BG Servers News

Water Star Rating Certification

The City of Cape Town has embarked on an initiative known as the Water Star Rating Certification (WSRC) which recognizes, acknowledges and celebrates commercial and industrial organizations that have good water use practices, implemented conservation measures, ensures pollution control, makes use of alternate water sources and comply with the City’s water by-laws.
Under the star rating system, participants are assessed on the above aspects and are awarded a star from one to five. Applicants that receive one star are certified as compliant with the minimum requirements of relevant water legislation and the City’s Water By-Law (2010) and Amendment (2018). Participants that are awarded between two and five stars are certified for also implementing different degrees of additional measures to further reduce water consumption and limit water pollution.
Those who achieve five stars are certified as champion innovators that have found unique/extraordinary ways in which to conserve water and limit water pollution, thereby protecting the environment.

What the assessment covers

The water star rating certification assessment process includes an assessment step that focuses on how water is managed.

The voluntary assessment covers different aspects of water management, namely:
* how effluent is handled (e.g. is it discharged into the sewer system or taken away lawfully for re-use by another entity or for destruction);
* how the water is used on site (e.g. drinking, cooking, bathing/showering, operations/production related activities);
* the measures implemented in order to reduce the water demand from the municipal supply; and
* the source of water (if not solely dependent on municipal supply).

Score allocation process

Participants score points if they, for example:
* have put in place measures to reduce municipally-supplied drinking water;
* know how much water is used per location (i.e. metering at point of use);
* promote less of a dependency on the municipal supply by using rainwater/borehole/treated effluent/greywater;
* responsibly discharge effluent or have zero effluent discharge; and
* undertake and can account for regular leak detection and repair, meter auditing and awareness programs.

I'm humbled that 4 years after BG was 1st assessed and achievied a 4 Star rating it achieved the maximum number of 5 Stars in 2022.  BG joins a select few companies that have been certified as 5 Stars all of whom are large corporates & household names - Old Mutual, SAB, Allan Gray, Glaxo Smith Kline, Peninsula Beverages, Virgin Active, Chevron & a few others.

Once again it was not an award we strived for but a drive to steward our limited resources as directed by our CEO - The Lord of heaven & Earth. Only His Wisdom, insight & understanding and ability to grant us favour & surround us with solid support structures have brought about such a raising of a standard despite being labelled a small business.

Thanks go to each staff member who contributed to the process but ALL HONOUR, PRAISE & GLORY are directed upwards to the One who makes all things possible as we strive to humble ourselves and obey His directives.