Elikham Systems has asserted itself as the most reliable wastewater treatment company in Kenya. The company began its operations in 2016, and it is already revolutionizing the wastewater industry. The Director and Chief Engineer, Mr. Karani Isaac, offers knowledgeable leadership having had practical experience in the field of wastewater management for 5 years.
They offer quality and reliability in three departments: wastewater management, which is the major one, a plumbing division that offers 24 hour and emergency plumbing services, and also innovative solar system solutions for homes, commercial and residential facilities.
In their wastewater treatment, they employ the Sequence Batch Reactor technology (SBR), which is a biological treatment process. The SBR technology works in four stages:
• Pre-treatment: This chamber receives the sewage, that is, the wastewater from toilets, kitchens, bathrooms, and washing areas in a residential setup.
• Buffer: This chamber contains the wastewater during times of high flow like mornings, evenings, and weekends when most people are indoors, or when there is no power and the system is not working. It ensures this flow is regulated.
• Reactor: The treatment of the wastewater happens in this chamber.
• Storage: The clean, treated water is stored in this chamber awaiting reuse. Reuse is for secondary purposes like cleaning, farming, flushing toilets, and even firefighting.
The Elikham SBR system is very unique because it is a computerized system. Both the company and the client can monitor how and whether the system is working properly wherever they are, through their computer and phones. This saves the cost of going to the site every time there is an issue to check the system. The system is also able to detect when there is no power. “If the system fails, we can see what the problem is. We are able to get the alerts through email. If we have to come to the site, we know what we are coming to do.” Karani says.
The system uses very minimal power and gives a high output of treated water. One of the most successful systems they have designed for a residential apartment is in Rongai. The system uses 750 Watts and treats 10, 000 litres of water per day for reuse by tenants. The system also conserves power. “In a situation where the flow is minimal, the system is able to detect that, and it goes to a state of eco mode.” Karani explains.
The system can be incorporated in all kinds of designs. “If you have existing septic tanks, we can design a system for that. If you have a new development, we can design a new system to suit your requirements.” Karani asserts. It is also modular and can be upgraded as need arises. If you are doing a phase two for your residential apartments, they can upgrade your system to accommodate the increased population.
Elikham offers you one year warranty after installing your system to ensure total customer satisfaction. They are very committed to quality and carry out analysis of the water every six months with the Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA), to ensure production of quality treated water that is safe for reuse. Elikham partners with a renowned wastewater treatment plant manufacturer in Germany, who also monitor their installed systems to make sure they are efficient. You are therefore guaranteed of a system that works when you work with Elikham Systems. “For the system that you order, you coordinate with them, you do the design with them, you install, they monitor, and they are able to see if the system is working well.” Karani says.
Karani points out some of the challenges that they face in the industry. The perception of people regarding water reuse is negative. Elikham can treat sewage water and ensure it is safe for drinking but people have not yet embraced that possibility. There is also an overreliance on septic tanks and there is limited knowhow on the existence of a system that can allow you to reuse your wastewater. There is also no strict policy requiring developments to have a wastewater treatment system thus many do not even consider it. The biggest challenge so far is the cost of importing the plant especially for one off installation.
Going into the future, Elikham Systems looks to integrate their solar systems to power the wastewater treatment system. This will ensure the client gets a self-sufficient one off installation with no extra costs afterwards.
“Water scarcity is a challenge that is facing us. The only way to ensure you have a glass of water to drink, do farming and clean the compound with quality water, is through wastewater management; having a facility that can give you water that is safe for reuse.” Karani concludes.
