Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Pinelands became the first private facility in the Western Cape to open a water filtration plant, in preparation for Day Zero.
The hospital staff and deputy mayor Ian Neilson opened the plant on Thursday March 1.
The hospital’s water filtration plant is now switched on and the water is suitable for human consumption and for use in a healthcare environment. “The municipal water supply has been switched off, and the hospital is operating off the grid. Vincent Pallotti Hospital has an emergency storage supply at the hospital which is sufficient for at least 48 hours, should there be any technical glitches with the filtration plant,” said Dr Japie du Toit, regional hospital manager of Life Healthcare Western Cape and South Central Regions.
“Formal approval was granted by the authorities and boreholes were sunk at Vincent Pallotti Hospital and Kingsbury Hospital in Claremont,” Dr Du Toit added.
Vincent Pallotti Hospital has also implemented further strict water savings measures, including the installation of reduced flow valves on taps and showers, recycling of water for instrument sterilisation and the reuse of grey water.
In partnership with provincial and local government authorities, special contingency measures will also be in place to allow Life Healthcare and specifically Vincent Pallotti, to assist in case of emergencies and to mitigate the risk of water resources being plundered during the crisis.
