Johannesburg – Water stressed communities around the country have gained access to a supply of potable water as Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) continues to invest in water initiatives that aim to benefit nature and communities.
Basetsana-Bame Modimogale, CCBSA Public Affairs, Communication and Sustainability Director, said: “Water is essential to life, our beverages and the communities we serve. Therefore, we aim to promote water stewardship within our business to increase water use efficiency and treat and return safe water to communities.”
CCBSA has a number of programmes designed to promote water stewardship, she said. “Projects we support aim to build long-term resilience and improve water security in local communities. They benefit local watersheds that supply water for drinking, agriculture and manufacturing, restore and conserve habitats for plants and animals while offering opportunities for local economic development.”
Since 2020, CCBSA has implemented the Coke Ville programme, an innovative off-grid, solar-powered groundwater harvesting and treatment initiative. This programme encompasses the entire process of pumping, treating, storing, and distributing groundwater to water-stressed communities, providing local residents with access to potable water at no cost.
The CCBSA Coke Ville programme has supplied clean and safe drinking water to communities in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Free State and the Eastern Cape provinces, benefitting thousands of households. One of the company’s largest Coke Ville projects is a R12 million groundwater harvesting project that supplies the town of Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape with potable water. This particular implementation directly integrates with the municipality’s infrastructure to supply water to the local community.
These efforts are in line with a broader effort by The Coca-Cola Company in Africa and its partners. In September 2024, The Coca-Cola Company, along with its bottling partners Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company (ECCBC) and Coca-Cola HBC, announced a nearly USD 25 million investment aimed at addressing critical water-related challenges in local communities across 20 African countries. The work will be led by the Global Water Challenge (GWC) and implemented by a consortium of partners, including The Nature Conservancy (TNC), The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This initiative, beginning in 2024 and continuing through 2030, underscores the importance of enhancing water stewardship and supports CCBSA’s ongoing efforts to promote water efficiency and sustainability.
