Zero water technologies site launched at Nestlé

Gallery Update

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Using the water from their core product - milk supplied by dairy farmers in the region - Nestlé has managed to go "zero water" at their Mossel Bay plant.

Nestlé South Africa has become the Swiss multinational company’s latest regional business to transform its dairy factory into a zero water manufacturing site, only the second to be established in the Southern hemisphere.

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This R88 million zero water dairy manufacturing facility will allow Nestlé to reduce the factory’s water-consumption by more than 50% during the first year of implementation by reusing the water recovered from the milk evaporation process, saving about 168 million litres of water a day.

On Tuesday, 5 June, World Environment Day, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Gugile Nkwinti, opened Nestlé's new zero water facility, accompanied by the Swiss ambassador to South Africa, Helene Budliger Artieda and Mossel Bay's executive mayor, Alderman Harry Levendal.

Reduce, reuse, recycle
"I have come here to see and to learn," Minister Nkwinti said. "Nestlé has responded, not reacted to the drought." He added that Nestlé's initiative is in line with the Department of Water and Santition’s National Water and Sanitation Master Plan, which encourages the development of alternative water sources for water security, including recycling, reuse, desalination and the optimisation of groundwater.

Minister Nkwinti added that he would insist that President Cyril Ramaphosa visit Mossel Bay soon to see what is being done here.

Huge water saving
The factory processes fresh cow’s milk, normally containing around 88% water, through an evaporation process. The evaporated water is captured and treated and used for various applications within the facility, eliminating the need for municipal water intake for these processes. The water saved would fill approximately 467 tankers a month.

Nestlé South Africa’s chairman and managing director, Rémy Ejel, in a broadcasted interview, said Nestlé believes that every person has the right to water and sanitation, and therefore the company remains committed to supporting the ambition of the United Nations to universal access to safe water and sanitation.

The Mossel Bay Municipality and surrounding areas experienced one of the worst droughts in recorded history in 2010. The region was subsequently declared a disaster area and strict municipal water restrictions had to be put in place.

In supporting the town’s efforts to manage this crisis and ensure efficient water usage, Nestlé introduced a water saving initiative at their Mossel Bay factory. "The effects of the devastating drought in 2010 led to the efficient water use measures and eventually to the zero water plant initiative.

"This project will have a positive impact on the treatment, recycling, conserving and water-use efficiencies in our Mossel Bay factory. It will also link our business directly with local dairy farmers, suppliers, local government and the broader Mossel Bay community," Ejel said."

Nestlé corporate affairs director Ravi Pillay added that the project created methane gas as a by-product, which was used to power a boiler, reducing energy usage. “Phase 2 of this project consists of the first anaerobic membrane bio reactor in the Nestlé business globally, which uses biogas and biofilters."

The Swiss wish to learn
The Swiss ambassador said people in her country are particularly worried about climate change.

"We wish to learn from this region more about the technology and innovation used to save water. We wish to contribute to the country; we already are the ninth largest investor in South Africa and have a large footprint with more than 100 companies in the country, with Nestlé being a stellar example," Budliger Artieda said.

Nestlé’s “Commitments to Water Stewardship” were adopted in 2013 to highlight the importance of access to water and conservation.

Nestlé committed to the following key areas: