Water&Sanitation Africa November December 2014

The official magazine of the Water Institute of Southern Africa

Water & SanitationComplete water resource and wastewater management

South Africa’s groundwater is under threat, but one local specialist geosynthetic linings contractor, Aquatan Lining Systems, is investing in R&D for positive change. P10

T

JulyNovember/December 2014 • ISSN 1990-8857 • Cover price R50.00 • Vol 9 No. 6

Promoting professional excellence in the water sector

IN THE HOT SEAT

EOTATTTT

Storage tanks for the world

SBS TANKS™

The diversity of package and modular treatment

PANEL DISCUSSION

DAMS & RESERVOIRSEngineers reveal a few lesser-known gems

AfricaAfrica

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R E I N V E N T I N G T H E W A Y W A T E R I S M A N A G E D


Water & SanitationComplete water resource and wastewater management

South Africa’s groundwater is under threat, but one local specialist geosynthetic linings contractor, Aquatan Lining Systems, is investing in R&D for positive change. P10

T

JulyNovember/December 2014 • ISSN 1990-8857 • Cover price R50.00 • Vol 9 No. 6


IN THE HOT SEAT

EOTATTTT

Storage tanks for the world

SBS TANKS™

The diversity of package and modular treatment

PANEL DISCUSSION

DAMS & RESERVOIRSEngineers reveal a few lesser-known gems

AfricaAfrica

ON THE COVER Demand

skyrockets for affordable,

reliable prefabricated

ZINCALUME® tanks from

SBS Tanks™. p4

Volume 9. No.6

REGULARS

Editor’s comment 3Industry news 12Product news 63

COVER STORY

Demand grows for water storage 4

WISA

President’s comment 6City of Saints opens a new chapter 8

HOT SEAT

Aquatan – Lining for the future 10

SANITATION

Solar-powered waterless dehydration toilets 20

PROVINCIAL FOCUS

Hertzogville Bulk Water Project 23Pilanesberg bulks up 25

OPINION

Independent regulation improves delivery 31

DAMS & RESERVOIRS

Beyond engineering at Spring Grove 33

PIPES

Pipes VIII – Hard work and hope 40

PANEL DISCUSSION

Containerised modular systems• Aquaplan 45• Headstream Water 46• ImproChem 49• NuWater 51• Rare Water Treatment 53• Veolia Water Technologies 55• SafeQuip 57

TECHNICAL PAPER

Enhancing Johannesburg WWTW’s sludge digestion 58

Pilansberg bulks up

SCCOONNTTTENTS

25

Beyond engineering at Spring Grove33

Independent regulation improves delivery31

Enhancing Johannesburg WWTW’s sludge digestion58

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 1

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EDITOR’S COMMENTPublisher Elizabeth ShortenEditor Frances RingwoodHead of design Frédérick DantonSenior designer Hayley MendelowDesigner Kirsty GallowayChief sub-editor Tristan SnijdersSub-editor Beatrix KnopjesContributors Jo Burgess, Maryke Foulds, Shanna Nienaber, Peter Labrum, Nicola Theunissen, Helgard Muller, Nicholas McDiarmid, Shaun Deacon, Richard Jansen van Vuuren, Debbie BesselingMarketing manager Hestelle RobinsonDigital manager Esther LouwClient services & production manager Antois-Leigh BotmaProduction coordinator Jacqueline ModiseDistribution manager Nomsa MasinaDistribution coordinator Asha PursothamFinancial manager Andrew LobbanAdministration Tonya HebentonPrinters United Litho Johannesburg+27 (0)11 402 0571Advertising sales Avé Delport Tel: +27 (0)11 467 6224 • Cell: +27 (0)83 302 1342 Fax: 086 502 1216 • Email: [email protected]

MEDIA Physical address: No 4, 5th Avenue Rivonia 2056Postal address: PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117,South AfricaTel: +27 (0)11 233 2600Fax: +27 (0)11 234 7274/5Email: [email protected]

ISSN: 1990 - 8857Annual subscription: R300 (SA rate)Email: [email protected] 2014. All rights reserved.All articles in Water&Sanitation Africa are copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publishers. The views of contributors do not necessarily refl ect those of the Water Institute of Southern Africa or the publishers.

WISA mission statementThe Water Institute of Southern Africa provides a forum for exchange of information and views to improve water resource management in Southern Africa.

Endorsed by

WISA CONTACTS:HEAD OFFICETel: +27 (0)11 805 3537 Fax: +27 (0)11 315 1258Physical address: 1st Floor, Building 5, Constantia Park, 546 16th Road, Randjiespark Ext 7, Midrand

BRANCHESEastern CapeChairman: Hennie Greeff Tel: +27(0)41 453 3102Secretary/Treasurer: Chris Dickson Tel: +27(0)41 507 8200

Free StateChairperson: D.R. TlhomelangTel: +27(0)51 403 0800Secretary/ Treasurer: Riana WesselsTel: +27(0)56-515-0375

KwaZulu-NatalChairman: Chris Fennemore Tel: +27 (0)31 311 8734Secretary/ Treasurer: Stephanie WalshTel: +27 (0)31 302-4077

Western CapeChairman: Gareth McConkeyTel: +27(0) 21 712 4260Secretary/ Treasurer: Eleonore BondesioTel: +27(0)21 872 0322

www.ewisa.co.za

WATER&SANITATION AFRICA (WASA) is the magazine of the water industry in South Africa and beyond our

national borders. The publication’s distri-bution is growing, with ever-increasing reader numbers being recorded throughout this exciting continent. At last count, the www.infrastructure.ws website is getting 31 181 page views per month, with at least 11 500 unique visits, with the highest number of enquiries outside of South Africa coming from Tanzania, Namibia and Zambia.Figures like that are quite unprecedented in trade publishing. I believe the rising interest strongly correlates with growing investor interest in Africa. After all, Africa is the continent with the most infrastruc-ture growth potential in the coming decades, as well as off ering outstanding commodities opportunities.The problem with being involved in an industry with so much potential and fast-paced growth is that good people quickly get noticed and snapped up, as happened with the last two WASA editors ‒ both were headhunted within the space of two short years. Knowing the pivotal role South Africa and its established water sector profession-als have to play in meeting the growing demand for water throughout the continent in the next couple of decades, I took the job. Many water industry members will already know my name or face from attending and covering various water conferences ‒ be-cause water is my passion. It is my goal to bring stability and commitment to the helm, by making my association with water, the Water Institute of Southern Africa and this magazine, lifelong.

In this issueThere is some impressive content in the November/December edition of WASA,

Breaking ground

m

The official magazine of

the Water Institute of S

outhern Africa

Water & SanitationComplete w

ater resource and waste

water management

South Africa’s groundwater is u

nder threat, but one local spec

ialist

geosynthetic linings contractor

, Aquatan Lining Systems, is

investing in R&D for positive c

hange. P10

T

July

November/December 2014 • ISSN 1990-8857 • Cover price R50.00 • Vol 9 No. 6

Promoting professional excellence in

the water sector

IN THE HOT SEAT

EOTATTTT

Storage tanks

for the worldSBS TANKS™

The diversity

of package and

modular treatment

PANEL DISCUSSION

DAMS & RESERVOIRS

Engineers reveal a few

lesser-known gems

AfricaAfrica

Cover opportunityIn each issue, Water&Sanitation Africa off ers companies the opportunity to get to the front of the line by placing a company, product or service on the front cover of the magazine. Buying this position will aff ord the advertiser the cover story and maximum exposure. For more information on cover bookings contact Avé Delport on +27 (0)83 302 1342 or email [email protected]

kicked off with a word from WISA president Dr Jo Burgess. Burgess provides industry insight on South Africa’s new Department of Water and Sanitation Minister, Nomvula Mokonyane, and her strategy for sector improvement.Another highlight is engineering company Aecom having provided WASA with a few little-known gems about the award-winning Spring Grove Dam project in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.Also, the panel discussions on container-ised package and modular plants, which run from pages 43 to 57, are eye-opening when read from end to end. Taken together, they illustrate how diverse the applications and technologies for just one industry sub-sector can be.Exciting times lie ahead in the water sector, and I’m looking forward to being here as they unfold.

3 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

rd to beiny unfold.


COVER STORY

Demand grows for SBS Tanks™, a global exporter of Proudly South African liquid storage solutions, is experiencing skyrocketing demand for its modular, affordable and reliable range of prefabricated ZINCALUME® tanks.

SBS TANKS™ sales and marketing manager Brian Wilson says; “Water in Africa continues to be a scarce

commodity due to our geographic positioning. Our locally manufac-tured, aff ordable and long lasting storage tanks are an extremely ef-fective way to mitigate the very real potential of water shortages due to a variety of factors mainly related to climate and infrastructure.“What is important to remember is that these diffi culties are not unique to South Africa or even the African continent but are occurring globally.” Water shortages are high on many international political and environmental agendas and are

inevitable given that the UN esti-mates an extra 5 billion people will be added to the world’s population by 2050.In response to this, in March last year, water storage solutions com-pany SBS Tanks™ announced the launch of its Proudly South African ST Range of liquid storage tanks. Nearly 18 months later, the compa-ny is now well established in both the local and export markets and continues to grow from strength to strength.SBS™ is certifi ed with the envi-able SABS ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System certifi cation and its employees have worked extremely hard to overcome all the

trials that accompany new design and development.

Range capacityBoasting an extensive capacity and size range from the smallest 12 kℓ ST04/02 model to the fl agship 3.3 Mℓ ST31/09, the largest single capacity tank of its kind currently engineered. SBS Tanks™ managing director, Delayne Gray, says: “We take great pride in the tank technology and design developments achieved in such a short time. The entire range of SBS Tanks™ is technically superior and fully certifi ed by professional engineers. All tank components are fully traceable and manufactured locally, which ensures SBS™ is able

BELOW Even where piped water is available, harvesting rainwater saves on municipal bills and is good for the environment

SBS Tanks™, the proud winners of the DCCI KZN Exporter of the Year Award 2014: Small Category


COVER STORY

water storageto rapidly deliver and install tanks for clients in the municipal, mining, commercial and fi re protection industries within South Africa and internationally.”To accommodate the expansion of the company in both staff re-sources and production capacity, to meet the increased demands, SBS™ now operates from a much larger, state-of-the-art facility in Pinetown. “Our new premises is an exciting expansion to this ever-growing busi-ness and I am excited to be a part of it,” says Brian Wilson, SBS Tanks™ sales and marketing manager.

Storing more than waterSBS Tanks™ are not just built to store potable water anymore either. In its quest to suit new markets, SBS™ now off ers tanks capable of storing

ADVANTAGES OF SBS TANKS:• SBS Tanks™ installations take a matter of days rather

than weeks or months• SBS Tanks™ only require a simple reinforced ring

beam, meaning that founding requirements are far less stringent than the normal concrete tank methods

• SBS Tanks™ water storage tanks are easily transported as they are supplied in kit form and erected by approved installation teams on-site

• SBS Tanks™ have a 65+ year life expectancy• SBS Tanks™ can be relocated to other sites should

the need arise• SBS Tanks™ are versatile, with a range of standard

and special fittings available to meet any engineering or industrial requirement

effl uent, sewage, leachate and other tough-to-handle materials.“We have taken the view that we will entertain and investigate any enquiries, make a technical assessment as to the suitability of our tank body and liner and give the customer an honest answer rather than confi ning ourselves to just one application. We want to become the place to go for liquid storage needs in South Africa and abroad,” says Wilson.

t +27 (0)31 716 1820www.sbstanks.co.za

BOTTOM LEFT SBS Tanks™ in modular kit form before being transported to siteBOTTOM SBS Tanks™ also erects tanks beyond Africa – this installation was installed at the Pearl Island Peninsula resort in PanamaBELOW A tank installed at Ndaya Community in Msinga Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal

In each issue, Water&Sanitation Africa off ers advertisers the opportunity to promote their company’s products and services to an appropriate audience by booking the prime position of the front cover, which includes a feature article. The magazine off ers advertisers an ideal platform to ensure maximum exposure of their brand. Please call Avé Delport on +27 (0)11 467 6224/ +27 (0)83 302 1342 to secure your booking.


PRESIDENT ’S COMMENT

Times they are a-changingThe impact on the private sector in the water industry has probably not been felt much yet, if at all, but in the public sector the winds of change have been blowing since the May 2014 election.

WE WERE understand-ably distracted in May by a little event in Mbombela, but

our votes on 7 May meant that, on 25 May, the day before WISA 2014 opened, Nomvula Paula Mokonyane became the Minister of Water Affairs and Sanitation.Mokonyane is the former premier of Gauteng and comes from the West Rand. Her political career began in the early 1980s as a student activist. Her career included various portfolio committees before she was appointed MEC of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment in 1996.

She became MEC

Mokonyane is the andRandgana str incomappoure,vironhe

Mokonyane isof Gauteng the West Rcareer beg1980s as Her careerportfolio cshe was Agricultuand Env

Sh

BELOW Jo Burgess, president of WISABOTTOM Katse Dam

for Safety and Liaison from 1999 to 2004, and was appointed Housing MEC between 2004 and 2009. Minister Mokonyane became the premier of Gauteng in May 2009, becoming the first female premier. Upon her appointment to the posi-tion, she reorganised the Gauteng provincial administration. On 25 May this year, Mokonyane was appointed Minister of Water Affairs and Sanitation, a ministry newly mandated to combat wa-ter and sanitation issues across the country. The new minister is not a Member of Parliament, but the Constitution of South Africa allows for two ministers to be appointed from outside the National Legislature.

Water and sanitation services remain one of the core challenges of our time globally, and particu-larly for South Africa’s growing political economy. Yet, while South Africa has met the Millennium Development Goal targets in these areas, our primary goal remains that of universal access to safe and sus-tainable water and sanitation servic-es to all in South Africa. Only when we have enabled this expansion of the frontiers of human dignity can we begin to talk about growth and prosperity in earnest.

Fresh outlookUshering in a ministry unifying water and sanitation, and also the appointment of the honourable Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane, and the hon-ourable Deputy Minister, Pamela Tshwete, were generally welcomed by the water sector. One of the first tasks of the new ministry was to call on stakeholders in the water family to come together and define our working relationship at the National Water and Sanitation Summit, held on 1 to 2 August in Boksburg, Gauteng, this year.The aim of the summit was to engage with stakeholders on the primary challenges facing water and sanitation in South Africa, and to identify game changers and develop innovative solutions. These solutions will enable us to take a significant leap forward as we collaboratively develop a national vision for water and sanitation over the next five years, as well as over

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PRESIDENT ’S COMMENT

the longer term. Invited participants engaged in plenary, breakaway sessions and panel discussions on topics related to meeting the service delivery challenge, the water and sanitation policy environment, water research, develop-ment and innovation choices, the state of South Africa’s water resources, and the role of the private sector.

Budget speechIn her budget speech to Parliament on 15 July this year, Minister Mokonyane talked about the mandate of this fifth democratic administration being “to move South Africa forward through radical socio-economic transformation.” In this spirit she added, “As we strive to consolidate our suc-cesses and celebrate the good story in the water sector, we shall, with immediate effect, use this budget to deal with 10% of existing services that are dysfunctional and a further 26% where the provision of water is not reliable.” She went on to list a series of ‘game changers’ to turn South Africa’s water and sanitation fortunes around and concluded, “The participation of our people in the water sector is key.”

Leadership strengthPart of Mokonyane’s strategy is to populate her minis-try with strong, capable staff, including Margaret-Ann Diedricks, the newly appointed DG of the Department of Water and Sanitation. The DG designate was appointed on 19 October and undertook her first official engagement, a meeting with the Strategic Water Partners Network ‒ South Africa, a day later.Diedricks is the former Gauteng DG. She brings a wealth of public service experience, having worked as a researcher in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in 1996. She was appointed as head of the Department of Community Safety from 2006 until 2009. She then joined the Office of the Premier as COO. In 2011, Diedricks became COO at Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. She re-joined Gauteng in 2012 when she became the director-general.Commended for her good leadership, good governance and dedication to her work, Diedericks has achieved clean audits for concurrent years while at the helm at the Office of the Premier. Under her stewardship, the Gauteng Office of the Premier was also awarded the best department at the premier’s Service Excellence Awards in 2013.WISA extends a warm welcome to Minister Mokonyane and DG Diedricks. We look forward to seeing the benefits of strong practical leadership and we wish them well during their time in the water family. We sincerely pledge our full support to our new ministry.

“[We] shall, with immediate effect, use this budget to deal with 10% of existing services that are dysfunctional and a

further 26% where the provision of water is not reliable.”

Minister Nomvula Mokonyane


TRAINING

City of Saints opens a new chapter

SOUTH AFRICAN Young Water Professionals (YWP-ZA) has announced that it has launched a new chapter

in the Eastern Cape. The event took place at Rhodes University in Grahamstown on 2 August this year and attracted over 80 enthusi-astic young professionals who are

either working, or interested, in the water sector, or studying towards a postgraduate degree in water and related disciplines. The YWP is an initiative of the International Water Association in partnership with WISA. The network aims to bring together young professionals in the water sector to share their

experiences and provide a context for career development.The launch of the EC-YWP kicked off with a keynote address on water, governance, complexity and democ-racy delivered by Prof Tally Palmer, the director of the Unilever Centre for Environmental Water Quality at Rhodes University. Palmer’s personal experience of being a young pro-fessional in the water sector some years ago, and her involvement in drafting the SA National Water Policy and the National Water Act, inspired confi dence in the YWPs at

A new Young Water Professionals provincial chapter has launched in the Eastern Cape’s City of Saints, Grahamstown.

YWPs having fun playing with and learning from a water distribution game

TRAINING


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the launch, all of whom are eager to make a diff erence in the Eastern Cape water sector.The chairperson of the Eastern Cape YWP, Dr Nelson Odume and Shanna Nienaber, national chairper-son of the YWP-ZA, co-facilitated a water-based dialogue in which par-ticipants discussed the challenges in the Eastern Cape water sector and considered ways in which YWP can respond to this.A presentation on the biolog-ical treatment of wastewater by Prudence Mambo, the secretary of the EC-YWP, sparked a debate about technology uptake and implemen-tation. It was agreed that there is a need for a follow-up event to discuss these matters in more detail.The second part of the launch focused on more practical activities. A water service delivery game facil-itated by Esther Shaylor, technical supervisor at water and sanitation company Amanz’ abantu Services,

and Louise Bryson, en-vironmental consultant at engineering fi rm Aurecon, provided the participants with an op-portunity to experience the task of providing water services in South Africa. This was also a great way to get young water professionals learning by playing. Elections for the new chapter followed. The day ended with a networking game facilitated by Dan Abraham, civil engineer at Aurecon. This provided a good opportunity for YWPs to get to know each other over a bite to eat.The newly elected EC-YWP com-mittee members are eager to make a diff erence. The committee will strive to create an enabling environment for networking, connecting young professionals with experienced sector practitioners, and facilitating

events and community-engagement activities throughout the Eastern Cape. The EC-YWP has nodes in Port Elizabeth, East London and Grahamstown, with each of the nodes serving as a central hub for activities in that particular area.

A discussion on aims of the YWP-ZA


HOT SEAT

Lining for the future

NOT ACID mine water but groundwater protection is going to be one of South Africa’s biggest water man-

agement challenges in future,” says independent water expert Dr Mike Muller in a panel discussion held two years ago in Johannesburg answering the question, “Is Gauteng water facing a crisis?” It’s long been known among industry professionals that the country’s groundwater is under threat, both from pollution and over abstraction. Few people or companies were taking decisive action on the matter ‒ until now.Specialist Geosynthetic linings

contractor Aquatan Lining Systems, a company that installs Geosynthetics in water containment reservoirs, pollution control dams, fl oating cover reservoirs, tunnels, canals and also landfi lls has invested substan-tially in recent years to develop a barrier system which overcomes major technical challenges which fulfi ls the unique climate, costs and legislative requirements of South Africa to ensure long term maximum groundwater protection.

Aquatan’s involvement in the ge-omembrane industry stretches from 1966 when, through its chairman Cliff ord Gundle, it developed man-ufacturing of suitably compounded and wide-width geomembrane sheeting. The consequent develop-ment of unique extrusion and later wedge seaming equipment resulted in many millions of square meters of successfully installed geomembranes. Most recently, about eight years ago, Aquatan developed and invested in its patented Enhanced Barrier System (EBS) driven by amongst other issues the rapid deterioration of geomem-branes under continuous high tem-perature exposure such as is the case in landfi lls. The EBS, using a negative pressure, removes diff used VOCs from the space between the double com-posite liner system within a drainage layer between the two composite liners, hydrates and maintains the GCL hydrated and regulates the geomem-branes temperature individually or together in the same liner system. Aquatan recently completed an EBS project for a very prominent client where the purpose of the system was

to remove VOCs and has in addition been commissioned to design and in-stall an EBS cooling system for another prominent client.

Research and developmentAs recently as 1994 the fi rst law gov-erning the prevention of contamina-tion of groundwater from landfi ll sites was published. It was called Minimum Requirements for Waste Disposal by Landfi ll, First Edition, 1994. The result of the law was that profi cient liners were used for the containment of hazardous wastes but general landfi lls themselves were usually lined with only the most basic clay-only liners with associated leachate collection and subsoil drainage systems. These barriers provided at best minimal protection of groundwater from poisonous substances in waste lea-chate ‒ comprising substances that emanates from chemical and biologi-cal reactions in waste to form volatile organic compounds (VOCs) hazardous to human health.When VOCs diff use through the

barriers into groundwater it becomes dilute but given enough time, the

South Africa’s groundwater is under threat but one local geosynthetic linings company heard the call to make a difference. Frances Ringwood reports.

Using the correct liners protects groundwater


HOT SEAT

eff ect of volatile organic compounds entering the water table builds. Locally and internationally, norms and standards were adapted to alleviate the concerns raised within the scientifi c community concerning groundwater quality.South African legislation was im-

proved over the years to take account of growing urban populations, rainfall, temperatures and the topographical and social positioning of landfi lls.The current legislation governing the

design of landfi ll liner systems in South Africa is the Waste Classifi cation and Management Regulations with norms and standards gazetted under the National Environmental Management Waste Act (59 of 2008). It forms part of a number of laws coming into eff ect which now make it standard practice for all landfi lls to be lined using at least a single composite liner comprising a number of diff erent layers and drainage systems, each with diff erent protection functions. Not all such barriers are equal. Because Aquatan is committed to creating a product that is competitive not only in terms of cost but also quality, the company invested in various research projects and as-sisted in funding the research of Civil Engineer Reon Pienaar of the interna-tional engineering consultant Aecom to research mitigating the diff usion of VOCs through HDPE Geomembranes.“Although landfi ll liners are generally

designed to provide indefi nite protec-tion, it has been proven that the liner, and specifi cally the HDPE component do lose some of their properties over time particularly when subjected to high temperatures which leads to rap-id degradation of the HDPE that will over time result in a signifi cant poten-tial for pollution of the groundwater,” says Reon Pienaar, a civil engineer at Aecom in a paper entitled ‘Protection of groundwater beneath waste con-tainment facilities,’ delivered at the recent WasteCon 2014 Conference held in Cape Town.Pienaar further stated, “If there

would thus be a way to cool down the liner it would greatly add to the long term eff ectiveness of the liner system.” Aquatan has developed and patented the Enhanced Barrier System to miti-gate the infl uence of heat thereby ex-tending the life of the HDPE geomem-brane. Aquatan and the National

Research Foundation are two of the main funders of Pienaar’s research.

TechnologyHeat is one of the biggest factors infl u-encing the lifespan of landfi ll linings, where the heat generated during the solid waste degradation process can drive temperatures high enough to reduce a normal geosynthetic liner’s lifespan of centuries to as little as 15 years. That means that even when a liner complies with legal require-ments, its long-term effi cacy may be compromised if there is no measure to mitigate temperature increases.What makes Aquatan’s off ering

unique is that as well as comprising several layers of geosynthetic mate-rial paired with a leachate drainage system, it combines proprietary tech-nology which minimises temperature increases associated with exothermic reactions in landfi ll waste.This is why the company calls its

technology an ‘Enhanced Barrier System’. Using a fan or similar device, a fl uid (gas, liquid or a combination) can be drawn through the leak detection system under negative pressure.“By drawing fl uid under negative

pressure at a controlled temperature with a controlled moisture content, the detrimental temperature which can reduce the effi cacy of geosyn-thetic liners is reduced. This increases their service life while simultaneously hydrating the clay component of the system,” explains Meyer.Furthermore, VOCs that would oth-

erwise diff use through the barrier into the ground water are removed by the process of fl uid continuously passing through the leak detection or leachate collection drainage system.

Leachpads, dams, wetlands and moreGeosynthetic liners for dams and landfi lls are worlds apart right? Well, yes and no. Aquatan will go onto any site and recommend a liner for a specifi c application. The company’s patented Enhanced Barrier System is also particularly useful for applica-tion such as the heap leach pads of mines that use chemicals for heavy metals extraction.Aquatan’s products are also spec-

ifi ed for dams, reservoirs, fl oating covers, tunnels, canals, tailings

dams, municipal dams, sewerage ponds, wetlands and a wide variety of other liquid containment and waterproofi ng projects. Since Aquatan represents a geo-

synthetic linings company which not only says it cares about water but puts money where its mouth is, the company’s environmental credentials are second to none. Aquatan has sponsored students to study water and the environment since its fi rst bursary in 1985 and since then has supported students in recent years to study water and the environment at Harvard University in the US.Aquatan is the only South African

lining contractor which is an accepted member of the Geosynthetic Institute in the US

APPLICATIONS FOR AQAUTAN’S STATE-OF-THE-ART LINERS

• Landfills• Leach pads, canals and collection ponds• Toxic liquid waste containment (for multiple

composite lining systems)• Tunnel liners and associated drainage products• ear th or concrete reservoirs and ponds• Storage tanks• Irrigation canals• Wetlands• Floating covers to potable water reservoirs

molasses storage facilities and gas generating storage facilities

• Drainage of highway and civil projects

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The correct laying of a geosynthetic lining is essential

To read a scientifi c explanation of the technology, refer to the technical paper ‘Expanding Containment Barrier Boundaries’ delivered by Walter Meyer at the 10th ICG con-ference held in September 2014 in Berlin, Germany.

INDUSTRY NEWS


CESA awards excellence in engineering

GIBB MADE ITS mark at the coveted CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards held at Vodacom

World, Midrand, when it walked away with one trophy and three commend-

ations. The largest South African black-owned engin-eering consulting fi rm was up against several multinational powerhouses and won the Mentor of the Year category with Vernon Joubert scooping top honours.The event was a celebra-tion of innovation, quality,

outstanding workmanship and pro-fessionalism. GIBB also received commendations for its involvement in the Cape Town Backyard Essential Services Improvement Programme, the Kalagadi Manganese railway sid-ing project and Job Shadow Day.Importantly, the Factreton informal sector electrifi cation for the City of Cape Town came second among nine formidable entries.“We are proud to have our people recognised for their contributions to the much-needed development of the engineering sector. At GIBB, we continuously aim to nurture the

skills of the industry, starting at our own offi ces by harnessing top talent and developing future leaders in engineering,” says Muzi Siyaya, group business development executive at GIBB.As the general manager of the fi rm’s dams, hydropower and under-ground works sector, Joubert was recognised for his passion and ability to support and guide young engin-eering professionals to develop and grow holistically.He has mentored many people over his 30-year career in the consulting engineering industry.

Vernon Joubert, Mentor of the Year

INDUSTRY NEWS


SRK’s complement of women employees in professional posts in its South African offi ces now exceeds 90 experts

Breaking barriersSouth Africa is crying out for a larger pool of engineering skills and the sector needs to ensure that there are no barriers to the entry for women.

WHILE THE number of women in consulting engineering has certainly grown, Peter

Labrum, SRK Consulting SA MD, says this growth has been mainly in the sciences ‒ such as environmental sci-ence, geology, hydrology and related disciplines rather than in civil, mining or electrical engineering, for instance.“In the consulting fi eld, there have always been many more women in the sciences than in engineering per se,” says Labrum, “but there is also a defi nite increase in the number of women studying engineering. Of course many of the scientists will work in an engineering environment.”He emphasises the need for the profession to attract young people ‒ irrespective of gender ‒ who really wanted to work as engineers.“Just as there should be no barriers or discrimination against anyone, I

would also caution against applying any artifi cial incentives for people to enter this line of work,” he says. “The danger is that by ‘pushing’ individu-als into certain careers, you could get the wrong sort of person.”Says Labrum: “In a profession like engineering, you really need the right people. If you want the best en-gineers, you must have people who genuinely want to be engineers and are passionate about it. “This was how SRK earned its repu-tation. “Our business is really based on meritocracy ‒ we want to have the best people. That’s how we’ve been so successful. Whether the best person is male or female is irrelevant. Their progression through the com-pany is based on their value to the business,” he says.“The reason that more women are graduating as engineers is that they see this as something they want to

do. Nowadays, there is less discrim-ination in the workplace and that makes it easier for women to consider these options.”SRK’s complement of women employees in professional posts in its South African offi ces now exceeds 90 experts, including mining engineers, civil engineers, chemical engineers, rock engineers, engineering geologists, hydrogeo-logists and environmental scientists. Women also play key roles in the fi rm’s fast-growing discipline of stakeholder consultation and public participation ‒ an element of mining and other industrial projects that is becoming recognised as a foundation to sustainable development.Women in SRK’s executive manage-ment team include hydrogeologist Diana Duthe and environmental scientist Briony Liber ‒ both principal consultants and partners in the fi rm.


Wastewater teeters South Africa is at a 'tipping point' in terms of what is required of municipalities to comply with, what needs to be achieved, and what is appropriate and necessary to ensure an acceptable and reliable level of performance. By Debbie Besseling

THIS IS AN extract from the re-cently released report by the Water Research Commission in partnership with the

South African Local Government Association (SALGA) entitled: Drivers for Wastewater Technology Selection ‒ Assessment of the Selection of Wastewater Treatment Technology by Municipalities in Relation to the Management Capability and Legislative Requirements by M van der Merwe-Botha and G Quilling.Over the past decade, much atten-tion has been devoted to the engi-neering, science and technological aspects of wastewater treatment in South Africa. More recently, attention has been redirected to assess the per-formance and compliance status of wastewater treatment facilities and to identify the challenges and root caus-es that underpin poor performance ‒ in particular by municipal institutions.

The report provides a high-level assessment on the appropriateness of the technological choices in relation to the current ability of the municipal-ity to administer such choices. Fifteen municipalities from across the country took part in the study.Established in 2010, under the recommendation of the WISA Small Wastewater Treatment Works (SWWTW) division, the Small Wastewater Treatment Works Suppliers Association (SEWPACKSA) is an association of like-minded professionals in the water-treatment industry aimed at providing a unifi ed representative body of suppliers of package plants in South Africa to cre-ate a sustainable and self-regulated industry. Paul Gaydon, Exco member of SEWPACKSA who is responsible for legislative matters, comments on behalf of SEWPACKSA on the fi ndings of the report.

Inappropriate technologiesThe fi ndings of the report indicate that 44% of the studied wastewater treatment plants may have opted for less suitable (inappropriate) technolo-gies when considering their resource base, and capacity to manage and provide effl uent-quality requirements. Gaydon says: “The report states that standards should not determine the treated effl uent quality, but rather use the Receiving Water Quality Objects (RWQO) for the river as the point of reference. While I agree with this, the problem is that RWQO studies have not been conducted on the majority of South Africa’s rivers. A full RWQO takes at least three years to perform, and a rapid desktop study takes approximately six months to perform and costs the municipality around R600 000 (2009). Due to the fact that most plant upgrades or extensions are already overdue by the time the project actually commences, it forces the consultants to resort to using the standards rather than the RWQOs. The question is, does the Department of Water Aff airs have the capacity

INDUSTRY NEWS

ABOVE Aerial view ‒ sequencing batch reactor dual basinTOP RIGHT Drivers for wastewater technology selection TT 543


on the brinkto manage RWQOs? SEWPACKSA members will generally be forced to use the standards approach, and match the technology to these,” says Gaydon.In terms of appropriate technologies

and making sustainable choices, Gaydon discusses how SEWPACKSA as an organisation ensures that their members adhere to certain standards. “SEWPACKSA members will either train staff to operate and maintain the plants, or provide this function on a contract basis. If suitable staff are available from the client to operate the plant, then a minimum of a main-tenance contract is preferred. Plants are monitored on a monthly basis and improvements made where problems arise. Repairs are conducted on an urgent basis, and spares for the equip-ment installed are readily available,” explains Gaydon.

Performance and complianceWhen considering performance and compliance, there are a number of challenges that underpin poor performance. According to Gaydon the main challenges are the lack of trained personnel and the awareness of the need to comply. SEWPACKSA provides training, and comprehensive plant-specifi c operations and mainte-nance manuals to prevent problems. “Our clients, being in the private sector, are also acutely aware of the need to comply with the standards from both a legal and environmental point of view. All equipment is provid-ed with duty and standby units, and these are repaired as a matter of ur-gency in order to ensure good quality effl uent,” comments Gaydon.The overall performance of a plant

spans the planning, design and man-agement of wastewater treatment facilities. SEWPACKSA members are intensively involved in the operations and maintenance of their plants and, as such, design plants that are robust, reliable, and simple to operate. As a result of this, more experienced personnel are used to design plants,

which ensures ease of operations and maintenance.According to Gaydon: “Certain con-

sultants may have little experience in wastewater treatment plant design, but are appointed on the basis of the lowest tender bid ‒ this is a recipe for disaster, as they have to sacrifi ce on all aspects of the work to maintain a profi table project. Consultants should not be allowed to discount more than 2% on the Engineering Council of South Africa’s fees, to ensure a quality job, and their experience should carry a heavy weighting in appointments. In fairness to consultants, municipal infrastructure frants are often award-ed on a budget price in a certain year, and may fall short during project implementation, which results in certain areas of the plant having to be under-equipped. An example of this is under-sized drying beds, which results in reduced wasting of sludge, and results in solids carry-over, destroying effl uent quality and the aquatic environment,” he says.

Impact on the environmentCommenting on the legislative requirements for the package plant industry and the impact on the environment if these standards are not complied with, Gaydon says “SEWPACKSA members generally design plants to comply with the General Authorisation Limit Values, due to the fact that our plants dis-charge less than 2 Mℓ/d. We are acute-ly aware that our plants must achieve good compliance in order for us to retain a good track record and stay in business. Most of our staff are also en-vironmental enthusiasts and thus the importance of maintaining excellent effl uent quality is paramount to us.”

SEWPACKSA in the industryThe package plant industry has in the past had a poor reputation and SEWPACKSA has made signifi cant progress since its inception to further strengthen this industry. SEWPACKSA has taken substantial strides to

improve their reputation in terms of effl uent quality, and this includes the entire life cycle of the project from in-itial design to ultimate operation. The private sector is a straight-talking en-vironment and should a member be shown to have erred, the matter will be resolved as an aspect of priority.SEWPACKSA is an organisation that

represents a number of industry sup-pliers. How do suppliers benefi t from becoming a member of SEWPACKSA? SEWPACKSA members are bound to a specifi c code of conduct and have to comply with certain guidelines which will make sure that a good reputation is maintained. As such clients are ensured of a professional service and product which would not apply to non-members. There are also many more advantages.

ABOUT SEWPACKSAThe main objectives of the Small Wastewater Treatment Works Suppliers Association (SEWPACKSA) are:• To provide a unified non-governmental

representative body of suppliers of package plants in South Africa to create a sustainable and self-regulated industry

• To create a sustainable, self-regulated package plant industry that can treat wastewater on-site in remote areas, or where authorities do not provide sewer connections, or where additional capacity to the wastewater treatment facilities of various government bodies is required, whilst complying with legislative requirements for discharged water quality

• To enable the supply of compliant package plants and management services of such package plants on the basis of best corporate governance practice and a code of ethics as adopted by the association

INDUSTRY NEWS

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Block borehole blundersA borehole is an expensive investment. What you want to avoid is it becoming a time-consuming liability with continual repair or replacement of pumps. Maryke Foulds reports.

EARTH SCIENCE and groundwater consultancy Umvoto Water, specialising in environmental resource

development, management and sus-tainability off ers the following advice to avoid problems down the road.

Defi ne the scope of the projectWhat are the objectives and expect-ed benefi ts? How much water is needed and what is available? This will aff ect the water quality required. If water is needed for toilet fl ushing and sanitation, then a low-yielding borehole with saline water will be suffi cient. If high-quality water is

needed for domestic use or crop irrigation, then that will not be of any use.

Geology and hydrogeologyThe surrounding geology and sub-surface hydrogeological conditions on the site should be assessed to ensure that it is not underlain by poor-yielding and usually poor water quality aquitards and aquicludes (rock that retards water fl ow, usu-ally forming barriers or seals above aquifers). Understanding the risk of drilling a dry hole too is important ‒ while the driller should exercise all care and diligence, they cannot be

responsible for the water quality or quantity. Specialists might need to be consulted for those considering drilling a borehole but are unsure what the geological and hydrogeo-logical conditions are. It is advisable to undertake groundwater assess-ment before drilling.

Groundwater assessmentThe best thing to do is a phased assessment ‒ a desktop study fi rst, followed by a fi eld visit and borehole sighting.

CostsThese can escalate when for instance drilling through certain rock. The driller should provide a bill or sched-ule of quantities, i.e. cost per unit of drilling a certain diameter at a cer-tain depth, based on the proposed borehole design.

Defects liability periodThis is usually 6 to 12 months after the completion and handing over

ABOVE Private Hermanus borehole 18 months later, postlandscapingCredit: Umvoto Water

INSET Private Hermanus borehole just after drillingCredit: Umvoto Water


INDUSTRY NEWS

of each borehole. During this time, the contractor is obliged to correct defects at their own expense.

Community involvementIn the case of larger community domestic supplies, or ground-water quality monitoring boreholes, community members should be involved to foster a spirit of ownership and encour-age care and maintenance of the borehole. The project man-ager or supervisor should have several discussions with the community before drilling equipment is moved in. This must include information about the project, the drilling process, ex-pected obligations and contributions of the community. A date should be set for introducing the contractor’s representative and the start date agreed to. The handover certifi cate should be signed by the supervisor, the contractor and recipient community representatives.

Site meetingsThese should be set to review the work progress and check quality. At the meeting, the contractor should submit a pro-gress report and detail any new challenges. Not all issues can be resolved on-site and a consultant may have to be called in.

Borehole completionWhen drilling is fi nished, ensure that the borehole has a lock-able cap in order to protect it from vandalism. In the case of artesian boreholes, you will need a sealed wellhead.

HandoverChecks will have to be made to ensure that the driller has met all contract requirements, the installation is functioning properly (if pumping equipment is installed), all the required data has been collected and submitted, and the site has been restored to the pre-existing condition as much as possible.

Pumping testsThe same principles described above apply to pumping test contractors. Pumping tests (and subsequent analyses by hydro-geologists) can determine the safe, sustainable yield or rate at which a borehole should be pumped.

Hermanus production borehole drilling

Replace all mechanical bulk water meters?

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WATERFLUX – the new electromagnetic water meter – is bringing technological change to the water industry. It measures precisely and maintenance-free very small and large flow rates – from night-time demands up to fire-fighting operations. Throughout its entire service life of 25 years over several custody transfer periods.

Its unique, RILSAN®-lined measuring tube is wear-free and without mobile measuring parts, eliminating the need for maintenance. This reduces follow-up costs for statutory recalibrations – as an overhaul or replacement of the water meter is no longer necessary.

Both the low initial costs and the significantly reduced operating costs pay off in daily operation. Employ the WATERFLUX instead of mechanical bulk water meters and create financial freedom for new projects – simply exchange new for old.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ABOVE Krohne’s new IFC 050 electromagnetic converter, with display

Dynamic measurement

IN THE LOCAL and international water scenario, it is often said that knowing what water is available, and its quality, is an essential first step before selecting the correct course for management. In order to facilitate

the knowledge economy’s effective engagement with water, industrial process instrumentation firm Krohne has made a new electromagnetic converter, IFC 050, available on the South African market. The IFC 050 represents a long-term, reliable converter for basic applications in the water and wastewater industry.Because reliable measurement of water flows is extremely important, especially in hot, African countries where water is often scarce, the device’s key feature is its robustness. The IFC 050’s electronics are protected against condensate with an extra coating, so it can even be used in tropical areas. The housing is protected with dual-layer painting, keeping it safe from corrosive fluids such as saltwater. And of course it is very sturdy for outdoor use, thanks to its shock resistance.In addition, different requirements are placed on the unit as a result of regional environmental factors, calling for different output signals.

Intelligent designWhen choosing a device for your metering task, the IFC 050 offers a variety of options. The converter can be delivered as compact or wall-mounted, with a display or as a ‘blind’ ver-sion. The blind version is the perfect option in any situation where display readings are not required and the menu is permanently set.


SANITATION

Solar-powered waterless The recent pilot project by African Sanitation saw the deployment of dehydration single use toilet systems, designed for household applications of four to six people. Maryke Foulds looks at what the system entails.

THE PROJECT was designed to evaluate both the operational functionality and ap-

propriateness of waterless sani-tation technology and end user response. It further made use of the appropriate supporting green technologies. These include:• The deployment of specialised urine collection tanks for the collection of urine for further use as liquid fertiliser for the bene-fi ciation of soil, to promote the growth of food plants as part of the CRP programme.

• The deployment of specialised in-dustrial solar-powered composting units for the further benefi ciation for the growth of food plants as part of the CRD programme.• The deployment of solar-powered technologies (lights and mo-bile phone chargers) to further

promote safety, security and communications.• Sani-Spaza shop is a business opportunity owned and oper-ated by the target community and which opportunity aims to introduce general business acumen with the aim of man-aging the business for fi nancial gain and for the benefi t of the community.

Pilot programmes are currently being introduced based on the following: • Phase 1 will see the Benefi ciary Verifi cation Demographic Analysis

The African Sanitation installation team

The project features the deployment

of solar-powered technologies to further

promote safety


SANITATION

dehydration toiletsand Build Environment Site Assessment ‒ an assessment survey designed to collect and collate in-formation relation to geographical conditions and local challenges combined with an understanding of the end-user composition ie cultural and religious practises, social environment, income and education.• Phase 2 will encompass education and training of local labour in all aspects of ASA CLTS. This aff ords the appointment of both men and women to achieve employment equity; the National Rural Youth Services Corps seeks to further use local labour through existing gov-ernment employment initiatives; the execution of the approved Project Execution Plan, including but not limited to the Scope of Work and Terms of Reference; the handover of the pilot pro-gramme to the community for the use of technologies, evaluation and outcome.• Phase 3 is where the daily condition reporting, maintenance, servicing,

cleaning and monitoring of toilets and associated technologies for a period of at least one year will take place. The weekly issuing of toilet paper to individual households to ensure optimal operational func-tionality and to further promote high levels of health, hygiene and most importantly, dignity.Important facts to consider:• The ASA CLTS promotes ownership through a 1:1 application, that is: one household = one toilet. This not only promotes ownership and good custodianship but also mitigates the risk associated with the theft of value items.• The creation of sustainable jobs ensures both pilot programme success and the stimulation of the local economy as members of the population are now em-ployed. So the sense of own-ership and dignity prevails.• The programme aims to promote the introduction of agrarian practises, serv-ing the dietary needs of

the target community through the use of compost and urine to benefi ciate soil for the growth of vegetables etc. • The ASA CLTS Phase 3 ensures that toilets remain in a working condition at all times thus fur-ther promoting high levels of user satisfaction.• The ASA CLTS Job creation pro-gramme further serves to assist both local and national government to achieve the targets of the nation-al employment programme.

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SANITATION

Concrete toilets

ROCLA SANITATION won the fi rst phase of the ten-der and has currently delivered 17 500 of the 25 000 toilets to site. With an average concrete panel weigh-ing 102.5 kg, and a complete toilet weight of 705 kg,

this entire project will have approximately 17 875 tonnes of concrete-panelled toilets available for residents, making it the largest single project Rocla Sanitation has been involved in.Simon Wells, business manager: Sanitation at Rocla, says, “The project started in March 2011, and in order to off er some local opportunities for employment ‒ 70% of the 200 people employed locally are women ‒ we opened a dedicated factory in Butterworth and utilised local resources. This factory will re-main operational until the project is completed next year. We have also provided on-site training.“Amathole is quite a mountainous area, making deliveries in bakkies treacherous. As a result, we have made use of donkeys to carry the concrete panels to site. The panels, which are light and easy to handle, have been manufactured from a newly patented concrete technology, with all components having hand grips, enabling top structures to be erected in 15 minutes. The community, we believe, are happy with the aesthetics of the toilet structures. A second tender is currently in the adjudication phase, and we are extremely optimistic in securing it,” says Wells.The Rocla Sanitation concrete toilets can also be relocated by households and is deemed the most suited for the Expanded Public Works Programme. The reality of the concrete panel design is that only six panels make up the complete structure, which is a huge plus for the quality and longevity of the prod-uct, yet the design off ers a relatively large interior (900 mm wide x 1 100 mm deep x 2 000 mm high) and the safety of a dual-opening locking system.From manufacture to installation ‒ depending on logistics and other contractor time-scales ‒ takes 10 days, including curing time for the concrete. This is a huge step forward for the community who previously had no access to clean water or hygienic sanitation. The project is being funded under the Municipal Infrastructure Grant Programme.

Against a backlog requirement of 180 000 toilets, the Amathole District Municipality issued a tender for concrete panel toilets to be manufactured and installed in Amathole, a poor, rural part of the Eastern Cape.


PROVINCIAL FOCUS

Hertzogville Bulk Water ProjectTokologo Local Municipality has recently cut the ribbon of the fi rst phase of a major water supply project that will see 20 million ℓ/day of potable water supplied to its residents. By Nicola Theunissen

THE HERTZOGVILLE Bulk Water Project is a good ex-ample where three spheres of government came

together to pull off a multi-million water supply project.A few years ago, the Tokologo Local Municipality ‒ situated in Lejweleputswa District Municipality in the Free State ‒ was experien-cing major water challenges in the towns of Boshoff , Hertzogville and Dealesville. The Hertzogville town area gets its water directly from

boreholes, owned and operated by the Tokologo Local Municipality. Over the years, the town has been experiencing shortages caused by inadequate delivery from under-ground aquifers. In view of this, the municipality developed plans to sup-plement the water supply with water from the Vaal River, with abstraction at Christiana.In March 2008, the Department of Water Aff airs, and the then-Depart-ment of Local Government initiated support for Tokologo municipality

through the construction of a bulk water project. The Department of Local Government co-founded the project with R50 million, but total project costs amounted to nearly R400 million.The municipality with the Department of Water Aff airs and the Department of Local Government decided to divide the project into two phases: the fi rst being the Hertzogville Bulk Water Scheme and the second, the Dealesville and Boshoff Scheme. ▶

Former DWA Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi cutting the ribbon to open Hertzogville plant


Six years later, Tokologo municipal-ity held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the fi rst phase of the project.

Water analysis study commissioned The bulk water project, which has been in planning since 2008, ties in with an overall assessment of Tokologo municipality’s water source availability and infrastructure to meet water demand. According to Manie Marais, an engineer for WRP Consulting Engineers, the company conducted a larger water source ana-lysis of smaller municipalities in the Free State regions, commissioned by the Department of Water Aff airs.“Many smaller municipalities lack the capacity to conduct a thorough analysis of their available water sources. Although bulk suppliers such as Rand Water conduct an annual water analysis review, smaller towns, not falling under the main system, have fewer data available on their various water sources and usage,” says Marais.“The purpose of these studies is to assess municipalities’ existing sources; if good ground water aquifers exist, for instance, they do not have to rely on surface water. Often there isn’t even a need to identify new water sources, but rather just applying more eff ective water demand management. Essentially, the studies aimed to support muni-cipalities to make better decisions about their water use options,” he continues.

In cooperation with Water Aff airs, WRP de-veloped a ‘Reconciliation Strategy for Hertzogville Town Area consisting of Hertzogville and Malebogo settlements in Tokologo Local Municipality in the Lower Vaal.’ The study assessed the measures necessary to ensure that the current and future water requirements of Hertzogville can be sup-plied from the available water resources.The bulk water scheme was highlighted as an

important component of the town’s water conservation and water de-mand management options.

Project rationale of Phase 1The fi rst phase of the project was completed at a cost of R163 million. The purpose of the project was to supply 20 million litres/day of potable water to a population of approximately 9 500 people in Hertzogville (with approximately 2 236 households).The increase in potable water allowed for an increase from an av-erage annual daily demand of 2 209 (with a peak daily demand of 3 534) to a daily demand of 5 072 ‒ thus a 2 863 increase.The targeted categories of con-sumers to be supplied with potable water are mainly domestic users in the Hertzogville, Malebogo and neighbouring farm areas.The consortium group that ran the project adopted a methodology where they reviewed various water supply proposals from professional service providers during the plan-ning stage of the project, including proposals from Sedibeng Water and Aurecon, who has been working in the area.Thereafter the group proposed a bulk water supply scheme that complied with the guidelines and principles used by the Department of Water Aff airs and the Municipal Infrastructure Grant.The project took into account the need for a strong, reliable water source that is treated in a centralised

plant, feeding water into a bulk reser-voir that is located at Hertzogville, to supply the primary and sec-ondary bulk distribution networks at Hertzogville.

Project’s technical scopeHertzogville’s water system com-prised two ground level balancing reservoirs with a combined capacity of 2.5 million litres, servicing a popu-lation of 9 409. Based on the average annual daily demand of 1.67 million ℓ/day, the area had 0.79 days storage. The reticulation system is not zoned and water is metered into and out of the water treatment works.Prior to the project’s implement-ation, Hertzogville was serviced by one water treatment works with a capacity of 1.5 million ℓ/day. The town’s treatment plant is a conven-tional water supply treatment system comprising of abstraction, a chemical dosing and fl occulation unit, sedi-mentation, fi ltration and disinfection.The new project comprises several new infrastructure components, including the abstraction works near Christiana and a pump station and raw water storage dam, along the Vaal River. It further exists of a raw water pipeline, 300 mm in diameter and 42 km long, running in parallel with the R708 provincial road. Finally, it comprises a water treatment plant with a capacity of 3 million ℓ/day (thus an increase of the 1.5 million ℓ/day), a raw water storage dam at the water treatment works, a clear water storage reservoir, raw water pump stations at Christiana and clear water pump stations in Hertzogville.

Ribbon-cutting celebration The project launch coincided with 20 years of democracy in South Africa, as well as Water month. Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Aff airs Rejoice Mabudafhasi unveiled the plague and cut the ribbon at the treatment plant in Hertzogville.“The municipality is very proud of the fi nalisation of the fi rst phase of the project, recognising that it will play a signifi cant role to the sustain-ability of potable water to the town and the region,” says Lakes Chakane, technical manager of the project.

Following the offi cial plant opening Mabudafhasi was taken on a tour of the new facility

PROVINCIAL FOCUS

PROVINCIAL FOCUS


The rising main pipeline to La Patrie

Pilansberg bulks upMagalies Water provides bulk potable water for industrial and domestic use from its Vaalkop Water Treatment Works to the local municipal areas of Rustenburg, Moses Kotane and Thabazimbi, and a number of large platinum and other mines in the Boshoek, Rustenburg, Thabazimbi and Northam areas. By Richard Jansen van Vuuren

INCREASED WATER demands for domestic consumption and mining operations in the Magalies Water supply area

within the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (Moses Kotane and Rustenburg municipalities) and the Waterberg District Municipality, specifi cally Thabazimbi, resulted in the need for major bulk water supply augmentation in the Pilanesberg area.The main benefi ciaries of the pro-ject are:• for domestic consumption: Moses Kotane Local Municipality, Rustenburg Local Municipality, including the Royal Bafokeng Administration, and Thabazimbi Local Municipality• for industrial consumption: Bakubung Minerals (Wesizwe), Maseve and Platmin.

Domestic consumptionHotspots in the Moses Kotane area include Seolong, Ratau, Letlhakeng, Makweleng, Witrandjie, Bapong, Phalane, Witrandjie, Legkraal, Buhule, Sandfontein, Welgeval, Dikwepi, Segakwaneng, Lerome, Mabodisa, Ramoga, Mannamakgoteng, Lesetlheng, Moruleng and Mankwe. The urgent need in these areas will be allevi-ated by an increased bulk water supply of 8.8 Mℓ/d to be delivered by the Pilanesberg North scheme and 5 Mℓ/d to be delivered by the Pilanesberg South scheme.The whole of the Rustenburg and Royal Bafokeng areas are seen as

hotspots and the urgent need in these areas will be alleviated by an increased bulk water supply of 70 Mℓ/d to be delivered. The needs in the Thabazimbi and Northam areas will be alleviated by an increased bulk water supply of 13 Mℓ/d to be delivered by the Pilanesberg North scheme.

Department of Water Aff airs The Department of Water Aff airs is the sponsor of the project, through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant programme. To date, govern-ment has committed grant funding in excess of R770 million to the project. This amount, together with the contribution from Magalies


PROVINCIAL FOCUS

Water and the mines, has not only guaranteed fi nancial resources for the project but, more so, ensured that the implementation of the project is expedited for the benefi t of aff ected communities.Infrastructure components of the scheme currently under construc-tion (to be funded by Magalies Water and National Treasury through the Department of Water Aff airs):

Pilanesberg North schemeA bulk power supply upgrade from Eskom has been initiated and will incur an estimated cost of R125 million, to be completed by middle 2015.The high-lift pump station tender has been awarded, at a cost of R103 million. The contractor has commenced and the project will be completed by middle 2015.

The construction of the fi rst planned 30 Mℓ/d module of the new Plant 4 of the Vaalkop Water Treatment Works has commenced at a cost of R125 million and will be completed by early 2015.The next three 30 Mℓ/d modules of the new Plant 4 of the Vaalkop Water Treatment Works are in the detailed design phase and, at an es-timated cost of R390 million, should be completed by 2017.The 21 km of 950 mm diameter rising main from Vaalkop Water Treatment Works to La Patrie ten-der has been awarded at a cost of R186 million. The contractor has commenced and the project will be completed by early 2015.The 950 mm 22km gravity main from La Patrie to Padda tender has been awarded at a cost of R157 mil-lion. The contractor has commenced and the project will be completed by early 2015.The new 20 Mℓ reservoir at La Patrie tender has been awarded at a cost of R39 million. The contractor has commenced and the project will be completed by early 2015.

Pilanesberg South schemeThe 43 km of 1 000 mm diameter ris-ing main from Evergreen to Mafenya tender has been awarded at a cost

of R350 million. The contractor has commenced and the project will be completed by middle 2015.The two new 26 Mℓ reservoirs at Mafenya tenders are awaiting to be awarded and, at a cost of R70 million, should be completed by early 2016.The 9 km of 600 mm diameter gravity main from Mafenya to the mines and the Ledig area in Moses Kotane near Sun City tender has been awarded at a cost of R36 mil-lion. The contractor has commenced and the project will be completed by early 2015.

Phase 2 of the schemeA bulk water pipeline from Tuschenkomst to Ruighoek to re-lieve the water supply constraints in Mabeskraal and surrounding villages in the Moses Kotane local municipal-ity area is planned.A bulk water pipeline from Mafenya to Phokeng and Thlabane in Rustenburg to relieve the water supply constraints in the Royal Bafokeng and surrounding Rustenburg villages is to be laid.An upgrade of the bulk water pipeline from Amandelbult to Thabazimbi to augment bulk water supply to the Thabazimbi area is intended.

VAALKOP WTW UPGRADEProject manager organisation:• Ossie Rossouw Management Services• Lead design consultants & professional engineers• S&W Limpopo (scope: water treatment works to

the Padda)• Thuthuka Group (scope: the Padda to the

terminal reservoir)• CSVwater Consulting Engineers (scope: water

treatment works)• DJJ Conradie (scope: mechanical, electrical

and instrumentation)

A view of the water treatment works, pump station and clean water reservoir


PROVINCIAL FOCUS

Upgrades of the bulk water supply system towards Northam to augment bulk water supply to this area will be undertaken.

Future Phase 3 of the schemeMagalies Water is currently inves-tigating the feasibility and scope of the regional bulk water supply infrastructure required to extend the scheme to Koster, Swartruggens and other villages in the Kgetleng River Local Municipality to relieve bulk supply constraints.

Current statusCSVwater is responsible for the design of the civil and mechanical works of the 60 Mℓ/d upgrade of the Vaalkop WTW where it is currently commissioning the fi rst 30 Mℓ/d module, with the second 30 Mℓ/d module expected to be completed August 2015.“The existing Vaalkop potable water treatment facility, as operated and maintained by Magalies Water, comprises a number of unit pro-cesses able to receive and treat raw

water from the Vaalkop Dam. The treatment modules are sequentially numbered from Plant 1 to Plant 4, and treat raw water received to potable standards as required by SANS 241,” states Dr Michele Kruger, associate director at CSVwater Consulting Engineers.The treatment facility included for a counter-current dissolved air fl otation/fi lter unit process.“Due to the existing process employing this technology, it was a requirement that the contractor apply similar design parameters for the extension. The contract therefore comprises the construc-tion of the last 30 Mℓ/d module of Vaalkop Plant 3 (Phase 1) and the fi rst 30 Mℓ/d module of the new Vaalkop Plant 4 (Phase 2). The work for Vaalkop Plant 3 (Phase 1) consists of the construction of a new 30 Mℓ/d

fl occulation unit, a new 30 Mℓ/d horizontal sed-imentation tank and 2 x 15 Mℓ/d dissolved air fl o-tation/sand fi lters, while a 15 Mℓ reservoir will also be constructed. The work to Vaalkop Plant 4

(Phase 2) will include for the same unit processes as that of Vaalkop Plant 3 (Phase 1),” explains Kruger.Further construction activities will be the installation of a new 1 500 mm raw water rising main. “The rising main will deliver raw water to the newly constructed inlet works situated in a new chemical storage building. Design work is cur-rently ongoing to combine all the inlet works into one. Provision will also be made for the current ozone at Vaalkop Plant 1 to be extended as pre-ozone to the new inlet works,” continues Kruger. Indications at this stage are that additional 20 kg/h ozone will be required. Standby op-tions are also being considered. The gravity pipeline connecting the sand fi lters of Vaalkop Plant 4 (Phase 2) and the on-site reservoir storage will be installed under this contract.

An aerial view of the reservoir being constructed at La Patrie

Vallkop WTW... is currently commissioning the fi rst

30 Mℓ/d module, with the second 30 Mℓ/d module

expected to be completed August 2015

Elster Kent Metering (Pty) LtdPO Box 201, Auckland Park 2006

JOHANNESBURG Tel: (011) 470-4900 Fax: (011) 474-0175DURBAN Tel: (031) 266-4915 Fax: (031) 266-9521CAPE TOWN Tel: (021) 511-8465/6 Fax: (021) 511-8446BLOEMFONTEIN Tel: (051) 430-2603 Fax: (051) 430-6165PORT ELIZABETH Cell: 082 458-3439

Copyright © Elster Group. All RightsReserved. Elster and its logo, aretrademarks of Elster Group. Thecompany's policy is one of continuousimprovement and the right is reserved tomodify the specifications without notice

www.elstermetering.co.za

8360/6/2012 Vital Connections

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WATER METERING

Proud commitment to social responsibilityHaving providing innovative and quality metering solutions throughout Africa for more than a century is key to the success of Elster Kent Metering.

KENT WATER meters have had a presence in South Africa dating back more than a century to the early

1900s, under the auspices of the parent company Elster Metering. Through a succession of name changes the organisation has re-mained a leader in its fi eld, from 1945 when the company George Kent was incorporated in South Africa.In July 1968 the company was registered under the name South African Meter Holdings and a man-ufacturing facility was established in Industria, Johannesburg. Today at the South African facility Elster Kent Metering employs more than 100 people at its factory in Industria, with more than 41% of its workforce being women.The company assembles and distributes a range of products including water metering solutions, pre-payment solutions and provides turnkey solutions for automatic metering infrastructure. Elster Kent Metering serves customers in Africa with world-class metering solutions and advanced technologies to help them improve customer service, enhance operational effi ciency and optimise revenues.

BEE shareholdingAccording to Mark Shamley, manag-ing director of Elster Kent Metering, the company’s BEE shareholding confi rms the South African organisa-tion’s commitment to serving Africa with world-class metering solutions and advanced technologies.

In August 2010, Elster announced that the company had sold a 25.1% stake in Elster Kent Metering to a BEE-compliant investment company held by The Love Trust.Shamley says: “Elster Kent Metering is proud to be associ-ated with The Love Trust which serves and cares for vulnerable children and their communities. The non-profi t organisation, estab-lished in early 2009, is dedicated to fostering an inclusive community, supporting holistic development of children and their communities.”

About The Love TrustThe Love Trust has grown from various projects some of which dating as far back as 1993. One of these includes the Lily of the Valley initiative, established in the prov-ince of KwaZulu-Natal to serve the young aff ected and infected by HIV and Aids.The Love Trust supports at least one education institution. These learning facilities provide quality, independent education to 650 learners ranging from Grade 000 through to Grade 12.With the combined expertise of these two endeavours, which include community outreach with quality, independent education, The Love Trust was established to create

TOP RIGHT Benifi ciaries of The Love TrustABOVE RIGHT AND RIGHT The trust creates a model for development, focusing on vulnerable children

To advertise: Jenny Miller on +27 (0)11 467 6223 or [email protected] subscribe: Trust Makina on +27 (0)11 233 2600 or [email protected]

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Water & SanitationAfrica

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Partnering change in Africa

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a model for development, focusing on vulnerable children and the pro-vision of education.One of the more recent projects is Nokuphila School, based in Tembisa, which opened its doors in January 2010 to 45 preschool children from the area. Children were admitted to the school based on their vul-nerability and parents are required to do a means test to assess their income level. Nokuphila School caters for the poor. The school has

established strong ties with the local communities of Tembisa. Nokuphila School is also strongly committed to employing teachers from the local Tembisa community. At the same time, Nokuphila School is providing world-class education. Shamley says: “The contributions made by Elster Kent Metering have to date, signif-icantly assisted The Love Trust in developing self-sustainable projects around the country that have in-cluded the development of Teacher Training Centres to uplift the quality of teaching at an ECD level. As a South African company we are proud to be associated with The Love Trust and the signifi cant work done by the organisation in provid-ing opportunities to young South Africans ‒ the future of our country.”

Committed to local procurement“With a 130-year legacy of pio-neering systems and technologies to distribute, measure, monitor

and manage water accurately and effi ciently, Elster Kent Metering is committed to addressing the unique challenges that the water industry faces.The unique conditions experi-enced in South Africa have encour-aged the development of many special products to specifi cally meet local needs,” comments Shamley.In line with its procurement policy, Elster Kent Metering purchases goods and services from a multitude of South African companies, thus contributing to the employment of thousands of South Africans and where possible make use of BEE companies.“This commitment to South Africa and the sub-Saharan territory en-sures that our products are designed in South Africa, for South African and sub-Saharan conditions and are manufactured in our country using locally employed labour,” concludes Shamley.

Elster Kent contributes signifi cantly to the trust


OPINION

Independent regulation improves deliveryIt is time to reopen the debate in the water sector on the somewhat controversial topic of an independent regulator for water services. By Helgard Muller, specialist consultant: water policy, regulation and institutions

IN MY OPINION, this is essential to properly protect the consumer and to support social develop-ment and economic growth. Let

us fi rst sort out the basic question of why we should regulate water services at all and then discuss the in-dependence of such a water services regulator (WSR).Some water experts like to argue

that water service regulation is only needed when the private sector is involved. These proponents usually claim that the public and especially the poor must be protected against the ‘bad forces of the private sector’. There is indeed good motivation to do so as private sector water provid-ers can be so profi t driven that water tariff s may be exorbitant, assets and water infrastructure are exploited and run-down and that the poor are ignored in favour of wealthy custom-ers. These experts will also often use England and Wales as the example where total privatisation has necessi-tated a very sophisticated regulatory regime and well-developed institu-tions for regulation.The counter argument, however,

and I personally share this second view, is that public entities can also be guilty of all of the above-mentioned ills. Public water service providers can be driven by popular local politics to stick to unrealistic tariff s and then collect so little of what is due, result-ing in insuffi cient funds for proper maintenance, not even to mention capital expansions. Public entities are

often guilty of running infrastructure into the ground and poor people are frequently at the receiving end of pathetic service delivery. Does this sound familiar? If the main purpose of a regulator is to act in the public interest and ensure that the consum-er, both the poor for social devel-opment and business for economic growth, can enjoy good services and safe water, then one can never assume that a public water service provider will automatically perform to expectations just because a public entity is supposed to be serving the public and therefore inherently good and effi cient. On the contrary, some of the South African municipalities

have shown that they defi nitely do not act in the public interest and neither stimulate economic growth nor ensure services to the poor and vulnerable. In 2005, a conference was held in

Johannesburg, driven by the topic: ‘Poverty reduction through improved regulation.' One of the conclusions drawn from that conference was (quoting from the formal record of proceedings): “This does not mean that regulation is unnecessary or undesirable where water services are provided by public institutions. On the contrary, regulation can play an important role in ensuring eff ective and effi cient delivery of water ser-vices by public institutions. There is therefore, indeed, a strong case for eff ective pro-poor regulation so as to ensure that public service provid-ers such as municipalities do their rightful job.”Let us then move on to the funda-

mental matters of how independent a regulator should be and whether it is possible for a regulator to be


OPINION

totally unbiased. There is an argument often used by some experts that the role of a WSR is to ensure that gov-ernment policies are executed and, therefore, the regulator should not be independent but rather another functioning unit in a government de-partment ‒ this is the current situation in South Africa.If the main purpose of a regulator

is to act in the public interest and ensure that the consumer ‒ both the poor and the business sector ‒ enjoy good services and safe water, then the WSR should never be infl uenced by local political priorities that could

be to the detriment of the same pub-lic interest.A very practical example is the

following: All South African munic-ipalities are mandated to ensure that drinking water complies with the National Compulsory Standards as gazetted in terms of Section 9 of the Water Services Act. These regu-lations also state that drinking water must comply with SANS 241 as the national drinking water standard for South Africa. If a municipality does not comply

with these set standards, it is essential that a WSR act immediately to ensure that the public is warned and correc-tive steps are taken. In such cases, if the WSR part of a government de-partment and political interests take preference over the public interest, the regulator may be told to ‘go soft’ on the mayor and his offi cials, and rather support and not regulate. We then have a situation where political priorities become more important than serious health risks. Is it possible

for a regulator to be totally independ-ent and unbiased? The ideal in this instance is for the state to ensure that the WSR is aligned with government’s broad policy objectives. In an ideal world, these policy objectives are also in the public interest. Such a WSR must be allowed to function at separately from government.Often, however, politicians take total

control and argue that public entities such as regulators should simply do as they have been told. While it is im-portant for water institutions such as regulators to align with broader gov-ernment objectives, it is not healthy if there is political interference in the day-to-day operations of regulators. This could ruin the credibility and ob-jectivity of regulators ‒ essential core elements of successful regulation.I sincerely hope that the new

Minister for Water and Sanitation will, as part of her drive to improve service delivery at municipalities, reopen this debate with the relevant players in the water sector.

“Public entities are often guilty of running infrastructure into the ground.” Helgard Muller, specialist

consultant: water policy,

regulation and institutions

Reduce leakage and save money

BY USING Sensus smart wa-ter networks, the borough of Monaca, Pennsylvania, USA, has saved millions

of litres of water for future genera-tions, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability.Monaca has made key improve-

ments to its water system by incorpo-rating the FlexNet communications network, coupled with Permalog leak detection. Monaca expects to save more $2.6 million by 2026 through leak detection and increased effi cien-cies. With a leak-prone, ageing water distribution system, Monaca sought an upgrade that would increase productivity, improve billing accuracy and save money. “Leaks eventually

tell you where they are, but can you aff ord to wait?” asks borough manager Mario Leone Jr. “With the Sensus smart water network, we are able to detect water leaks before they become costly to our community and the environment.”Days after deploying Sensus

technologies, the borough discov-ered that the local water spring, a community landmark, was actually a long-standing rupture, spilling more than 200 000 gallons of water per day. “This leak dates back more than 20 years,” says Leone. “Without Sensus technology, it would have remained undetected.”Klaus Gruebl, MD of Sensus SA,

comments that, as suggested, “The

incident above is typical of the sav-ings experienced by water utilities that have upgraded their water reticulation networks through smart metering. Most water leaks reveal themselves eventually; but not always ‒ it depends on where the leaks are in the system. Our FlexNet commu-nication network, one of the most advanced and accurate in the world, substantially reduces the delay in water leak identifi cation. This is crucial to South and Southern Africa where ageing infrastructure is badly corrod-ed and prone to leakage. The cost effi ciencies that this system off ers to local authorities, coupled with greater water effi ciencies, should seriously be considered as the way forward.”

DAMS & RESERVOIRS


Beyond engineering at Spring Grove

The multi-award-winning Spring Grove Dam is not only a considerable technical achievement but also a testament to how important the social and environmental side of project implementation is.

WHILE THE SUCCESS of the construction of Spring Grove Dam has been celebrated, and while it is part of Phase 2 of the Mooi Mgeni Transfer Scheme, which will augment water

supplies by 60 million m3 per year to about fi ve million do-mestic and industrial users in Durban and Pietermaritzburg, there were some major non-engineering factors that made this project unique.Throughout the design and construction phases, it was up to the project teams to work closely with the client, the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA), to ensure that all eff orts were made to minimise the impacts on the social and natural environment.

Land with a planSited in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, near the small town of Rosetta, land acquisition for the dam was a sensitive issue, particularly since arable land, homesteads and ecologically valuable natural habitats would be inundated with water. The team adopted a phased approach to acquire the portions of properties that would be inundated, giving priority to

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properties with dwellings that lay below the purchase line and in the construction domain. Throughout this process, the team was careful to ensure that landowners were prop-erly communicated with and that the process was fair and clear.As some landowners would have to reduce their agricultural opera-tions following the expropriation of portions of their land, employment opportunities would change and measures had to be devised to compensate and relocate those who would be aff ected. So, a relocation action plan (RAP) was developed under the proviso that the relocation process needed to be completed before impoundment of the dam. Because the circumstances, history and relationship to the land of the people aff ected by land acquisition diff ered so greatly, the RAP could not apply standard principles and procedures. The international stand-ards and procedures for relocation and compensation in such cases also did not apply because there was no homogenous community in the area (only individuals and families) and

because the aff ected properties were all privately owned. While the relocation of people was a major part of the project, the project team also had to ensure that historical and archaeological sites, and natural fauna and fl ora were handled with care.

HeritageThe presence of Bushman inhab-itants was also evident in the dam basin. Three rock paintings just below Inchbrakie Falls, known as the Vaalekop Rock Art Site, would be inundated. Therefore, the artwork had to be carefully removed by a team of archaeological experts and was taken to the Natal Museum for preservation. In addition, 157 graves were aff ected and investigated for exhumation at the identifi ed loca-tions; 109 graves were found with remains or evidence of existence of a grave and 42 sites were excavated where no remains were found.

EnvironmentAn environmental aspect of the project that was unique was the

construction of a fi sh barrier struc-ture upstream of the Spring Grove reservoir to mimic the function of the Inchbrakie Falls, which served as a natural a barrier between small-mouth bass populations downstream of the falls and trout upstream. At full supply, the Inchbrakie Falls would be inundated.In March 2013, impoundment of Spring Grove Dam started and the Taking-Over Certifi cate was issued on 25 October of the same year, marking the end of construction.The dam was offi cially opened by President Jacob Zuma on 19 November 2013, who said: “South Africans should remember that the country is one of the driest on earth. Not a drop must be wasted, not a drop must be polluted, and all infrastructure developed must be cared for.”

DAMS & RESERVOIRS

ABOUT SPRING GROVE• Owner and planner: Department of Water Affairs• Implementation agent: Trans-Caledon Tunnel

Authority• Designer and construction monitoring: AECOM• Contractor: Group Five,Pandevjoint venture

BELOW AND OPENING IMAGE With good rain in the last summer month, Spring Grove Dam’s reservoir’s level increased from 10% in November 2013 to 85% in April 2014, before the onset of the winter season

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and reduced pollutant loads. The value of rainwater tanks should not be underestimated, considering the value they add in terms of water conservation and cost savings.Rainwater tanks also make a huge contribution to the man-agement of the urban water cycle. They are designed to capture and hold rainwater, and the amount of water that can be stored is as much as the size and number of tanks available and can run to thousands of litres (1 mm of rain on 1 m2 of roof area produces 1ℓ of water).

This water can then be used to water the garden and for household chores including laundry, car washing and topping up pools and fi shponds. Using rainwater cuts expensive mu-nicipal water bills for corporate offi ce parks and residential properties alike.

When considering the signifi cance of the longer-term environmental bene-fi ts of rainwater tanks, they also reduce stormwater runoff volumes, thereby reducing pollutant loads to receiving waters. Because rainwater is cap-tured and not just allowed to run off properties with-out being properly used, the associated benefi t

needs to lead landowners to seriously consider rainwater harvesting. Also, an investment in a properly integrat-ed JoJo Tanks rainwater harvesting system makes those who implement such systems stewards of water ‒ not just consumers.

Rainwater harvesting makes fi nancial and environmental senseCredit: JoJo Tanks


MINE WATER

Continuous fi ltration systems now in AfricaApplying continuous ion fi ltration (CIF) in the mining industry will bring signifi cant benefi ts and Multotec is poised to do this following its recent announcement that the company will be launching water processing solutions in Africa, in partnership with Australian company CleanTeQ.

MULTOTEC WILL be the African representative for the CleanTeQ range of ionic fi ltration sys-

tems, and a phased roll-out of the systems is planned during 2014.“This is a signifi cant coup for Multotec and the team is excited about the prospects for the treatment of mine wastewater and acid mine drainage (AMD). By applying the CIF technology to the mining industry, we will be able to contribute to the drive to preserve our valuable water re-sources,” says CJ Liebenberg, environ-mental process engineer at Multotec.

While CIF is based on ion exchange (IX), a technology that has been on the market for over 50 years, it also resembles continuous sand fi ltration with the salient diff erences being that CIF uses charged IX resin beads in-stead of sand as its fi ltration medium, and it ‘fi lters’ dissolved solids out of the solution, in addition to suspended solids. This feature of CIF distinguishes it from its competitors in the conven-tional IX market as it allows for the elimination of a pre-treatment stage to remove solids.Each CIF module comprises a series of columns each designed for

a specifi c function ‒ ionic fi ltration, resin washing (pre-elution wash), resin regeneration and resin rinsing (post-elution wash). Resin moves as a packed bed in the columns with resin continuously being transferred from the bottom of each stage to the next. Counter-current operation ensures optimum mass transfer and continual high contaminant removal.Liebenberg explains that the CIF technology complements the other products and services in Multotec’s portfolio. “Multotec’s core business is

ABOVE A CleanTeQ-operated CIF plant treating 0.6 Mℓ/d of borehole water containing approximately 8 000 mg/ℓ total dissolved solids, 100 mg/ℓ calcium, 400 mg/ℓ magnesium and 1 000 mg/ℓ bicarbonate

ABOVE A mobile DeSALx plant, with a capacity of 0.5 Mℓ/d, was used on CSG to produce agricultural-grade product water for livestock and crops. The feed and product water total dissolved solids were 4 500 mg/ℓ and 1 650 mg/ℓ, respectively, with over 90% water recovery. The process consumed less than 0.5 kW/m3


MINE WATER

the supply of products and services to the mining and mineral benefi ciation industries, including solid/liquid separation equipment such as centrifuges and fi lter presses. Our aim is to assist in the alleviation of water shortage issues and to encour-age sustainable development in South Africa. Mining is often regarded as being a non-sustainable enterprise from an envi-ronmental perspective and we would therefore like to become part of the solution, rather than the perceived problem.”He continues that treatment of mine water and AMD with containerised systems is considered to be niche markets for CIF. The CIF process is similar, in some respects, to the Gyp-CIX process that was considered by the International Network for Acid Prevention for the treatment of AMD. CIF diff ers in a few respects. These include that lower fl ow rate requirements in CIF allow for a much smaller clarifi er than would be required in Gyp-CIX. This attribute is the result of regeneration columns being continuously agitated, eliminating the need for a high fl ow rate to keep resin and formed gypsum in suspension. Flow rate, in turn, impacts on the power requirements of the process, with CIF requiring less power due to its lower fl ow rate requirements. These factors result in lower operating and capital requirements than Gyp-CIX.Liebenberg points out that CIF technology has had signifi -cant success in the treatment of coal seam gas (CSG) associat-ed water in Australia. There are indications that such activities might take place in Southern Africa in the near future, and this will therefore be a signifi cant market for CIF.Although the cost of a CIF system is application-specifi c, it tends to be superior to other technologies on the market, especially reverse osmosis, both with respect to capex and opex. In fact, depending on the CIF product selected ‒ CIF single stage, DeSALx or HiROx ‒ it can be up to 50% more cost-eff ective than conventional technologies. This is primarily due to its simplicity, use of low-cost regeneration chemicals and low power requirements. Zero to minimal pre-treatment is generally required, especially because the system can operate in the presence of up to 40% solids by weight.Additional to the benefi ts of CIF mentioned previously are that water recoveries exceeding 95% are achievable. The fact that it is fully automated enables the system to operate inde-pendently and be controlled remotely. Due to its simplicity, it is easily operated and maintained ‒ eliminating the need for highly skilled labour. Access to remote locations is allowed for, as the containerised systems are mobile. Finally, potentially valuable by-products like gypsum can be produced in a salea-ble form using CIF.

A containerised CIF plant that treats CSG-produced water


PIPES

Pipes VIII – hard work and hopeThis year’s Pipes VIII conference highlighted the important role plastic pipes have to play in ensuring a country’s infrastructure is able to provide daily necessities such as clean drinking water and a working sewage system. By Nicholas McDiarmid

MORE THAN 200 delegates attended this year’s conference entitled ‘Plastic Pipe

in Infrastructure’ ‒ the only 2014 conference specifi cally dedicated to plastic pipes. Sixteen local and international experts, from as far afi eld as Germany, Switzerland, Abu

Dhabi and the United States, shared their views on matters relating to water infrastructure.The audience consisted of experts involved in the manufacture, install-ation and specifi cation of plastic pipes, as well as the development of pipelines around the world, and included civil engineers, plastic pipe

manufacturers, representatives of local and provincial governments, and the media.“Government has been making promises of massive expenditure (R800 billion) to improve the coun-try’s infrastructure. The NDP has set a fi xed investment target of 30 % of GDP by 2030 and, concurrently, the Department of Trade and Industry is developing a strategic vision for the broader plastics industry. All of these plans certainly appear to be good news, but we are not yet seeing them translated into reality,” says Jan Venter, SAPPMA Chairperson.

The supply/demand imbalanceAccording to SAPPMA, the supply of plastic pipes currently far outweighs the demand. “The simple fact is that local municipalities are not investing in replacing or upgrading their water infrastructure. As a result, our industry is currently taking strain and is bat-tling for survival despite the fact that the country’s infrastructure is sorely lacking. Many of our member compa-nies are forced to shift their focus to

Delegates at PIPES VIII


PIPES

elsewhere in Africa in order to keep their doors open,” Venter says.Water distribution, waste disposal, irrigation and telecommunications all rely on pipelines to function, and an extensive network of reliable water and sewage pipelines is essential for the establishment and growth of civilisation.“South Africa is experiencing a great need in this regard, and one would therefore expect our industry to fl ourish. Ironically, though, the South African plastic pipe industry repeatedly fi nds itself in a situation of low demand and this scenario is simply unacceptable,” he reiterated.SAPPMA represents more than 80% of the plastic pipe produced in South Africa, and focuses its eff orts on ensuring pipe systems are leak-free and durable for long-term use. It also focuses on the rehabilitation of old pipelines. According to SAPPMA, both water quality and quantity are under severe pressure in South Africa, aggravated by rapidly increasing demand, severe pollution and huge losses in distribution.

Ageing infrastructureVenter explained that the majority of the country’s existing pipes were installed in the early 1960s. “They have undoubtedly reached the end of their eff ective lifespan and have begun to corrode. Unless urgent

attention is given to the replacement and maintenance of the water infra-structure, the end result is predict-able: bursts will start occurring on a daily basis, followed by catastrophic component failure and regular, prolonged disruptions in service delivery,” Venter warned, alluding to recent violent protest actions by angry residents left without water or sanitation in the North West.“The two major causes of water loss are corrosion and poor jointing. For this reason, old steel or asbestos pipes should be replaced with plastic pipes, because they do not corrode and the joints are leakproof if done correctly. We are therefore urging municipalities to realise that pipelines lie at the heart of South Africa’s infrastructure and should be replaced before they fail.”JP Landman, analyst and author of The Long View, came on stage after Venter’s presentation and managed to lighten the mood by convincing the industry that all was not doom and gloom.Landman’s presentation was enti-tled ‘No miracle, but no apocalypse either’ and focused on how the country’s economy is growing and industry is succeeding in moving forward. “South Africa is on a steady forward trajectory. It will take consist-ent, hard toil and working together, but our country has a bright future

that beckons,” he tells the audience. Other highlights of the day’s pres-entations included Manglin Pillay (CEO of SAICE), Colm Lyons (Georg Fischer Schaff hausen, Switzerland), Ulrich Schulte (PE100+ Association, Germany), Andrew Wedgner (Borouge, UAE) and Andrew Seidel (Underground Solutions Inc., USA).

ConclusionOverall, SAPPMA concluded that there is much to be excited about, but also a lot of hard work is re-quired if promises are to be turned into action.“South Africans are fi nally waking up to the fact that water is fast becoming a critical problem as they begin to experience fi rst-hand the impact of failing water infrastructure. We can only hope that decision-makers pay attention to the warning signs by implementing a pipe-replacement project and in-vesting in developing the necessary technical skills required ‒ something greatly lacking in our country,” Venter concludes.“As an industry, we are appealing to government to preserve and distribute scarce water resources eff ectively, to put promises into prac-tice by investing in infrastructure and rolling out of the much-talked-about project, and to absolutely reject incompetence and ineffi ciencies.”

Marley Pipe Systems – Gold winner

PIPES


Tel: +27 21 957 5600 Tel: +27 11 345 5600

www.dpiplastics.co.za [email protected] Southern African Vinyls AssociationMember of the Dawn Group

NOW AVAILABLE

up to 630mm

Resistance to abrasion and scouring Resistance to attack from acid or alkaline soils Impervious to chemicals found in all sewage Good flow characteristics Not damaged by modern cleaning methods Good impact properties, an important factor in

installation, transportation and use

SANS 791PVC-U (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride) solid wall sewer and drain pipe systems

DETAILED PIPELINE DESIGN TECHNICAL INFO CONTAINED IN CD OR PDF FORMAT IS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST FROM DPI PLASTICS AND CONTAINING, INTER ALIA:

Duodrain sewerage pipe launchesINVESTMENT IN a state-of-the-art extrusion line has enabled DPI

Plastics to increase the maximum external diameter of its range

of Durodrain uPVC sewer pipes to 630 mm. This is now offi cially the larg-est product of its kind manufactured in Africa.DPI Plastics is a leading manufactur-er of water reticulation, drainage and pipe-fi tting systems. Following the in-stallation of the German-engineered Krauss Maff ei extrusion line in mid-2013, it became the only plastic pipe manufacturer in sub-Saharan Africa capable of producing 630 mm bore PVC pipes. The Krauss Maff ei extrusion line at the DPI Plastics factory in Johannesburg is capable of produc-ing up to 22 tonnes of PVC piping products per day, including SANS 791 approved underground sewerage and drainage pipes available in standard duty and heavy duty options, and SANS 966 approved uPVC and mPVC

pipe with pressure ratings up to 12 bar.DPI Plastics product manager Renier Snyman reveals that the company offi cially launched the 630 mm Durodrain uPVC sewer pipe range in early 2014. “The larger bore ensures that greater volumes of sewage is conveyed in gravity sewers. This improves effi ciency when compared to 500 mm sewer piping, which was until recently the largest size available locally.”Snyman reveals that PVC is more cost-eff ective and boasts a longer life expectancy, compared to in-dustry-standard steel, concrete and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which are often prone to corrosion damage caused by methane and chemicals over extended periods.“A smooth inside wall results in a low friction coeffi cient, thereby ensur-ing resistance to algae growth, which is a common cause of blockage in sewerage systems. Integral joints with

rubber seals result in eff ective sealing and resists root ingress,” he continues.Another major advantage of the Durodrain range is the fact that it employs ‘Best Practice PVC’ methods. The pipes are manufactured in an ISO 9001 accredited factory that minimises wastage by recycling mate-rials, which ensures a reduction in the overall carbon footprint during the production process.What’s more, Snyman adds that PVC is considerably lighter than steel or concrete. “This means that pipes can be transported more effi ciently by truck, which reduces fuel consumption and improves turnaround times. The lightweight characteristics of the pipes, which are delivered in 6 m lengths, also ensure that on-site installation times are dramatically improved.”Snyman reveals that a multimillion rand order for 560 mm Durodrain pipes was placed in May for a munic-ipal sewerage upgrade project.

Renier Snyman, product manager, DPI Plastics


New products pipelineSOUTH AFRICAN Vinyls

Association (SAVA) chair-man Dr Claus Maurer said recently at the Vinyl SA 2014

conference in Sandton, Gauteng, “The purpose of today’s gathering is to exchange experience to empower the industry to combat undesirable vinyls practices.”One of the speakers from interna-tional integrated energy and chem-ical company Sasol, which provides the hydrocarbons necessary for plastic pipe manufacturing, shared the plastics scope within piping. According to Rishi Madho, product manager at Sasol Chemicals Polymer division, the African vinyl industry ‒ which closely refl ects the South African scenario ‒ is dominated by

PIPES

vinyl used for the manufacture of pipes. “PVC piping takes up 59% of the product we produce for the local industry.” He also gave his opinion, based on research, indicating that there is room for growth in South Africa’s plastic pipe market with the introduction of innovative technolo-gies like oriented PVC (O-PVC) pipe, fusible PVC pipe and large-bore PVC pipe (up to 1 400 mm in diameter).PVC has a number of inherent advantages as a material for water pipes over alternative products; in particular, resistance to corrosion and chemical attack including water disinfectants, eff ect on water quality, smooth bore, excellent balance between strength, stiff ness and fl exibility, ease of installation,

cost-eff ectiveness and recyclability. The advent of O-PVC pipe will en-hance these advantages, but also im-portantly enhance the environmental benefi ts of PVC pipe. Despite these advantages, O-PVC pipe struggled to gain market traction in South Africa, which led to the discontinuation of O-PVC manufacturing by the one local producer. Yet, the benefi ts of the technology, particularly when it comes to the product’s use in bulk water conveyance and high-pressure applications, remain apparent in those countries that implement it, including the US, Canada, France and Australia.The purpose of SAVA’s existence is to work as an industry touchstone for best practices.

FEATURE


PANEL DISCUSSION

Danie van den Bergengineering manager, Aquaplan

AQUAPLAN

How does your company’s plants and

services offer a convenient, cost-effective, sustainable solution? JB Although the most important driver for client satisfaction is the suitability and efficiency of the chosen process to treat the water, quick delivery times, ease of service and maintenance, coupled to very high energy efficiency, have surpassed other variables as key performance indicators. One of the barriers to achieving outstanding delivery times for the manufacturing of the plant is the lack of standard shipping containers with exactly the right internal dimensions to suit a standard modular approach. In order to reduce delivery times, and adhere to quick, efficient service while beating international import timelines, AquaPlan developed a range of container skids. These custom-built containers are accurately manufactured, adapted to suit the mechanical requirements and can be shipped to clients in record times. In addition, the company is able to design, manufacture, and test complete containerised plants ‒ whether ion exchange, clarification processes or standard potable water treatment solutions ‒ in less than six weeks.

What key technologies does you company off er? Our technologies range across a complete spectrum of treatment processes. This includes the critically important pre- and post-treatment sections of the process. These processes need to be carefully designed in order to fi t the modular portable approach and are mechanically designed to suit the required footprint

and space requirements. AquaPlan has, through the years, successfully designed, manufactured and commissioned various key technologies, specifi cally adapted for the modular containerised approach. These processes include, but are not limited to:• specialised ion exchange processes• degas towers and resin backwash towers• coagulation, flocculation and rapid mixing units• full range of pressure filters• gravity and up-flow filters• gravity settlers and clarification processes• water softening processes• sequential batch reactors and aeration systems• specialised wastewater treatment systems• potable water treatment solutions• fluoride removal processes• continuous medium filtration processes• reverse osmosis membrane processes• nano- and ultrafiltration processes• acid and alkali recovery membrane processes.

What types of water do your plants treat, are they adaptable and how are they specialised? The choice and selection of source water, for the production of safe drinking water for our range of modular containerised plants,includes surface water, groundwater, industrial effluent, domestic and industrial wastewater, seawater and saline sources, cooling tower

blow-down water and recycled water sources, brine solutions and acid mine drainage.

What specific products and components does your company manufacture or provide and what are the quality indicators that your clients must know about? One of the most successful products offered in the modular portable range is our special lamella plate settlers, used as either a thickener or clarifier. Many treatment plants, across the wide spectrum of applications, require a settler as part of the treatment process, magnifying the importance of a cost-effective, yet efficient, clarification step in the process. The company has developed modular, containerised settlers of various sizes, each incorporating significant special features that aid in the successful application of these units.These features include:• varying clarifier lengths,

which range from 3 m to 12 m and vary

in width from 2.4 m to 3.6 m. The heights also vary from 2.4 m to 3.2 m for optimised clarification of the effluent• fully in-house manufactured containerised skids, taking less than four weeks per unit• optional vertical stacking of plate settlers to decrease footprint and increase hydraulic throughput per m²• full underflow collection and thickening system, including sludge recirculation• modified lamella plate collection system that forms an integral part of the lamella plate pack.

What specialised services do you offer? AquaPlan’s services include process engineering studies of current water treatment plants and equipment, hydraulic studies throughout the water treatment process, optimisation of current water treatment processes and many more.

CIP control panel container


PANEL DISCUSSION

Julian Moorecommercial director, Headstream Water

HEADSTREAM WATER

How do your company’s plants and services off er

a convenient, cost-eff ective, sustainable solution? JM Headstream Water’s core focus is on wastewater treatment and it off ers various-size wastewater treatment package plants. These are based on the unique HYBACS process, a hybrid biological nutrient removal process that produces excellent quality effl uent, is energy effi cient, has a compact footprint and is easy to operate and maintain. These units provide an ideal solution for large water users, as they allow them to treat their own wastewater and reuse this as grey water. This enables them to conserve water thereby relieving the strain

on our already strained water resources, while also providing an economic benefi t as water charges (potable and sewage) are reduced. The potential paybacks on capex spend are generally under fi ve years in most instances.Also, many wastewater treatment plants in the country operate over capacity so package plants assist in alleviating some of the strain on ailing infrastructure.

What key technologies does the company off er? HYBACS, which stands for hybrid activated sludge, is Headstream’s core technology and its package plant series is based on this process. HYBACS combines a fi xed biomass reactor upstream of a conventional suspended

biomass activated sludge reactor to achieve highly effi cient COD and nutrient removal. The fi xed biomass reactor treats the COD with high aeration effi ciency resulting in a reduced plant footprint and overall energy savings when compared to conventional activated sludge systems. The company employs its own high-quality screening systems to ensure this essential treatment process is reliable and robust. It also off ers a fi ltration system called Filterclear and a UV disinfection system called Neotech, both of which are highly effi cient and high throughput systems ideal for polishing the treated effl uent from our package plants to make it suitable for many reuse applications.

What specifi c products and components does

your company manufacture or provide and what are the quality indicators that your clients must know about? We have a standard range of HYBACS package plants ranging in size from 100 m3/d treatment capacity to 500 m3/d. These of course can be installed in multiples to provide a higher capacity, although we feel if one needs more than 1 000 m3/d on a permanent basis, a full-scale works is more applicable. HYBACS is also applicable to larger works, with the biggest HYBACS plant in operation being 100 000 m3/d. Headstream’s package plants are all housed in multiple 6 m standard-size steel containers for ease of transport and are a HYBACS package plant


FEATUREPANEL DISCUSSION

Cost Effective Upgrade to Increase Treatment Capacity, Improve Performance and Reduce Energy Consumption

Hartbeesfontein WWTW:

Tubli WWTW (Bahrain):

2 recent HYBACS upgrades demonstrate its cost effectiveness and ease of implementation:

water solutionst

simple plug-and-play solution. The company provides the complete plant from inlet works to disinfection, including an operator and control room. While we off er these plants for sale to customers, our preferred model is to provide a solution where we install and operate the plant for clients.

That way, the customer does not have any capital outlay and does not have the distraction of running a treatment plant. It is also ideal if a customer has a short-to-medium-term requirement for on-site wastewater treatment, such as a mining or construction camp, as the customer can eff ectively rent the service from us without having to acquire the plant.In terms of quality indicators, the key items are a constant

high level of customer support and service, reliable plant operation, consistent quality of treated effl uent, and cost savings in terms of reduced operating costs primarily from reduced energy use.

What partnerships, that amplify your product off ering, has your company established? Headstream has partnered with two international innovative companies providing

high-quality, proven and cutting-edge water treatment solutions.The company is the exclusive licensee for Bluewater Bio Technologies’ suite of water and wastewater treatment technologies, and the exlcusive agent for HydroDyne Engineering’s screening and de-gritting systems.

How do these products fi t within the SANS specifi cations? All our products meet the highest level of quality standards in highly regulated markets like the UK, EU and USA. Our package plants are designed to meet effl uent standards specifi ed by the Department of Water and Sanitation. As such, we are confi dent they will stack up against all quality standards in South Africa.

SMART units, the system that powers the HYBACS process at this installation at the Hartbeesfontein wastewater treatment works

Crest Chemicals

Lake SpecialtiesLake Foods


Hugo Bassondirector, ImproChemIMPROCHEM

How does your company’s plants and services

off er a convenient, cost eff ective, sustainable solution? HB ImproChem’s containerised plants are pre-designed with proper P&ID (engineering drawings) and it produces variations of its standard designs based on customer-specifi c requirements, including water composition. This allows the company to off er and build modular plants with fl ows from 1 m3/h to 120 m3/h. Our plants are low in maintenance and easy to operate; for instance, changing the media in a fi lter can be done simply and without diffi culties. ImproChem has a proven track record with plants lasting 10 years and more, mainly due to the high quality and materials of construction. Working with modular containerised plants provides fl exibility to transport our plant easily to various customer sites and it allows us to solve customers’ problems on-site using the correct technical solution, including equipment and chemicals; from simple fi ltration to complex desalination.

What type of water do your plants treat; are they adaptable and how are they specialised? Most of

ImproChem’s package plants treat surface water but can also treat borehole- as well as seawater, and effl uent or process water. The company treats a wide variety of water chemistries, it is therefore important for us to do a proper plant survey and work with our customers to satisfy their needs. ImproChem off ers a number of additional equipment solutions depending on the application. The company’s plants vary from easy plug-and-play to more advanced on-site installations.

What key technologies does your company off er? We work with our customers to solve their water management challenges on various sites throughout Africa. To this end, ImproChem uses a range of chemical and engineering technologies comprising the following:• world-class chemical technology, including the full range of General Electric (GE) products• mechanical equipment and custom-engineered systems including:- the GE ZeeWeed hollow fi bre ultrafi ltration technology and membrane bioreactors (MBR) technology

- ultrafi ltration, nano fi ltration, reverse osmosis (RO), desalination and combination platforms in modular and skid-mounted formats- clarifi ers of various types; a range of fi ltration systems including sand, carbon and dual-media fi ltration- water softeners and demineralisation plants- industrial, potable and wastewater treatment plants- specially engineered water treatment plants- pre-treatment and conditioning systems- full turnkey water treatment plants.

What specifi c products and components does your company provide and what are the quality indicators that your clients must know about? GE plants include pre-treatment units, brackish RO Platforms, UF RO combination platforms, seawater desalination, electrode ionisation and ultrafi ltration.These systems comply with NEMS, CE, NSF 44 and ISO 9001 standards (depending on the specifi c equipment requirements).ImproChem manufactures dosing systems, softeners, fi ltration units, clarifi ers, demineralisation plants and other water treatment plants that confi rm to SANS 241 (potable water and any water released into the environment), with electrical specifi cation in accordance to the SANS 10142-2 and various mechanical specifi cations and, for instance, SANS 347 for pressure vessels. The Occupational Health and Safety Act is taken into consideration in every detail of our design and production of plant.

What partnerships has your company established

to increase its product off ering? In 2012, ImproChem acquired the sub-Saharan African water and process technology business of GE. This deal included an exclusive distribution agreement for GE chemical and monitoring solutions in sub-Saharan Africa as well as a licence to manufacture GE’s range of speciality chemicals at ImproChem’ s manufacturing facility in Umbogintwini, KwaZulu-Natal. It further gave ImproChem access to GE’s range of engineered water, wastewater, desalination and process treatment systems.

What services does your company off er and how does your customer engagement deliver client assurance? ImproChem off ers a full EPC (engineer, procure and construction) service. Its support teams consist of process, mechanical and electrical engineers, as well as chemists.The company off ers its customers full plant operation personnel (24/7), maintenance and chemical supply. In certain cases, fi nance options can also be considered.

Which applications and markets does your company cater to? ImproChem provides innovative chemical, monitoring and engineered solutions for industrial and potable water management, as well as hydrocarbon processing. We serve a diversity of industries including Upstream Oil & Gas; Crude Oil Refi ning; Petrochemical; Mining; Primary Metals; Power Generation; Public Water; Food & Beverage; Pulp & Paper; Sugar; Automotive; Textiles and many more.

PANEL DISCUSSION

ZeeWeed 1500 Series

SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY. SUPERIOR SOLUTIONS.

NuWater provides a range of products, services and financing solutions to reclaim or treat almost any quantity and quality of water.

Innovative 16" reverse osmosis technology makes NuWater plants more compact and efficient, with lower operating and maintenance costs. Being modular and mobile, our plants are also rapidly deployable and highly scalable, providing ultimate flexibility in a rapidly changing world.

Challenge us to clean your water.

Seawater Surface Water Groundwater

People Mining Industry Oil & Gas

WastewaterReclamation

Clean WaterWaste Water

NUWATER MODULAR TREATMENT PLANT

[email protected] +27 21 531 0641 www.nuwaterglobal.com

FROM TOP: NuWater’s ‘Modular & Mobile’ plant design for wastewater treatment and desalination.

Aerial view of 20 MLD mine wastewater reclamation plant at Anglo American’s New Vaal Coliery.

One of two NuWater rapidly deployable modular plants at Gold Fields, Ghana.


Martin Lyonsproject manager, NuWater

NUWATER

How does your company’s plants and services off er

a convenient, cost-eff ective, sustainable solution? ML NuWater designs, builds, owns and operates highly scalable modular and rapidly deployable water treatment and desalination plants. Although there are a large number of companies off ering containerised solutions, NuWater has pioneered large-scale package desalination plants required to treat brackish water, seawater and a variety of industrial wastewaters. It has achieved this through a combination of proprietary patented and carefully selected third-party technologies and highly innovative plant designs.NuWater’s ability to provide large-scale solutions, in addition to more readily available small-scale solutions, as part of a comprehensive service off ering, sets it apart from the competition. As part of this comprehensive service off ering, we combine technical, project execution and fi nancing capabilities. The benefi t of this approach is that the true cost of owning, operating and maintaining water treatment and desalination plants is clearly quantifi ed, and technical and operational risks relating to the plant are eff ectively outsourced

by the customer to NuWater. This ensures that the interests of our customers and NuWater are fully aligned.

What types of water do your plants treat; are they adaptable and how are they specialised? NuWater has an impressive portfolio of projects with bl ue-chip customers covering the full range of water types, from seawater through to complex industrial wastewater. In all cases, the company produces high-quality product water meeting, and in many cases exceeding, WHO potable water standards. Our ability to combine diff erent unit operations in a plug-and-play manner allows NuWater to customise standard plant models to address the specifi c treatment requirements of individual feedwater types.What key technologies does your company off er? NuWater specialises in membrane technolgies covering a range of fi ltration options, from micro- (MF), ultra- (UF) and nano-fi ltration (NF) to reverse osmosis (RO). NuWater pioneered the use of large-diameter (16″) high-fl ux RO technology for which the company holds a number of international patents. Its 16″ RO technology is particularly

well suited to large capacity modular and containerised desalination plants. The use of advanced membrane technologies allows NuWater to achieve conpact form factors for water and wastewater treatment plants, which is not possible with conventional technologies.

What specifi c products and components does your company provide and what are the quality indicators that your clients must know about? NuWater provides complete package plant models covering the full range of water and wastewtaer requirements. NuWater prides itself in off ering the highest-quality products to serve customers for the full duration of their requirements. NuWater is ISO 9001 accredited and quality control is central to the ethos of the company, ensuring products and services of the highest standards.

What partnerships has your company established to increase its product off ering? NuWater has a large number of close relationships with technology providers around the world. We do not, however, act as agents for any particular products and

are technologically agnostic. We prefer to off er our customers

the best available products and solutions to address their individual requirements.

How do these products fi t within SANS specifi cations? All products incorporated in NuWater’s plants meet or exceed SANS specifi cations. This generally allows us to comply with the specifi cations of the most demanding customer, particularly large industrial customers who set their own standards.

What services does your company off er and how does your customer engagement deliver client assurance? It is ultimately our existing customers that provide the greatest assurance of our service levels to potential new customers. This is part of the reason why NuWater insists on maintaining a close working relationship with its customers, even after a simple plant sale, as we want to identify and address any problems that may arise during the course of plant operation before they result in downtime or avoidable costs. NuWater ideally looks to operate and maintain all the plants we provide to customers and this model is generally embraced by them.

What specialised services do you off er? Our complete ‘own, operate & maintain’ off ering is a major market diff erentiator, as it demonstrates both commitment to our customers and confi dence in our product and service off ering. Our ability and commitment to shaping the ideal solution to our customers’ individual requirements also provide further diff erentiation.

PANEL DISCUSSION

Distributed water infrastructure

Rare Water Treatment offers tailor made electro-chemical treatment solutions that can

with conventional treatment processes to offer treatment for a wide variety of applications.

Fast implementation and small footprint allows plants to be installed and maintained with minimal impact and cost.

HEAD OFFICE: 011 906 8000 DURBAN: 031 902 2440 RARE PLASTICS: 016 362 2868 [email protected] I www.rare.co.za

Hennie Roetsdirector, Rare GroupRARE WATER TREATMENT


a convenient, cost-eff ective, sustainable solution?HR Rare Water Treatment (RWT) technology presents electrochemical water treatment in various forms. Apart from fully integrated, permanently installed treatment plants, RWT also off ers containerised modular plants. The major benefi ts are:• fast into action ‒ six to eight weeks for equipment delivery and operational in one week after arrival on-site, depending on the complexity of the application• decentralised roll-out possible as very little civil work is needed• scalable to meet growing treatment demand as and when needed• simple to operate and maintain• low running costs ‒ complex water can be treated at less than R2/m3

• low power demand, contributing to sustainability, and a low carbon footprint• simple, proven equipment with few moving parts• a low volume of sludge is created through the process and the sludge formed settles easily and dewaters quickly• fl ocs created through the electrochemical process are larger and so contain less bound water; they are stable and settle faster• most feed water quality variations can be handled during continuous operation• high level of water recovery ‒ up to 99% water recovery is achieved.

What key technologies does your company off er? RWT’s technology consists of various applications of electrochemical water treatment (ECWT). Rare’s ECWT consists of electro coagulation (EC), electro

oxidation (EO), electro reduction (ER), electro aeration (EA) and electro fl occulation (EF).Single treatments or combinations of treatments are used to treat complex wastewater streams.

What types of water do your plants treat;are they adaptable and how are they specialised? Apart from state-of-the-art electrode design tailored to specifi c requirements for every application, the RWT technology off ers very special power electronics to reduce power consumption to lower than ever in the industry. This world-class solution is rolled out for the following applications:• acid mine water: in coal mine applications, a combination of ER, EC and EO is used to reduce metals to less than 0.1 mg/ℓ and simultaneously reduce sulphate up to 70% of the original loading• stable colloidal solutions: an EC process has been used to cause good separation in the most stubborn colloidal situation. A clear overfl ow of less than 1 ppm TSS was achieved continuously where the previous scenario was constantly more than 100 ppm TSS• organics: an EC and EO application, where organic and inorganic contamination was treated together, had been implemented on a landfi ll leachate application. Metals were reduced to below required levels while chemical oxygen demand (COD) was reduced to less than 2 mg/ℓ and ammonia was reduced to less than 0.5 mg/ℓ.

What partnerships has your company established to increase its product off ering? RWT does not manufacture any ancillary equipment needed in water purifi cation solutions.

RWT focuses on manufacturing only the electrochemical water treatment units. The company has formed strategic alliances with various water treatment companies to assist with technical consulting, engineering, ancillary plant supply and building of the total solution.

How do these products fi t within SANS specifi cations? RWT’s electro oxidation solution for disinfection carries a SANS certifi cation.

What services does your company off er and how does your customer engagement deliver client assurance? RWT off ers build, operate and maintain scenarios but also outright purchases. In the case of outright purchases, RWT supplies the full value chain of project implementation services. Included in this are remote monitoring, fault fi nding and corrective action supplied on a 24/7 basis.The RWT containerised modular units are very simple to operate and maintain. In addition, the company off ers full training packages as part of its service off ering.

Which applications and markets does your company cater

to? RWT focuses on acidic coal mine water. The focus is to remove metals and reduce sulphate with minimal, or no, chemical addition. In this regard, RWT partnered with one of the world’s largest mining groups. A tailor-made solution for coal mines is about to go on trial at a large coal-washing plant. This treatment was achieved at operating costs of less than R4/m3.Apart from the acidic coal mine water, RWT also provides tailor-made water treatment solutions to address COD, landfi ll leachate and cyanide destruction. These EO solutions require development work as each application will vary from site to site. The initial bench-scanning work is usually followed by a plant trial in order to prove the concept. This process is normally followed as reference sites rarely answer all customer concerns.

PANEL DISCUSSION


RWT technology presents electrochemical water treatment in various forms. This easy-to-handle 1.2 Mℓ/d pilot plant is ready to be installed as part of a trial at a large coal water treatment plant


Ian Lembergergeneral manager – engineered systems, Veolia Water Technologies SA

VEOLIA WATER TECHNOLOGIES


a convenient, cost-eff ective, sustainable solution? IL Some of Veolia’s plants’ advantages include:• a complete turnkey solution including design, fabrication and installation as well as a technical services team that provides after-sales servicing and maintenance of plants throughout sub-Saharan Africa• the availability of ‘stock’ plant solutions allows for quick delivery to clients• complete factory acceptance testing prior to release for product performance and quality control• the modular nature of our plants allows for a plug-and-play installation, with room for future expansion as well as the ability to transfer to alternative sites if required• a robust and complete design results in minimal on-site work, reducing downtime and minimising required user input and maintenance needs. We use only renowned OEM suppliers for all our equipment• sustainable solutions are achieved through continuous improvement in the design of our packaged solutions. A systems-based design approach to our projects means products are designed for more than clients’ current needs, but in a way that ensures our products last their entire life cycle ‒ providing for clients’ future needs as well.

What types of water do your plants treat; are they adaptable and how are they specialised? Veolia off ers a range of containerised water treatment solutions including:• a packaged range of potable water treatment plants for use with surface, borehole,

sea or brackish water as a feed source• a packaged range of domestic sewage treatment plants using new generation trickling fi lter technology• customised, containerised treatment plants are designed to meet specifi c client requirements for both process and service water applications.

What key technologies does your company off er? Our current containerised treatment trains include, but are not limited to:• clarifi cation• fi ltration• membrane technology (including reverse osmosis, ultrafi ltration and more)• ion exchange• disinfection.

What specifi c products and components does your company manufacture and what are the quality indicators that your clients must know about?

Veolia manufactures numerous products for the water treatment industry including evaporators, pressure vessels, strainers, chemicals, aeration systems, clarifi ers and fi ltration systems. Veolia is ISO 9001:2008 certifi ed and utilises a strict quality management system to ensure required quality parameters are monitored and controlled from start to fi nish. Source products, including pressure vessels, pumps, motors, membranes, instrumentation, valves, chemicals and others, are sourced from reputable suppliers and OEMs, both locally and internationally, that are required to meet strict quality control standards, including ISO, ASME, AWS, SABS, ANSI, and NSF.

What partnerships has your company established to increase its product off ering? Veolia has a global network of subsidiaries and

supplier partnerships, providing access to

a multitude of technologies and products including pumps, instrumentation, valves, evaporators, DAF, etc. The network creates a global knowledge and service resource from which Veolia has direct access to provide the best solution and service possible.

How do these products fi t within SANS specifi cations? Many of the products are manufactured outside South Africa and therefore meet European, American or equivalent quality specifi cations. The majority of these specifi cations are referred to by the relevant SANS specifi cations and follow similar quality control requirements.

Which applications and markets does your company cater to? Modular plants are suitable for mining applications (processes, camps and villages), small towns, temporary installations, schools, resorts, lodges, housing, golf estates, etc.

Do you specialise in any specifi c applications? Veolia is able to provide solutions across all industries by customising these solutions to meet clients’ specifi c requirements. The products’ advantage is that it can be applied across multiple industries for numerous applications.

PANEL DISCUSSION

ABOVE LEFT An inner view of one of Veolia’s complete containerised water treatment plantsLEFT One of Veolia’s packaged plants on-site showing its plug-and-play capability

Experts in water.

Davey have waterdisinfection covered.

From using your collected rainwater, bore water or well water Davey has a range of pumps to get water for use in and around your home. We can also help you treat your water for safe use in your bathroom, laundry or for great tasting water in the kitchen. From manual dosing

clarity and safety for your family at every tap.

remove unwanted tastes and odours from your water.

QUALITY FIRE SOLUTIONSGauteng: 011 397 7723 | Western Cape: 021 907 2500 | Kwazulu-Natal: 031 563 8807 | Eastern Cape: 041 451 0026


Malcolm Cornsbrand product manager, Davey Water Products Southern Africa

SAFEQUIP


a convenient, cost-eff ective, sustainable solution? MC For 80 years Davey Water Products have provided innovative and dependable water solutions wherever and whenever our customers need them. So, it goes without saying, everything about the Davey brand revolves around modernisation and taking products one step further to make sure that the water we drink is safe.

What types of water do your plants treat; are they adaptable and how are they specialised? Davey provides a variety of plug and play packaged systems with the biggest being the Acquashield Max, which is a complete solution for domestic or commercial applications. It comprises fi ltration, with both a 20 micron and a 1 micron fi lter being utilised, a sterilising UV disinfection system, a pressure pump and then either a Torrium or a RainBank attached (details on these technologies are found later in this article).Together, the components provide a one-stop solution to purifi ed, safe, drinking water. It can be used for rain- or river water and most cases people drawing water from a river or borehole into a tank fi tted with an Aquashield Max, create a complete system to provide a completely off -grid solution.

What key technologies does you company off er? Davey was instrumental in the development of variable-speed drives, which propelled press controllers for pressure pumps to a whole new level of effi cacy. There is not a press controller on the market that can compete with Davey’s patented Torrium 2, especially at it’s price point. To prevent annoying fl uctuations

in water temperature during showers, Torrium 2 uses its intelligence to provide households with constant fl ow to give even water pressure. It does this with i ts innovative pressure and fl ow sensors to start the pump on a pressure drop and to stop it on low fl ow (~1 ℓpm). This avoids pump cycling when there is continuing household demand for water.For example, when someone in a house uses a shower and someone else fl ushes the toilet, there is invariably a dip in pressure of the water. What the Torrium 2 does is realise that there is additional pressure required and ups the demand require by the pump. By doing this, it maintains the same pressure throughout the system and ultimately creates constant fl ow. This means that four or fi ve diff erent outlets can work at the same time and the Torrium 2 will automatically realise the various increases needed and adjust accordingly to maintain the right pressure levels.And the Torrium 2 is not just for domestic applications. Davey’s HM pump range, fi tted with the Torrium 2, can handle up to 500 litres per minute at over 4.5 bar pressure.This is not the only innovative product in Davey’s range. Also available are Deep Well and Shallow Well Jet Pumps, for sucking water out of wells and boreholes. These too can be fi tted with a Torrium 2.Another Davey product, which is of particular interest for the harsh South African climate, is the RainBank Rainwater Harvesting automatic controller. When this product is added to a water treatment system, operation becomes seamless. The smart action of the RainBank allows it to detect when water is being used to fl ush a toilet or run a washing machine (basically any grey-water application) and

then automatically blocks off the mains, using rainwater instead. This eff ects savings of up to between 40% and 50% on domestic water usage. The technology was pioneered in Australia and, in most parts of Australia, tax rebates are given to domestic users who have fi tted a RainBank between their mains and their rainwater tanks.The RainBank isn’t only for domestic use either. It can be fi tted to anything up to a large hotel or business park.

What are the quality indicators that your clients must know about? Davey’s global warranty rate for last year was 0.02% so it goes without saying that Davey is a quality brand. Davey is a market leader, exporting to over 50 countries internationally where our products perform in some of the world’s toughest environments.

What partnerships has your company established to increase its product off ering? Safequip is the sole distributor of Davey Water Products in Southern Africa.There were a lot of similarities between the Australian and South African market conditions and Davey realised that it could grow its footprint in this country by entering into a strategic partnership with a distributor that is well-positioned and was already operating within key

market channels. Safequip has also

invested signifi cantly in creating product awareness, warehousing of stock and spare parts, developing product support and training for customers as well as staff .

What services does your company off er and how does your customer engagement deliver client assurance? This is such an easily installed plug-and-play range of products, which doesn’t require a great amount of expertise to install. That said, our customer is the tradesman, so we provide extensive support to our dedicated dealer network as well as plumbers and contractor companies.

What specialised services do you off er? As a distributor, the company’s main priority is support. We provide support, as mentioned, to our dealer network as well as customers. This is done through ongoing marketing, service and product support, training and the like. We also support our dealers and customers when specifying and quoting on large projects to ensure the right pump is used, the right solution is provided for and that the installation is successful.

PANEL DISCUSSION

Torrium 2 controller


TECHNICAL PAPER

Enhancing Johannesburg WWTW’s sludge digestionThe recent increases in electricity tariffs imposed by Eskom have had a direct bearing on the cost of wastewater treatment in Joh annesburg and could lead to an additional fi nancial burden for the water services authority (WSA) and water services provider (WSP) in the future. By Shaun Deacon

IN ORDER TO safeguard against this potential burden, Johannesburg Water has em-barked on the implementation

of a combined heat- and power-gen-eration programme, using biogas produced at their wastewater treat-ment works.In 2013, the fi ve large treatment works operated by Johannesburg Water had the potential to generate 9.5 MW of electricity. This would have accounted for 54% of the treatment works electrical power requirements and resulted in a saving of R80 mil-lion in electricity supply costs.

In order to obtain the maximum benefi t from the operation of the existing mesophilic digesters, implementation of the following additional treatment processes were recommended:• thicken the digester feed sludge from 2.5% dry solids concentration to between 5% and 6%, using gravity belt thickeners• lysis the waste activated sludge cell membranes using ultrasound technology• remove the potential for struvite precipitation by the recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus from the digested sludge, prior to sludge dewatering.This article describes the vari-ous technologies evaluated by Johannesburg Water for the en-hancement of the existing digester operation in order to fully comply with the 2006 Sludge Guidelines, increase biogas production and elec-trical power generation and control struvite precipitation.

IntroductionThe recent increases in electricity tariff s imposed by Eskom have had a direct bearing on the operational cost of wastewater treatment in Johannesburg and the cost could

rise from 81 c/m3 in 2013 to above 124 c/m3 by 2020. This probable increase will place an additional fi nancial burden on both the WSA (City of Johannesburg) and the WSP (Johannesburg Water SOC Limited).

Cost of wastewater treatmentIn 2010, Johannesburg Water (JW) began implementation of a combined heat and power (CHP) programme that would assist in reducing the impact of this fi nan-cial burden. In 2013, JW treated 998 Mℓ per day of wastewater, 249 dry tonnes of sludge and consumed 17.5 MWe of electricity at their six wastewater treatment works. The fi ve large wastewater treatment works had the potential to generate 9.5 MWe of electricity by enhancing their sludge digestion operations. Fifty-four percent of the electricity required for wastewater treatment could have been generated on-site and resulted in a saving of R80 mil-lion in electricity supply costs.

CHP generation programmeThe revised Sludge Guidelines were promulgated by the Department of Water Aff airs in March 2006 and these guidelines now form part of the Johannesburg wastewater treatment works licence conditions. One of the ten options off ered in the guidelines, for sludge stabilisation, was anaerobic digestion and this option was considered the most cost eff ective and sustainable process for Johannesburg.

DIGESTER FEED SOLIDS CONC. 12 DAYS RETENTION 15 DAYS RETENTION 20 DAYS RETENTION

2.5% 1.5 kg VS/m3 1.2 kg VS/m3 0.9 kg VS/m3




ABOVE Struvite deposits can severely affect pipe performanceTABLE 1 Volatile solids loading rate


TECHNICAL PAPER

In order to comply with the new Sludge Guidelines, JW had to em-bark on a major sludge digester refurbishment programme that included structural repair and the installation of heating and mixing equipment at Northern, Olifantsvlei and Goudkoppies Works. New mes-ophilic sludge digesters have been recently installed at both Driefontein and Bushkoppie Works.During 2013, the successful in-stallation of a 1.14 MWe CHP unit at Northern Works led to the deci-sion to extend the programme to Driefontein Wastewater Treatment Works by the installation of 2 x 380 kWe reciprocating engines. The experience gained from the Northern Works digester and CHP operations identifi ed areas of con-cern and the need to implement solutions for improved sludge thickening, cell lysis and control of struvite precipitation.

Enhancement of the sludge digestion operationAll of Johannesburg’s treatment works incorporate the biological nutrient removal (BNR) process for wastewater treatment. Fermentation of primary sludge and controlled solids carry-over enhances the biological nutrient removal process but, at the same time, also reduces the amount of waste fermented sludge available for biogas produc-tion. The digester feeds therefore consist mainly of waste activated sludge (WAS) which is thickened from an average 0.35% dry solids concentration to 2.5% in concrete gravity thickeners.

Additional sludge thickeningThe present problem with the steady production of biogas at Northern Works is that the digesters are being fed with gravity-thickened waste activated sludge of < 2.0% dry solids concentration. The feed sludge therefore contains an ex-cessive amount of water and it is necessary to increase the digester feed solids concentration from < 2.0% to between 5% and 6% in order to enhance the volatile solids reduction and biogas production rates. Information obtained from a literature survey indicated that

the following could be achieved if the digester feed sludge were to be further thickened:• The volatile solids loading rate could be increased from 1.2 kg VS/m3of digester capacity to 2.6 kg VS/m3 at a 15 day solids retention time.• Volatile solids reduction during the sludge digestion process could be increased by about 25%.• The solids retention time in existing digesters would be increased.

Sludge thickening methodsIn order to thicken the waste acti-vated sludge further, the following processes were investigated:• Dissolved air fl otation (DAF) ‒ 2 variants.• Gravity belt thickeners (GBT) ‒ 5 variants. • Rotary drum ‒ 1• Thickening press ‒ 1All of the above processes require polymer addition with the DAF system requiring the lowest dosing rate. Due to past experience with GBTs in Johannesburg and that redundant GBTs were available for refurbishment on the works, it was decided that this mode of sludge thickening was the most cost-eff ec-tive option and carried the least risk for Johannesburg Water.

Cell lysisCell lysis involves the breakdown of cell clusters and disintegration of the cell membrane of waste activated sludge prior to sludge digestion, which allows the release of the organic fraction to be read-ily available for enhanced biogas

production. Some of the advantages of incorporating cell lysis technology into the existing sludge digestion operation are:• An increase in the carbon available for biogas production.• Enhanced electrical power generation.• A reduction in digester foaming.• A reduction in the mass of digested sludge produced.• Improved sludge stabilisation and a reduction in odour and vector attraction.In order to decide on which cell lysis technology to include in the enhanced sludge digestion pro-gramme, the following processes were investigated: • Thermal hydrolysis ‒ 2 variants• Thermo chemical hydrolysis ‒ 1• Mechanical disintegration ‒ 2 variants• Ultrasound/ultrasonic ‒ 2 variants• Electric pulse ‒ 2 variants• Chemical treatment ‒ 1• Mechanical shearing ‒ 1

FIGURE 1 (above) Escalating costs of wastewater treatmentBELOW Launch of cogeneration at the Johannesburg Northern WWTW


Valuable process and operational information was provided by litera-ture surveys, presentations by local agents and contact with overseas users of some of the above technolo-gies. The results of the investigations indicated that the ultrasound option was probably the most cost-eff ective and suitable cell lysis technology for Johannesburg.

Sludge treatment operationIt is anticipated that the following could be achieved by enhance-ment of the existing sludge treatment operations:• 25% increase in volatile solids reduction during digestion.• 25% increase in biogas production.• 15% increase in electrical power generation.• 20% decrease in digested sludge production.• 50% to 55% decrease in the wastewater treatment electrical power costs.

Struvite precipitation (MAP)Struvite is commonly referred to as MAP (magnesium, ammonium, phosphate) and during the digestion process, phosphorus is released from cells and ammonia produced by the reduction in volatile solids concen-tration. Struvite precipitates after the sludge digestion process by the entrainment of air mainly through turbulence in pipelines and pumps, an increase in pH through CO2 strip-ping and a MAP mole ratio of 1:1:1.

Struvite precipitationStruvite forms crystals in pipelines, pumps, sludge storage tanks and

dewatering equipment and, to prevent the struvite forming, ferric salts or alum salts or commercial additives are dosed into the digest-er feed to chemically precipitate phosphorus and so prevent struvite crystals from forming after the digestion process.However, this process does not prevent high concentrations of ammonia in the sludge dewatering liquors from being recycled back to the bioreactors for treatment, which could lead to fi nal effl uent non-compliances.The recovery of both nitrogen and phosphorus from the digested sludge can be achieved by the controlled precipitation of struvite crystals. Since magnesium is the limiting element for struvite precipi-tation, magnesium ions are added to the digested sludge to increase the magnesium concentration.In most cases, after magnesium enhancement, phosphorus becomes the limiting factor in struvite pre-cipitation. Although phosphorus in the digested sludge is reduced to low concentrations by controlled struvite precipitation, test results also indicate that in excess of 90% of the ammonia concentration in the digested sludge can be removed at a pH of 9.0 and a MAP mole ratio of between 1:1:1 and 1.2:1:1.The recovery of struvite crystals for use as a slow-release fertiliser was being investigated by JW.

Enhanced sludge treatment operationIn order to enhance the existing mesophilic sludge digestion

operation in a cost-eff ective and effi cient manner, a combination of technologies is required. After thor-oughly investigating the suitability of the various technologies available for sludge thickening, cell lysis and struvite recovery, the following rec-ommendations were made:• Thicken the WAS, using existing gravity thickeners, to achieve a solids concentration of 2.5%.• The gravity-thickened WAS is to be further thickened to between 5% and 6% dry solids concentration, using gravity belt thickeners.• The thickened WAS is lysed using ultrasound technology.• The lysed WAS is combined with waste fermented sludge and recovered fats, oils and greases (FOG) before being fed to the existing mesophilic digesters.• After the sludge digestion operation, the digested sludge is passed through a MAP recovery process for ammonia and phosphorus removal.• The sludge is then dewatered on existing belt filter presses, solar dried, composted and screened before final disposal.• The recovered struvite crystals can either be blended with the compost or used separately as a slow-release fertiliser.The recommended sludge treat-ment processes are to be installed at the Driefontein Wastewater Treatment Works in order to verify the assumptions made for digester volatile solids loading, volatile solids reduction, volume of biogas pro-duced, electrical energy generated and the reduction in the mass of digested sludge to be dewatered.

Reduction in greenhouse gas emissionsBy implementation of an enhanced sludge digestion operation at Driefontein Works, it is estimated that the following reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be achieved.• CO2 6 690 tonnes/annum• SO2 113 tonnes/annum• NOX 31 tonnes/annum• CH4 26 tonnes/annum• CO 20 tonnes/annum.If all fi ve large treatment works in Johannesburg incorporated the

TECHNICAL PAPER

Examples of severe struvite accumulation

enhanced digestion operation, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would then be:• CO2 146 000 tonnes/annum• SO2 2 480 tonnes/annum• NOX 672 tonnes/annum• CH4 582 tonnes/annum• CO 438 tonnes/annum

ConclusionsFuture increases in electricity tariff s will place an addition fi nancial burden on the WSA and WSP, especially for pow-er-intensive activated-sludge-type processes. An improved anaerobic sludge digestion operation enables wastewater treatment plants to fully comply with the 2006 Sludge Guidelines, increase biogas production and enhance CHP generation.The introduction of additional sludge thickening from 2.5% to between 5% and 6%, enables the volatile solids loading rate to be increased from 1.2 kg VS/m3 to 2.6 kg VS/m3 at a solids retention time of 15 days in the digesters. This substantially reduces the digester capacity required for sludge stabilisation.Cell lysis of thickened waste sludge increases the organic carbon available for the enhancement of biogas production and on-site electrical power generation.Precipitation of struvite immediately after the digestion process, allows the digested sludge treatment operation to function without blockages to pipelines, pumps and sludge dewatering equipment. It also prevents high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, in the dewatered sludge fi ltrate, from being recycled to the bioreactors which could cause effl uent non-compliances.The proposed enhancement of the sludge digestion op-eration would ensure reductions in future electricity supply costs for wastewater treatment.The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is dependent on the amount of kWh of electricity produced, and large reductions in CO2 emissions could be achieved by the waste-water treatment works incorporating CHP generation from the biogas they produce.

TECHNICAL PAPER


A view of the piping system connecting to the generators at the Johannesburg Northern WWTW

Experts in water.

- Constant Flow and Even Water Pressure- Quick Cut-in for Even Pressure and Adaptive Starting- Easy Status Check and Pressure Indicator Window - Dry Run Protection and Auto Restart- Ease of Installation

Not all water pressure systems are the same.

While older pressure control systems let water pressure drop to as little as 50% before cutting in, the Davey Torrium®2 ‘thinks’ to keep your water pressure even and constant. The result is water pressure that is so close to mains that customers tell us they can’t tell the difference. Try it for yourself.

Gauteng: 011 397 7723Western Cape: 021 907 2500 Kwazulu-Natal: 031 563 8807Eastern Cape: 041 451 0026 Davey is exclusively distributed by Safequip.

QUALITY FIRE SOLUTIONS

Torrium®2

local Davey Master Dealer who will gladly assist you with your water requirements.

SMARTER than the average

water pressure controller.

PLANT & EQUIPMENT


Reduce treatment energy costs

ATLAS Copco’s Compressor Technique, low-pressure ZS and ZS+ variable speed drive (VSD) air blower

range with twin screw design is based on the company’s pioneered oil-free screw technology improving energy effi ciency in the low-pressure compressed air market.Productivity solutions Group Atlas Copco’s industrial air division’s pos-itive displacement blowers provide a continuous and reliable supply of 100% oil-free air, TÜV-certifi ed accord-ing to ISO 8573-1 CLASS 0 (2010), of-fering customers the benefi ts of high effi ciency, reliability, quiet operation

(less than 80dB, high controllability, easy installation, low maintenance and long equipment life.Low-pressure compressed air is widely used for applications such as waste water aeration at treatment plants, dilute phase pneumatic conveying of dry powders, fl ue-gas desulphurisation of emission stacks and similar. “The blower market for small volume fl ows has been largely dominated by blower technology such as twin-lobe and Roots-type (typically used for early turbochargers in vehicles) which has not seen any major technical improvements over the past 50 years,” according to

Pieter van Wyk, Atlas Copco business line manager. Recognising a market need, Atlas Copco developed an air blower solution based on its oil-free screw technology which uses internal compression instead of external com-pression, a technology which Van Wyk says is superior to any other traditional blower technology. “This develop-ment enables us to off er the market an alternative low-pressure blower which runs at a similar duty to traditional lobe-technology units, but includes all of the features and benefi ts associated with modern screw compressors.”The ZS range integrates the proven benefi ts of screw technology and will cut energy costs by an average of 30% when compared twin-lobe and root-type blowers. Although the ZS blower does not represent the lowest capital cost solution on the market, these signifi cant energy cost savings associated with the effi ciency of a screw compressor lowers the life-cycle costs substantially.


PRODUC T NEWS

Sealant shows its sinewsThe Midvaal Water Company in Stilfontein needed specialised joint sealing at a fi lter unit that contributes to the provision of bulk water to a 900 km2 area in the North West.

THE FILTER UNIT consists of precast concrete slabs that form a suspended fl oor to carry fi lter sand media.

Filtered water passes through noz-zles in the concrete slabs to a holding sump from which it is pumped into a chemical treatment facility prior to being distributed to the surrounding areas. The project objective was to prevent sand from passing through the joints, which would contaminate the fi ltered water passing through the nozzles into the sump.

ProjectBotjheng Water, a company with the core focus of water and wastewater bulk infrastructure construction, consulted on the sealing around and between the nozzles of the fi lter unit. Realising that the joint sealant originally specifi ed would not be viable, engineers turned to Sika for a solution. Botjheng Water conducted various tests on samples supplied to them by the chemicals company to determine the amount of pres-sure the system could withstand in comparison to the site requirements. Finally the Sikadur-Combifl ex SG system was the product accepted and approved.The Sikadur-Combifl ex SG system comprises a modifi ed fl exible poly-olefi n (FPO) waterproofi ng tape that is glued in place with Sikadur-31 CF, a moisture-tolerant, thixotropic advanced adhesive based on a com-bination of epoxy resins and special fi llers. This joint-sealing system is

suitable for expansion, construction and connection joints as well as for cracks and, once fi xed to the joint, allows irregular and high movement in more than one direction, while still maintaining the seal’s integrity.

Product applicationContractor Multi Contracts Specialists applied the Sikadur-Combifl ex SG system to the fi lter unit, consisting of 24 fi lter segments, each made up of two fi lter banks. A total of 1 838.4 m was applied as product consumption per fi lter bank measured 38.3 m. Although Combifl ex tape is available in a variety of widths and thicknesses, the 150 mm x 2 mm tape specifi ed had to be cut to 130 mm wide to accommodate the site-specifi c requirements around and between the nozzles. Water testing was then undertaken, resulting in all 48 fi lter banks passing the fi rst test.The system is easy to install and suitable for both dry and damp concrete surfaces and is extremely fl exible. It performs well within a wide range of temperatures and is weather-, water- and root-resistant. Besides being resistant to many chemical substances, the product also comes with approval for potable water suitability.

Realising that the joint sealant originally specifi ed would not be viable, engineers turned to Sika for a solution

TOP RIGHT Before sealing with the Sikadur-Combifl ex SG systemRIGHT During and after applying Combifl ex


PRODUC T NEWS

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

AECOM 34

APE Pumps 12

Atlas Copco 62

Aquaplan Water Treatment Engineering 44

Aquatan 10

DPI Plastics 42

Elster Kent 28

Festo 39

GIBB 18

Headstream Water Holdings 46

ImproChem 48

JoJo Tanks 36

Kaytech 16

Krohne South Africa 19

Mather + Platt 13

Nalco IFC

NuWater 50

Rainbow Reservoirs 33

Rocla 22

Royal HaskoningDHV 9

Safequip 57 & 61

SBS Water Systems OFC

SEW Eurodrive IBC

The Rare Group 52

Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies 54

Water & Sanitation Services OBC

Water Purifi cation Chemical & Plant 43

WorleyParsons 7

Zest WEG Group 2

‘Gumtree’ for plant partsOne of South Africa’s most well-known spare parts manufacturers for water plant components has taken a giant leap forward. Frances Ringwood fi nds out more.

COOL’ MIGHT not be the first word one thinks of when looking at ways to source parts for process

control applications. But global measurement instrumentation, services and solutions provider Endress+Hauser has just launched a cool concept that takes the pain out of parts sourcing.The company recently launched an online shop, which, it says, will “guarantee maximum availability, streamline purchasing, mainte-nance and spare part management”.The main factor influencing the company’s decision to create the platform is the observation that production never really stops. “Intelligent spare part management is indispensable to guarantee maximum availability of the facility.” Also important was the consideration that efficient spare part management is dependent on the fast restocking of spare devic-es, spare parts and consumables. Endress+Hauser has stated that its online shop can “streamline the

process for replacing or sourcing new measuring instruments.”

ReorderingMany businesses the world over are seeing the benefits of creating a more streamlined service by extending their online offerings. Endress+Hauser is no different, boasting the capability of bringing benefits to clients from across the organisation, with its online shop. Replacing or sourcing new instru-ments as products, therefore, can be quickly and easily configured, creat-ing a time benefit for maintenance staff. The system also enables better supply-chain management, as delivery times and prices are clearly visible to simplify budget planning. “Once complete, product data can be forwarded to the purchasing department,” the company adds.

Order directly onlineOf course, the major benefit of the new online shop is its simplicity. Because orders can be placed directly over the Internet with

agreed pricing conditions, the sys-tem comes with all the traditional web-based pluses. These include cli-ents being able to track their orders in real time using online tracking and having the ability to see past orders. That simplifies reordering the same parts by using saved product lists.

Support and designOf course, when specifying equip-ment for a complicated water treatment application, just hop-ping on the Internet and ticking a few product boxes really isn’t enough. That’s why the designers of Endress+Hauser’s online shop have made it possible for products to be designed according to cli-ents’ unique technical needs. Also, because delivery times and prices for this process are immediately visible, time-consuming inquiries can be significantly reduced. The company does, however, caution that consultation will still be needed for certain, more technically ad-vanced, requests.

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Water and Sanitation Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd (WSSA) is a specialised provider of sustainable water services in Southern Africa

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Water&Sanitation Africa November December 2014

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