstones of Waterfall City’s green environment. The new solar installation boasts a 120Kw maximum capacity per hour and provides Waterfall City with an effective solution to maintaining irrigation during load shedding.
“We generate about 70Kw per hour on average while the sun shines, using 144 solar panels. The plant will generate sufficient power to run all our irrigation equipment during sunshine hours. Irrigating at night, a necessity due to the irrigation demand, and to minimise evaporation, is now more feasible and efficient. The solar system, equipped with battery packs, ensures that the irrigation can continue even during the typical 2 ½ hours of potential load shedding at night,” explains Redelinhuys.
This initiative aligns with Waterfall City’s sustainability focus of creating a green environment that is good for the residents and the planet. The city’s commitment to eco-friendly practices is evident in its 31 green-rated buildings, rainwater harvesting systems, and the extensive use of solar power, notably at Mall of Africa. This new solar system at Gate 6 extends this commitment, greatly reducing reliance on coal-fired power from Eskom and saving a substantial amount of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions.
“We anticipate the solar installation will pay for itself in the next four years. With this, there will be a cost-benefit where we will be able to control the cost of water much better with this plant, unlike when we were fully reliant on Eskom,” Redelinhuys adds.
This initiative benefits the immediate area by ensuring the health and sustainability of its landscapes and highlights the effectiveness of using renewable energy in building sustainable communities.
