Water and Sanitation Africa March/April 2016

Promoting professional excellence in the water sector

Water& Sanitation The official magazine of the Water Institute of Southern Africa

Complete water resource and wastewater management

Africa

World Water Week

Hennie Pretorius Endress+Hauser

Industry Insight

Boosting the talent pipeline

A partner in process optimisation

WISA Conference 2016

Durban

Top minds talking tough

Boreholes

Digging deep to offset the effects of drought

Laboratories Automation for the people

in the

hot seat

“While we have access to the world’s best chemical treatment technology and equipment, our key differentiator is the knowledge and expertise of our personnel.” Graham Sanders

July

Managing Director, ImproChem

P12

March/April 2016 • ISSN 1990-8857 • Cover price R50.00 • Vol. 11 No. 2

Contents

Vol. 11 No. 2

On the cover

Against the backdrop of climate change, and El Niño up to his usual tricks, South Africa is in the grip of a crippling drought. It is within this context that WISA 2016 promises to be a riveting, not-to-bemissed conference. P6

13 y wp 20 provincial focus

Regulars Editor's comment

5

Africa round-up

24

Industry news

78

Events

80

cover story wisa The ultimate constraint

6

wisa CEO's comment Make a turn for the better

8

President’s comment Adapt or die

9

30 grey water

ywp Open letter on youth employment

12

HOT SEAT

ImproChem More than mere chemistry

14

water week Offsetting the effects of drought

16

provincial focus Big projects for Mogale City

20

industry insight Endress+Hauser Water is our Life

22

44 Laboratory

profiles Amanz' abantu Water for people

29

N&Z Instrumentation & Control Remote metering excellence

34

Buckman Committed to sustainability

43

industrial water Closing the supply gap

31

Grey water grey areas

38 mar/apr 2016

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contents

water & wastewater Wastewater treatment under the spotlight

40

Laboratories The case for automation and robotics

44

water utilities Infrastruc ture funding 67

49

Automation – The inevitable future

PANEL DISCUSSION Introduction A world of possible solutions Pragma Ultra Control UWP Consulting

59 61 63 62

Infrastructure funding A case for off-balance-sheet expenditure on infrastructure

67

Pipes, pumps & valves 71

Boosting the talent pipeline

Vehicles & Equipment 73

2

Vehicles & Equipment 73

Pump action

mar/apr 2016

HO W I M P ORTA N T I S G E N DE R E M P O W E R M E N T I N Y O U R O R G A N I S AT I O N ?

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18 AUGUST 2016 JOhANNESbURG w w w. t o p w o m e n a w a r d s . c o . z a

E N T E R B E F O R E 2 0 A P R I L 2 0 1 6 A N D S TA N D A C H A N C E T O W I N 2 X S E AT S T O T H E AWA R D S – Q U O T E “ 3 S M 0 1 ” M E D I A PA R T N E R :

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Africa

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Publisher Elizabeth Shorten Editor Frances Ringwood Head of design Beren Bauermeister Design consultant Frédérick Danton Chief sub-editor Tristan Snijders Sub-editor Morgan Carter Contributors Jo Burgess, Lester Goldman, Shanna Nienaber, Ashton Maherry, Nora Hanke, Tony Stone, Dawid Bosman, Tristan Wiggill Digital & marketing manager Philip Rosenberg Client services & production manager Antois-Leigh Botma Production coordinator Jacqueline Modise Distribution manager Nomsa Masina Distribution coordinator Asha Pursotham Financial manager Andrew Lobban Administration Tonya Hebenton Printers United Litho Johannesburg t +27 (0)11 402 0571 Advertising sales Avé Delport / Jenny Miller t +27 (0)11 467 6223 avedel@lantic.net / jennymiller@lantic.net

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ISSN: 1990 - 8857 Annual subscription: R300 (SA rate) subs@3smedia.co.za Copyright 2016. 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 reflect those of the Water Institute of Southern Africa or the publishers.

WISA contacts: Head office Tel: 086 111 9472(WISA) Fax: +27 (0)11 315 1258 Physical address: 1st Floor, Building 5, Constantia Park, 546 16th Road, Randjiespark Ext 7, Midrand BRANCHES www.ewisa.co.za Eastern Cape Chairperson: Selby Thabethe Tel: +27 (0)41 506 2862 | Email: ssthabethe@vodamail.co.za Secretary: Christopher Maduma Tel: +27 (0)41 506 7527 | Email: cmaduma@mandelametro.gov.za Free State Chairperson: Sabelo Mkhize Tel: +27 (0)53 830 6681 | Email: smkhize@solplaatje.org.za Secretary: Noeline Basson Cell: +27 (0)71 362 3622 | Email: ndb@malachi3.co.za KwaZulu-Natal Chairperson: Vishnu Mabeer Tel: +27 (0)31 311 8684 | Email: vishnu.mabeer@durban.gov.za Treasurer: Renelle Pillay Email: PillayR@dws.gov.za Limpopo Chairperson: Paradise Shilowa Cell: +27 (0)79 905 9013 | Email: paradises@polokwane.gov.za Secretary: Salome Sathege Tel: +27 (0)15 290 2535 | Email: salomes@polokwane.gov.za Mpumalanga Chairperson: Susan van Heerden Cell: +27 (0)82 800 3137 | Email: susanvanhd@gmail.com Secretary: Theo Dormehl Cell: +27 (0)83 294 0745 | Email: dormehl@soft.co.za Namibia Chairperson: Dr Vaino Shivute Secretary: Kristina Afomso Tel: +264 61 712080 | Email: afomsok@namwater.com.na Western Cape Chairperson: Natasia van Binsbergen Tel: +27 (0)21 448 6340 | Email: natasia@alabbott.co.za Secretary: Wilma Grebe Tel: +27 (0)21 887 7161 | Email: wgrebe@wamsys.co.za WISA’s Vision The promotion of professional excellence in the water sector, through building expertise, sharing knowledge and improving quality of life.

Endorsed by

EDITOR'S COMMENT

Beyond the job

T

hose working in the water industry, and in any industry for that matter, are faced with an array of challenges every single day. Whether it’s a process controller ensuring that the chlorine gas cylinders are being changed just in time or a water engineer designing and overseeing the construction of a new water treatment facility, every day presents a new challenge. This is all just part of the job.

What’s also part of the job is something far greater than the sum of its parts – what the industry’s work results in – which is providing the average citizen with a supply of potable water and a method for disposing of their human waste in a dignified manner.

Never-ending story Unfortunately, we are faced with numerous challenges in providing adequate water and sanitation services in South Africa (as with much of the developing world). The lack of adequate provision has resulted from factors such as apartheid-policy-driven unequal spatial development; continuously running and regularly overworking dilapidated, ageing infrastructure; and the allocation and misuse of often inadequate funding.

The usually indigent communities affected by poor water service delivery have legitimate frustrations, which they feel fall on deaf ears. They take to the streets to make their voices heard in a most vocal and desperate way – violent service delivery protests: the hallmark of a truly unequal society. Politicians promise and placate the crowds until the next local or national elections pass by, then it’s often business as usual. But it shouldn’t be. Everyone has the right to potable water and dignified sanitation.

National Water Week 2016 And that’s what this year’s water week is all about. Taking place between 21 to 27 March 2016, this water week’s thematic basis is human rights, which is something that tugs at the heart strings of many working in the water industry and may b part of the reason for them entering the industry in the first place.

Water is so essential to our daily lives and it is a testament to the good work of everyone behind the scenes in providing it that many South Africans do not know what it is like to go without water coming out of a tap in your bathroom or kitchen for more than a day or two.

While National Water Week is a time to look at the fundamental challenges of providing potable water and dignified sanitation for every household in our nation, it is also a time to pat yourself on the back for doing your part in providing water to those that do have it.

We’ve all still got a lot of work to do.

It’s dry, but we’re still drinking it While the current drought has had devastating effects across the country – mostly on our already pressured farmers and the surrounding rural communities that rely on them for work – the middle class have felt a relatively minor pinch in the cities (for now), on the supermarket shelves. With reservoirs nearing critically low levels, the management of South Africa’s limited water resources has so far been largely competent, as far as end users are concerned. There is unfortunately not much to be done, apart from direct financial support from government, to rescue this season’s crop yields.

Despite all the doom and gloom, there are always good-news stories to be told in the water sector, many of which can be read about within these very pages. As a nation, we are a resilient lot and that won’t be changing any time soon.

Cover opportunity In each issue, Water&Sanitation Africa offers 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 afford the advertiser the cover story and maximum exposure. For more information on cover bookings, contact Avé Delport or Jenny Miller on +27 (0)11 467 6223, or email avedel@lantic.net / jennymiller@lantic.net. mar/apr 2016

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cover story

wisa

The ultimate Against the backdrop of climate change, and El Niño up to his usual tricks, South Africa is in the grip of a crippling drought. It is within this context that WISA 2016 promises to be a riveting, not-to-be-missed conference.

• potable water • wastewater • development planning • groundwater remediation • fracking.

WISA’s biennial conference is a widely acclaimed event that serves as an independent platform for public and private sector stakeholders to engage and discuss matters of national and international importance.

“For example, as the gatekeeper of generally accepted standards and best practices, WISA promotes accountability across all sectors and is actively engaged in discussions with the South African Local Government Association to promote good governance and best practices across all public water utilities,” Goldman explains.

outh Africa’s current drought situation is the product of three negatives coming into play simultaneously – the Earth’s natural, cyclical climate dynamics, global warming and El Niño. Along with these challenges are South Africa’s ever-growing population, high rate of urbanisation and pollution, and, in many instances, ageing infrastructure, which sets the context of the 2016 WISA conference.

Dr Lester Goldman, CEO, Water Institute of South Africa (WISA), says, “The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Water, the ultimate constraint’,” which, in all

You are going to be tempted!

“The road to WISA 2016 is paved with good temptations... just LOOK at the programme! Yes, networking is a major drawcard, and the social events are the water community’s biennial reunion, but it’s more than that. It’s being able to listen and learn, to hear what other scientists have discovered, of the mistakes they have made, and what they have achieved,” Dr Jo Burgess, director and chairperson, WISA ,says.

In the first slot, on the first day, is award-winning speaker Benjamin Biggs.

He was the ‘Best Presenter’ awardee at the recent African YWP (Young Water

constraint S

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brevity, hits the nail on the head. Under this theme, a wide range of topics will be covered, in a number of parallel sessions.

These include: • community water supply and sanitation • environmental aspects • health-related aspects • industrial water and effluent • information technology • legislation • management and institutional affairs • membrane processes • modelling • mine water • plant operation

cover story

Professionals) Conference and will be off to represent South Africa in the next international YWP conference. Even so, here’s a chance to hear him in our own backyard, talking about harvesting water from roads – what the pros and cons are, and what will swing the ultimate decision. This is not to be missed!

While Biggs will be talking about “new” water, he won’t be alone. You will have the chance to hear more about new sources, like fog harvesting and recycled water, both from those who are clever enough to elucidate first principles and those who are clever enough to apply new know-how at full scale.

We will also have a strategic assessment of the current status and future imperatives of water reuse in South Africa, and a life-cycle assessment comparison of wastewater reclamation and desalination at eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (EMM).

There will be something for everyone, no matter your discipline, area of interest, or tendencies towards a different point in the journey of knowledge.

From exploratory research to testing, development and deployment, there will be something in each time slot to catch your attention and tempt you to listen and learn.

There will be a constant choice of eight parallel sessions and workshops, happening all the time. Even the least conference-ready delegate will struggle to miss something that has piqued their interest. You will be spoilt for choice.

“Personally, I can find three or more choices for each point in each day and really don’t know how I’m supposed to choose just one. I really do want to hear about using waste to treat water... but I also want to hear about new control points in process automation, and I want to join in the discussion on Wednesday about water-sensitive design. Sigh! So, as for me, I haven’t made my choices yet (I’m still hoping to clone myself before 15 May), but one thing’s for sure – I have chosen to go to Durban. If you’re

not there, you can’t and won’t learn anything,” Burgess emphasised.

So, why Durban?

Durban is one of South Africa’s most popular tourist destinations and a water sports Mecca. Sun-swept beaches, swimming, surfing, sailing, scuba diving, game reserves, entertainment – it’s all there. And, very importantly, EMM is a key partner to the conference. The city’s specialist Water and Sanitation departments are arranging a set of social activities and visits to some of Durban’s, and its surrounds’, famous attractions – for delegates and spouses.

“As a ‘Centre of Excellence’, EMM, along with Umgeni Water, who together have shared a close and professional working relationship for over 40 years, and who have ensured the highest standards in quality water service to residents within their respective areas of operation, can tell us much. And, we

wisa

bulk water projects, including dams, has committed over R3.5 billion to this programme since 2008. Projects include: •M hlabatshane Sub-Regional Scheme (Ugu District Municipality) •M aphumulo Bulk Water Supply Scheme Phase 1 (Ilembe District Municipality) •L ower Thukela Bulk Water Supply Scheme (Ilembe District Municipality) •R ichmond Pipeline (uMgungundlovu District Municipality) •M shwathi Bulk Water Scheme (uMgungundlovu District Municipality).

Perfect platform The theme of “Water, the ultimate constraint” lends itself to exhibitors to showcase their expertise and products, and their solutions in dealing with Southern Africa’s drought problem. The conference provides the ideal platform for water utilities, and product and service providers to engage in a dialogue that explores capabilities, new technologies and solutions in

The key to thriving in a future dominated by uncertainty will be finding new ways to obtain and save water, and to recover the value from used water will learn much from them: what challenges they faced, how they achieved success and, very importantly, how to sustain their high standards of excellence, says Dan Naidoo, WISA 2016 conference chair and regional manager: Umgeni Water.

Among EMM’s awards is the 2014 Stockholm Industry Water Award for bringing clean piped drinking water to millions of residents. The city has been an innovator in defining a progressive yet equitable water tariff model, and was instrumental in motivating free, basicwater access, and the funding mechanism to back it up. Since 2000, EMM has connected more than 1.3 million households to piped water, and installed waterborne toilets for 700 000 people.

Umgeni Water, instrumental in implementing regional bulk water infrastructure and successfully implementing large

the water sector without the associated pressures of supply chain protocols.

The Department of Water & Sanitation, which will be well represented and have subject matter specialists discussing issues related to water services authorities, both large and small, will cover the legal, governance and institutional processes specific to the sector in discussion forums, workshops and paper presentations.

“All in all, WISA’s 2016 conference promises to be a useful, informative and interesting gathering of some of the top scientists and managers in the water business, who will share ideas and solutions in what is becoming an increasingly challenging task of providing health-preserving sanitation and clean, potable drinking water to every citizen,” Naidoo concludes.

0861 119 472 • www.wisa.org.za

In each issue, Water&Sanitation Africa offers 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 offers 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.

mar/apr 2016

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CEO's Comment

Dr Lester Goldman, WISA CEO

Make a turn

for the better Managing water infrastructure and resources is a formidable challenge that never abates, and this past year has been particularly tough. As we face increased pressures on all fronts, let us not forget to continuously strive for personal betterment.

L

ast year was particularly challenging, and the impact of climate change and drought, especially, will remain with us for a while. There is no doubt that forethought is a vital part of being able to meet demand into the future and, in order to successfully mitigate the numerous challenges faced, we need to plan and execute more effectively. However, we at the Water Institute of Southern Africa thank you for your effort, energy, resilience and commitment, in addressing some of these challenges.

As we start 2016 with greater clarity, a greater determination to succeed and a renewed commitment, we ask just one thing from each of you – be better.

• Be better in your work – think creatively, effectively and efficiently, and get the details right.

To successfully mitigate the numerous challenges faced, we need to plan and execute more effectively

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• Be better with fellow water sector stakeholders – in how you prepare, how you communicate and how you add value to the water sector, despite any challenges.

• Be better with your colleagues and teammates – in how you support each other, how you communicate and especially how you care about them as people.

• Be better in your community and social circles – in how you give of your time and effort to make your town, city or neighbourhood a better place to live.

• Be better with our planet and neighbourhoods – in how you recycle, minimise your footprint, manage our most precious water, and how you appreciate the natural beauty around us.

• Be better in your relationships outside the office – in how you communicate, encourage and support.

• Be better to yourself – in your self-image, in your personal expectations and in your commitment to being all that you can be.

Learn more. Be more responsive. Be more connected.

Be more understanding and empathetic. Be more resilient. Just be better.

Thank you for your loyalty and effort; we look forward to a great, productive and successful 2016.

Warm regards,

Lester

President ’s COMMENT Jo Burgess, WISA president

with South Africa. The obvious ones are characteristics of its climate and biomes. The less obvious similarities are anthropogenic. California receives a steady influx of people from poorer regions from across the national border, all of whom desire access to water and sanitation services from the local government in their new homes.

California is undergoing a crisis of agriculture related to depressed production and increased demand, and has undergone a series of droughts. The state has, therefore, long grappled with the same conflicts of water supply and demand that South Africa currently faces.

It would be foolish to simply take California’s governance or management models and apply them thoughtlessly to South Africa, but equally unwise

Adapt or die

Water conservation and water demand management in the anthropocene...

T

raditional water planning is based on two premises. First, it assumes that as populations and the economy grow, water use must also grow. Second, it assumes that in order to meet growing demand, new dams must be built, new groundwater aquifers tapped, and new supplies brought from farther and farther away. This is what most of you believe; it is what most of the public believes; it is what most water managers believe.

“Both of these assumptions are false.

Figure 1 shows California’s gross state product, population, and water use between 1975 and 2001. Total water use in California was less in 2001 than it was in 1975, yet population increased by 60% and gross state product increased by 2.5 times.”

These were the words of Dr Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute in Oakland, California, as he was giving testimony before the US House of Representatives in January 2010.

Although it’s an ocean away, California has a surprising number of parallels

to ignore the lessons learned in parts of the world where droughts have been mitigated and future drought impacts averted.

We should consider the solutions that have been used – with or without success – and decide for ourselves which solutions could work for us . With due consideration, effective solutions are available.

South Africa’s cities and agricultural communities need reliable supplies of clean and adequate fresh water.

There is mounting concern about our ability to meet current and future water demand amid pressure on our water systems and over-allocated resources. In the 20th century, our approach to meeting this demand was to develop new supply: more dams, bigger transfer schemes and seawater desalination. While this approach has brought tremendous

benefits, we have reached the limits of traditional supply options.

A broader, more integrated approach There is no “silver bullet” solution to South Africa’s water problems, and we have a need for diverse answers. But the ability to do many things does not mean we must do, or can afford to do, everything. We must do the most effective things first.

There is vast untapped potential for reducing our water demand without affecting the benefits water provides.

Improving the efficiency of our water use is the cheapest, easiest, fastest and least destructive way to meet current and future water supply needs. We must expand our thinking about supply, away from costly and ineffective new dams and towards other options for expanding supply.

It is important to realise that we do not want water – we want water services.

We want to grow food and fibre, clean our clothes and dishes, get rid of our wastes, and produce motor vehicles and platinum and other goods and services. If we can continue to provide these goods and services with less water, we have increased the efficiency of our water use.

Widespread conservation and efficiency improvements are possible in every sector and water savings can be found for much less than the cost of building new or expanding supply. These savings are real and represent a tremendous amount of untapped potential.

A phenomenal 493 392 Mℓ of water can be quickly conserved by urban users by replacing only some of the many inefficient toilets, showerheads and washing machines.

These savings would require a catalytic public sector investment only and the longer-term energy, water, and wastewater savings will far exceed the initial investment.

Another 740 088 Mℓ of water can be saved by applying smart irrigation scheduling to just 20% of our vegetable and orchard acreage, practising regulated deficit irrigation on 20% of current

Through better water conservation and greater efficiency, South Africa’s total water use in 2030 could be 20% below current levels

mar/apr 2016

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cashew and macadamia acreage, and converting 20% of vegetables, and 10% of orchards and vine(Analysis by the Pacific Institute) yards, to drip sprinklers.

These changes would save water at an opportunity cost of around R2 000/m3.

South Africa’s total water use in 2030 could be 20% below current levels. Some of the water saved could be rededicated to agricultural production elsewhere in the country; support new urban and industrial activities and jobs; and restore our stressed rivers, groundwater aquifers, and wetlands, including transboundary catchments.

Water conservation and efficiency has the additional benefit of producing substantial energy savings as capturing, treating, transporting, and using water require tremendous amounts of energy. This is particularly true in Gauteng, where water supplies and population centres are separated by hundreds of kilometres, requiring significant infrastructure to move water to where it is needed. Between 30% and 50% of the national municipal energy budget is consumed by water-supply processes. So, improving national water conservation and efficiency can achieve substantial energy savings.

Better water conservation and efficiency can ensure we meet our water needs for decades to come. Total demand for water can drop by as much as 20% while still satisfying a growing population, maintaining a healthy agricultural sector, restoring the health of the Olifants catchment and supporting a vibrant economy.

Can such an efficient water future be achieved? Yes, given appropriate attention and effort, South Africa’s water use and reuse practices can be substantially modified over the next 25 years. Implementing these efficiency measures requires action on the part of legislators, water managers, water authorities and water services providers, farmers, corporations, and all individuals.

Finally, a quick comment on the ecological reserve, which protects endangered and threatened species as well as human beings. Species extinction is not a sustainable water policy. The collapsing ecosystems of the Crocodile (West) and Marico or Olifants water management areas are not the cause of our water problems, but a symptom. If the problem is falsely and ideologically defined as “people versus nature”, our water policy will have failed. We must ensure that both people and nature can thrive with the water we have.

Figure 1 California’s water use (green line), population (red line), and gross state product (blue line) between 1975 and 2001

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WISA 2016 Conference and Exhibition

Durban International Convention Centre

15-19 May 2016 The theme will be supported by the following sub-themes:

Registration

dates and fees

EARLY BIRD Register and pay before 31 March 2016 WISA Member

R 7 200

Non Member

R 7 800

Community Water Supply and Sanitation

Student Fee

R 4 000

Environmental Aspects

Day Delegate Fee

R 3 000

Health Related Aspects

LATE REGISTRATION

Industrial Water and Effluent

Register and pay between 1 April 2016 to 13 May 2016

Information Technology Legislation

WISA Member

R 7 800

Non Member

R 8 300

Management and Institutional Affairs

Student Fee

R 4 000

Membrane Processes

Day Delegate Fee

R 3 000

Modelling

ONSITE REGISTRATION

Mine Water

Register and pay on 15 May onwards

Plant Operation Potable Water Wastewater Development Planning Ground Water Remediation

WISA Member

R 8 000

Non Member

R 8 500

Student Fee

R 4 000

Day Delegate Fee

R 3 000

Fracking * Please note the registration fees quoted above do not include accommodation, flights, parking, or transportation.

REGISTER NOW

t + 27 31 303 9852 | f + 27 86 764 6904 | e erin@confco.co.za

www.wisa2016.org.za

y wp

Open letter on

Youth employment

March 2016: National Water Week

Dear Water Community,

Y

outh unemployment remains a serious issue, which the South African water sector needs to address, given its own need for a skilled and capable workforce. Now is the time to address the related challenges of youth unemployment and water sector skills gaps. To this end, the YWP-ZA National Committee has chosen to write an open letter to the South African water sector to think critically about water and jobs in 2016. As a youth network, we feel it is necessary to add our voice to this issue to assist today’s youth in creating a water-secure future for all.

UN Water has dedicated the 2016 World Water Day to the theme of 'Water and Jobs', coordinated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). This issue is extremely important to our members, as it speaks to having a coherent pipeline of jobs and capacitated individuals able to respond to the challenges of managing water resources sustainably – now, and in the future.

South Africa is part of a water-scarce geographic region where water resources are highly interconnected between different countries. Nationally, our blue water supplies are almost fully allocated. This necessitates an entirely new paradigm of thinking about supply and demand in a context where there is no room for error or delay. In recent months, many provinces have been faced with the stark reality of water scarcity and drought and experienced how debilitating this can be to everyday life and business. South Africa is not alone

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in these challenges. Considering that, by 2025, it is estimated that more than half the world’s population will be faced with water-based vulnerability, it is no surprise that the UN member states have voted to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. Water scarcity, quality and accessibility issues are ultimately driven by a highly complex myriad of environmental, political, economic and social forces – all of which will have to be met by a highly skilled and work-ready generation.

As skills development practitioners in the water and sanitation sector, there is a major contradiction to solve. On the one hand, the water sector, with its complex challenges, is hungry for skilled, innovative and dedicated employees.

On the other hand, YWP-ZA is regularly confronted with the frustration of young professionals who have qualified but cannot find work. This either leaves these individuals unemployed or forces them to move away from the water sector to find work elsewhere.

To respond to this contradiction, we need young people with the right types of training and skills who are interested, excited and capacitated to enter the water sector. We also need to ensure that there are entry-level pathways for these people into the world of work and that the sector has the absorptive capacity to employ young talent.

Getting this mix of factors right is crucial for the future sustainability of the sector and is also important in terms of dealing with the wider issue of youth

unemployment so prevalent in the South African context.

Thinking about youth in relation to water sector jobs also highlights the critical and creative task of working towards imagining the jobs of the future water sector, the skills of the future water sector, and the types of careers and employment structures that young people will be willing to commit to and work in. This conversation needs to include the public sector, private sector, not-for-profit organisations, big industrial partners as well as emerging entrepreneurs in a collective effort to plot out the water sector employment landscape of the future. In plotting these futures, we are going to have to take cognisance of a number of key insights prevalent in the South African jobs discourse, namely: There is persistent youth unemployment in South Africa. The June 2015 Statistics South Africa report indicated that youths make up 55% of the country’s 35.8 million working age population.

Of the 19.7 million youths, only 6.2 million were employed, 3.6 million were unemployed and still looking for a job and 1.53 million youths had given up looking for work. The remaining 8.4 million people are at school, training or are homemakers.

The conversation about transitioning to a green economy in South Africa is emphasising the job creation and absorption potential of the natural resources management space, particularly in countries with rich endowments of natural capital where the need for protection and

y wp

Many young people are increasingly attracted to being self-employed, as they see this as a career that allows for different degrees of flexibility than those offered in mainstream organisations

managing complex socio-ecological challenges is high.

In the developing world, expanding the number of effective small and medium-sized firms will play an important role in employment creation, as well as economic development.

Notably, skills challenges are one of the major factors that discourage the expansion of small and medium-sized firms.

Many young people are increasingly attracted to being self-employed, as they see this as a career that allows for different degrees of flexibility than those offered in mainstream organisations and they also see this as a way of securing employment in the broader context of job scarcity.

These issues, and many others, will have to guide the discussions triggered

by UN Water’s theme this year. Through this letter, YWP-ZA hopes to promote the need to bring youth intentionally into the lens when analysing how to think about water and jobs of the future.

As the YWP-ZA National Committee, we are asking our members to fill in a survey on our website (www.ywp-za. org/open-letter-on-jobs) so we can have a well-rounded picture of what the job-related challenges and opportunities of our members are.

To start this conversation, the YWP-ZA National Committee has started to outline some of the key points that should shape the South African water sector and jobs conversation in 2016. The time for action and change is now. The efforts of multiple organisations around these issues need to be consolidated into a comprehensive

approach that steers us in the right direction.

For the post-school youths, we need to explore whether: • relevant and appropriate training and career mentorship opportunities exist, particularly for new and emerging jobs • study programmes are linked to real-world problems and equip students and learners with relevant skills • multidisciplinary thinking is adequately integrated into qualifications to equip students and learners for the complexity of the water sector • the gap between technical and academic occupations can be reduced and whether the articulation between the two is adequately addressed • assistance for students and learners to enter the workforce (as an employee or self-employed entrepreneur) is currently sufficient and how it can be improved • programmes for unemployed graduates assist young people to enter the water sector job market.

For early- to mid-career young water professionals, we need to enter into a conversation about whether: • sustainable knowledge transfer and intergenerational learning can be improved and nurtured • willingness for new approaches can be seriously considered and tested in order

to replace outdated solutions •a dequate opportunities exist for young people to gain the first two years’ job experience through paid work (which facilitates capacitation, leadership, accountability and knowledge) • there is a clear understanding of career pathways and progressions so the water sector can retain talented and driven young staff • employers are ready to enter into conversations around workplace flexibility and jobs of the future • junior positions are given adequate experience, beyond event management and administrative tasks water sector employers can create career pathways for young professionals to keep them in the sector.

Let us take the time, in the 2016 year of water and jobs, for “doing”. Let us engage in bold, creative initiatives that will create a water-secure future for all, with a particular view to ensuring a rigorous pipeline of capacitated young people to help to fulfil these needs.

Kind regards, The South African Young Water Professionals National Committee, a division of the Water Institute of Southern Africa and an initiative of the International Water Association

For queries, please contact: Shanna Nienaber, YWP-ZA National Chairperson, Shanna. Nienaber@dst.gov.za mar/apr 2016

13

HOT SEAT

improchem

More than mere chemistry Cross-industry sustainability solutions specialist ImproChem appointed new MD Graham Sanders on 1 March 2016. Sanders jumps straight into WASA's Hot Seat to discuss the company’s capabilities and commitment to its customers.

ImproChem apart from its competitors. In addition, consistently meeting and exceeding our customers’ KPIs, maintaining high service standards and partnering with our customers to develop and document Value Generation Projects (VGPs) for continuous improvement are fundamental to our differentiation.

Within a community setting, your attitude to social responsibility is as important as your clients’ productivity and profitability. What is your approach to this very sensitive issue? Safety,

What approach do you adopt to solve your clients’ toughest water, energy and air quality management challenges on-site?

on-site services and application support on an ongoing basis.

What specifically differentiates you from your competitors, as far as deliverables are concerned? While

GS ImproChem’s highly experienced team of technologists and engineers ImproChem has access works closely with our to the world’s best water customers to identify and and hydrocarbon process solve problems, mitigate treatment chemistries, health and safety risks, and equipment and domain reduce operating costs. Once expertise, a key differentiator the causes and consequences is the hands-on knowledge of the problem have been and talents of our on-site jointly identified, are clearly technologists and technical understood and performance support teams, who create goals mutually agreed the link between the upon, a treatment solution challenges that our customers can be designed and experience on-site and the implemented. This will often products and services that we comprise a combination can offer. It is this creativity of treatment chemicals, and innovation that sets monitoring and control systems, and custom-engineered equipment. In order to ensure the success of the treatment solution and generate value for our customers, our technologists provide Graham Sanders, MD, ImproChem

“As an AECI Group company, we invest in effective, communityfocused organisations and initiatives.”

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mar/apr 2016

health and environmental responsibility and regulatory compliance are always at the forefront of our business activities. We are committed to a clean, safe and healthy environment for not only our employees, contractors and customers, but also for surrounding communities that may be impacted by our business activities. We are committed to obeying the spirit and letter of the law, acting ethically and responsibly to ensure the sustainability of our business and to protect the AECI Group’s standing as a good corporate citizen.

As an AECI Group company, we are party to the group’s corporate social responsibility commitment, investing in effective, community-focused organisations and initiatives, through the development and upliftment of vulnerable communities surrounding our operations. The AECI social upliftment programmes are driven by strategic social investment, community empowerment, meaningful partnerships and good governance, which all ensure sustainable development by

HOT SEAT

improchem

right Sales technologists provide on-site services and application support to ensure the success of the treatment solution and value generation for ImproChem's customers opposite ImproChem's head office in Modderfontein

“teaching people to fish rather than giving them a fish”.

In looking at your product/ service offerings, can you provide some info on your water, energy and air focuses, highlighting a few of the key value propositions for clients.

Through our global technology partnerships with GE Water & Process Technologies, Innospec, Recochem, Onvida and Palintest, as well as our extensive local resources, ImproChem is able to offer the most comprehensive range of chemical and equipment solutions for the treatment and management of industrial and municipal waters, hydrocarbon processing applications, air-borne dust, and noxious odours in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Our suite of treatment chemistries, engineered equipment and on-site services generate value for our customers by minimising water consumption and wastewater disposal expenses, preventing production bottlenecks, extending the life of plant and equipment, maintaining clean heat transfer surfaces, reducing unplanned downtime, and by helping them to achieve compliance with environmental, health and safety legislation.

How can you assist refineries, steel mills, petrochemical and chemical process industries, food and beverage plants, electrical utilities and buildings in general to keep the total cost of operation down? ImproChem’s class-leading chemical and

equipment technologies reduce maintenance costs and protect the integrity of our customers’ operating assets by ensuring that corrosion, scale and microbial growth is kept under control. Further, the operating efficiency and throughput of manufacturing processes and water systems is maintained and improved through the application of technologies that prevent and reverse the effects of organic and inorganic fouling in pipework and process systems.

This improves flow dynamics and heat transfer efficiency, reduces product spoilage and minimises production bottlenecks. ImproChem’s core strength is in assisting our customers to maximise their water utilisation efficiencies and reduce costs through the application of our extensive range of chemical products, monitoring systems and engineered equipment.

Collectively, these enable our customers to reduce fresh water usage, as well as meeting their wastewater discharge compliance, water use minimisation and effluent recycling objectives. As an example, ImproChem installed and continues to operate a wastewater recovery plant at Chevron refinery in Cape Town that provides up to 3 500 m3/ day of high-quality process water from municipal effluent for use in cooling systems, boilers and firewater systems at the refinery. This has saved the refinery millions of rands in potable water consumption over the past few years and

has helped to reduce potable water supply shortages in this water-stressed region.

With climate change and growing concerns about our environment, how does ImproChem assist in this regard? Water is a key strategic resource on the African continent. Thus, engineered solutions for wastewater management are also critical for reducing potential contamination of key natural water resources and maximising wastewater reuse and recycling opportunities.

Our international partner, GE Water & Process Technologies, is also continuously researching and developing "green chemistries" that are environmentally benign, as well as high-efficiency water preparation and recycling equipment technologies that save energy and reduce cost of ownership.

In which geographic areas do you operate and how does this advantage your supply chain and service delivery? ImproChem is now operational in 29 countries across sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, servicing more than 3 000 industrial, municipal and institutional customers regionally. We currently have registered legal entities in seven countries outside South Africa, namely Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia and Mauritius. This is further expanded by AECI’s legal

entities in countries like the DRC and Zambia. In countries where we do not yet have legal entities, we have established strong partnerships with 16 appointed distributors who provide technology and services on behalf of ImproChem.

Having legal entities and representation in the countries where we operate provides a significant advantage in terms of managing our supply chain. Our sales personnel and appointed distributors have regular face-to-face interactions with our customers and have a good understanding of our customers’ plants and processes. This ensures that products are applied optimally and replenishment stock is ordered timeously, based on system requirements.

Furthermore, in-country stock of products is maintained in key geographies, which provides security of supply to our international customers.

ImproChem manufactures a wide range of chemical products at its manufacturing plants located in Umbogintwini and Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal.

This provides the added advantages of being able to maintain short order-to-delivery cycles and reduced supply-chain expenses.

+27 (0)11 971 0400 www.improchem.co.za mar/apr 2016

15

water week A Pangolin borehole drilling rig in operation

Offsetting the effects

of drought

With South Africa in the grip of its worst drought in 30 years, citizens are looking at alternate water sources. In response, Johannesburg‘s water utility is actively promoting the use of borehole water. But, this requires responsible implementation. By Tony Stone

A

efficiency and water loss management, reuse and local resource optimisation through the use of groundwater, desalination and improved control.”

gainst the backdrop of the as much as Johannesburg’s water utility, Borehole campaign world stage, South Africa Johannesburg Water, would like to keep Guided by government’s directives, is at an interesting point in pace in dealing with these challenges, it the MMC of the Department of its physical history. Climate is finding it extremely difficult to do so.

Environmental & Infrastructure Services change is affecting everyone. Scientists in Gauteng, Matshidiso Mfikoe, launched have been looking at it since the late Government policy a borehole campaign on 3 February 2016 1960s, but town and city development Fred van Zyl, director: Water Services, in Johannesburg. The event was hosted plans put in place 25 years ago were Department of Water & Sanitation (DWS), by Johannesburg Water at the Bryanston done at a time when climate change is quite firm on his position regarding wa- Country Club. The MMC said that, bewas not even on the everyday municipal ter security in South Africa. In referencing cause of the drought, the department agenda. Areas that were previously un- the department’s policy, as detailed in the had realised how important it is to use affected or less affected by drought are National Water Resource Strategy II, he water responsibly. suffering today. said, “South Africa will be at risk if water Mfikoe said, “As part of the city’s susIn addition, experts have predicted a is not taken seriously and interventions tainability mandate, Joburg Water looked water shortage for the Johannesburg are not applied timeously. Fresh surface at innovative ways to reduce water area and surrounds due to rapid urban- water, as a resource, is at its limits in most demand on its existing water resources, isation – high industrial activity, dam areas and, although sufficient alternative throughout the city, through the introcapacity limitations, water is available, this requires improved duction of alternate water supplies. One river water pollution such alternative is boreholes. problems, ageing “I want to strongly encourage Joburg “I want to strongly encourinfrastructure and age the residents of the City residents to make an effort to find maintenance chalof Joburg to work together out if they are able to drill a borehole with us and make an effort lenges, acid mine drainage and so to find out if they are able on their property.” Matshidiso Mfikoe, on. It’s a complex to drill a borehole on their MMC, Gauteng Department of Environmental & problem.

And, Infrastructure Services

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water week

property. We are aware that not every household can drill a borehole,” she said.

Mfikoe said the City of Joburg had identified areas such as Founders Hill, Dunkeld West, Linksfield, Elton Hill, Bramley, Houghton Estate, Sunningdale, Melrose Estate, Rosebank and Parktown North as campaign targets and appealed to residents in these areas to strongly consider drilling boreholes to gain access to groundwater – as these areas have been found to be the city’s highest water-using areas.

Andrew Johnstone, of GCS Water and Environmental Consultants, and consultants to Joburg Water, endorsed the MMC’s position and agreed that the approach to borehole development and usage was a sensible one.

Figure 1 The

perfect world

(Source: Cengage Learning)

Groundwater pollution Before a borehole is drilled, it would be wise to consult a mar/apr 2016

17

water week

geohydrologist and scan the environment to establish the borehole’s proximity to any agricultural and/or industrial activities, as well as any municipal landfill sites or illegal dumping ground, especially if downstream. In most cases, official landfill sites have been properly constructed on clay bases, etc. to prevent the infiltration of leachate – liquid that, in the course of passing through waste, extracts soluble or suspended solids, or any other component of the material through which it has passed, into groundwater. However, uncontrolled solid and liquid waste dumping and improperly constructed landfill sites have been identified as one of the major threats to groundwater resources. Given the composition of these dumps – medical waste, animal and human waste, chemicals and the biodegradation of materials – the leachate concoction is unimaginable. Yes, it can be analysed and broken down into its constituent parts, but the collective brew is putrid, and its effect on the human body is deadly.

In its latest quarterly ‘State of Water Resources Report’, the DWS reported that South Africa’s groundwater quality, based on salinity, is reasonably stable with slight seasonal variations. It does say that poor water quality can be expected in areas affected by mining and industrial activities, especially on a local scale. In addition, nitrate concentrations increase as a result of human activities such as agriculture, industry and domestic effluents.

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SCHEDULE 1 The following water use need not be registered: • T aking water directly from any water resource to which a person has lawful access, for: - reasonable domestic use in a person’s household - small gardening (but not for commercial purposes) - t he watering of animals (but not for commercial purposes, thus excluding feedlots), provided that the use is not excessive in relation to the capacity of the water resource and the needs of other users.

•S toring and using run-off water from a roof.

• T aking water from any water resource for human needs or firefighting.

•R ecreation, if a person has lawful access to that water resource.

•D ischarge of waste or water containing waste or run-off water (including stormwater) into a canal, sea outfall or other conduit, provided these are controlled by persons that have been authorised to purify, treat or dispose of this wastewater.

Fluoride, a chemical that occurs naturally within many types of rock, can also be increased as a result of other activities, such as: • r un-off and infiltration of chemical fertilisers in agricultural areas • s eptic and sewage treatment system discharges in communities with fluoridated water supplies • l iquid waste from industrial sources.

These chemicals, in volumes above the recommended consumption levels for humans, can and will affect people who consume this unpurified water on a regular basis.

Edna Molewa, when she was the Minister of Water & Sanitation, noted that the mining sector, urban development, industries and agriculture were identified as the main contributors to the deteriorating levels of water quality. “This pollution negatively impacts on the quality of groundwater, which, at times, is the only

source of water for communities in some of our rural areas,” she said.

Water purification will, in most cases, be necessary – the extent of which will be determined by water analysis. Whatever the requirement, it will add to the overall cost of a borehole.

Borehole registration No registration is required if groundwater use falls within Schedule 1 of the National Water Act. But, despite this, some municipalities have by-laws requiring the registration of boreholes. In such cases, people should be advised to contact their local municipal authority to clarify the matter. If the groundwater use falls outside Schedule 1 parameters, a water-use licence, regardless of the water source, must be obtained. In terms of the Act, this is governed by general authorisation and compulsory licensing. Forms are available on the DWS’s website.

PRODUCTS

Cost of drilling a borehole The foremost consideration when drilling a borehole is to carefully select a reputable drilling company – people who know what they are doing and have all the right equipment. They should have contactable, recent references and operate in accordance with SABS standards SANS 10299: 2003 – the Development, Maintenance and Management of Groundwater Resources. The Borehole Water Association of South Africa provides a comprehensive checklist of what to look for when drilling and commissioning a borehole.

The costs involved vary, depending on the depth, pump and water quality. Table 1 gives an indication of the costs, based on an average depth of 55 m. Table 2 provides details of the typical stainless steel pumps one would use in a residential application. What is important to remember is that a more powerful pump does not necessarily equate to a better Table 1 Borehole costs (based on an average depth of 55 m)

Cost Element Drilling R250–R350/m Casing PVC R300/m Well head Water analysis Particulate filter system Pump TOTAL

Average Cost (ZAR) 16 500 16 500 950 2 800 3 500 4 395 44 645

above Just one of a number of borehole water purificaton plants (Image: SCL Water) below A smart idea. Water storage tanks provide water security (Image: JoJo Tanks)

pump, especially when considering costs of electricity.

Water treatment Treating water is a challenging process, because water varies so much in its characteristics and no two situations are the same. This means that one technology solution does not fit all. It is imperative that you have your borehole water analysed before you choose a treatment process.

Generally speaking, it is useful to think in terms of progressive barriers – slowly treating water by removing contaminants in a sequence of steps. The first step is a sediment filter using a mechanical filter such as a fast sand filter, a large cartridge filter or a DE (diatomaceous earth) filter. The second step may be to change the pH or oxygenation level. To disinfect the water, chorination and/or a UV steriliser or a reverse osmosis system should do the trick. Somewhere in-between, you may want to treat some specific problems, like too much manganese, or organic chemicals that might possibly be in your water.

FOR THE

WATER INDUSTRY

Water storage Borehole water should be treated before it is stored. A water storage tank is a practical, easy-to-install and affordable solution. JoJo water tanks are available in a variety of sizes (260 ℓ to 20 000 ℓ), to suit all requirements and budgets. These tanks are also made from the best-quality, virgin food-grade materials, lined with a carbon black, food-grade material to keep the water clean and prevent algae growth.

They carry an eight-year guarantee.

Water security The United Nations defines water security as the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable-quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development; for ensuring protection against waterborne pollution and water-related disasters; and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability. For total water security, you could install a rainwater harvesting system and treat your water using your borehole water treatment process, thereby saving your borehole water. South Africans should seriously think about boreholes and rainwater harvesting, given climate change. It’s the sensible thing to do. mar/apr 2016

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www.vovani.co.za

1919

mar/apr JAN/FEB 2016 2016

provincial focus

Big projects

for Mogale City Mogale City Local Municipality is

embarking on a number of labour-intensive initiatives, including construction of the Chief Mogale Bulk Sewer projects, valued at R38 million, with a construction duration of 41 weeks. These projects have created 49 temporary jobs.

T

he Chief Mogale Bulk Sewer Project has a construction value of R16 140 185.57 and includes the construction of a 900 m gravitation line from Chief Mogale Extension to the pump station and a 700 m pressure line from the pump station, crossing Randfontein Road, to the manhole that will gravitate to Flip Human Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW).

It also includes the construction of a 7.8 Mℓ/d pump station, a 2.1 km water distribution line as well as 1.1 Mℓ elevated tank, and a booster pump station that will be built at Kagiso Extension 13 reservoir yard. “The municipality has embarked on this project to accommodate additional effluent from the newly developed Chief Mogale Extension and future developments,” said Daniel Mosomane, zonal technician: Water and Sanitation, in a release issued by the municipality.

Jericho Water Project Phase 2 The second and last phase of the Magalies Waterand Madibeng Municipality-run project that will see water supply increase for Jericho villagers near Brits, outside Pretoria, has commenced. R15 million has been allocated for the refurbishment of existing infrastructure to augment the water supply capacity in Jericho. The Department of Water & Sanitation (DWS) appointed Magalies Water as the implementing agent and Madibeng Municipality to oversee the project.

Some sections of Jericho village have not been getting water supply due to the water network not working efficiently. This project involves the laying of pipelines, reticulation, testing and drilling of boreholes, ascertaining the yield of the boreholes as well as connecting the feeder lines to the existing network and the main reservoir. The project is expected to contribute to socio-economic upliftment in the area with the provision of more than 30 job opportunities.

Up to 30% of the contract will be awarded to the villagers in the form of subcontracting (SMMEs) and the main contractor is obliged to impart skills such as pipe-laying and plumbing to villagers employed on the project.

R300 million refurbishment The DWS is spending more than R300 million to repair and upgrade 26 semior non-functioning WWTWs. This comes amid various reports about fears of raw sewage, which flows into the Vaal River, affecting environmental, social and economic users of water. The DWS, in 2015, contracted an engineering and consultancy firm to determine whether Refengkgotso WWTW is contributing to the pollution of the Vaal River.

According to the recently released preliminary report, Refengkgotso WWTW in Metsimaholo Local Municipality, though originally designed to get 2 Mℓ/d, had, by the end of 2015, exceeded its capacity by more than 150%. It is receiving average daily inflows of about 57 ℓ per second, which works out to about 5 Mℓ/d, meaning that the plant is overloaded. A technical analysis done on the infrastructure of the plant shows that the quarry to which the non-compliant treated sewage is being pumped is small. top Irrigation next to the Vaal River left A wastewater treatment plant

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provincial focus

The Metsimaholo Municipality undertakes regular maintenance on the facultative pond, two aerobic ponds, biofilter tanks, humus tanks, maturation channels and sludge dry beds, as these are in good conditions. An emergency intervention was launched by the department, as a way of repairing the 26 dysfunctional WWTWs, through the allocation of the R300 million.

Water-quality audits for WWTWs The DWS has initiated an independent conditional assessment of some of the WWTWs that discharge their final effluent into the Vaal River. The conditional assessment audit was initiated in response to the deteriorating wastewater quality and state of the Vaal River system, mainly due to sewage spills.

In Gauteng, the assessment shows that the infrastructural state of some of the WWTWs is still in good condition. The Ennerdale WWTW is at an acceptable level with no major concerns, according to the department. The short-term requirement for this plant includes the installation of emergency storage to prevent contamination of groundwater.

A study is being conducted to investigate the feasibility of this intervention, which should be implemented in the next 12 months. At the Bushkoppies WWTW, the effluent quality is also of acceptable standards. The only concern is sand ingress into the plant and its impact on sludge management. There are a number of projects currently under way to address some of the challenges, including the upgrading of degritters to improve handling of sand from influent; replacing of the compactor motor and gearbox service; construction of the drying beds for waste sand from primary

sedimentation tanks and degritters; cleaning of the emergency dam and installation of linings; and construction of extra storage for digested sludge.

All these projects are currently being implemented and are expected to be completed in the next 12 months.

Growing population puts pressure on Ekurhuleni’s pipes An increase in population, old infrastructure and vandalism are just some of the issues leading to sewer blockages in the Ekurhuleni area, according to the municipality.

Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) recently highlighted factors responsible for sewer blockages in the municipality.

EMM has been experiencing population growth at a rate of 2.5% over the last 10 years. According to the municipality, the problem of population growth is particularly acute in high-density townships, as there are always some backyard households not ordinarily accommodated in the design of the sewer infrastructure. This results in massive pressure on the sewer system.

EMM is also sitting on at least R700 million worth of overdue sewer infrastructure upgrades and replacements.

The implication of having such a huge backlog is that infrastructure that has outlived its usefulness continues to render service, notwithstanding the poor service arising from the use of such infrastructure.

Boreholes to mitigate effects of drought Johannesburg Water has entered into a partnership with the Borehole Water

LEFT Old infrastructure is putting pressure on Ekurhuleni’s pipes above Boreholes are part of Johannesburg Water’s strategy to mitigate water shortages

Association (BWA) to encourage the city’s residents to switch to borehole water to mitigate the crippling drought.

The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the launch of a city-wide campaign to encourage residents, particularly those living in affluent areas, to consider boreholes as an alternative water supply source.

The MoU was signed by Lungile Dhlamini, managing director, Johannesburg Water, and Collin Rice, chairman, BWA. Cllr Matshidiso Mfikoe, member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services, who witnessed the signing, made a clarion call to residents to save water, especially in the wake of the severe drought facing the city and the country.

“We’re a water-scarce country and everyone has a responsibility to save this scarce resource,” she said.

“Boreholes are a component of the water mix the city is exploring. This includes harvesting ground- and rainwater and recycling it.” mar/apr 2016

21

Water Engineering Courses 2016 Course 1- Pipeline Design

4 CPD points

Course 2 - Free Surface Flow (2D – New HEC-RAS Version 5)

3 CPD points

An optional day to visit pipe and valve manufacturers is scheduled for Friday, 18 March 2016 to obtain information on latest products – R600.00 (VAT incl.) optional extra.

This course will provide you with a sound knowledge of the theory and analyses of practical free surface flow problems, as well as the basic theory of free surface flow, mass, energy and momentum conservation. The application to determine flood lines, culvert sizing, and bridge flow hydraulics will also be covered.

Course fees: Course dates:

Course fees: Course dates:

This course will introduce you to the practical aspects of pipeline design.

R8 600.00 (VAT incl.)

14–18 March 2016

R7 200.00 (VAT incl.)

11–13 May 2016

Shifting knowledge to insight

Enrol online at enterprises.up.ac.za +27 (0)12 434 2500

+27 (0)12 434 2505

info@enterprises.up.ac.za

Private Bag X41, Hatfield, 0028

For quotations on in-house training, email quote@enterprises.up.ac.za

industry insight

endress+hauser

E

ndress+Hauser South Africa is well established in all areas of water and wastewater treatment with a network of global support. Its competencies include monitoring the quality of water bodies, drinking-water treatment and the distribution thereof. As various regions in South Africa are running out of surface water to use for drinking water, coastal towns and cities will turn to desalination of sea water where inland towns and cities will turn to water reuse to supplement their water supply.

The use of membrane filtration is key to these water supply solutions and Endress+Hauser has proved to be a reliable partner to various membrane plant builders, whether in desalination or water reuse. Further to these, Endress+Hauser also has a large footprint in treatment and optimisation of municipal as well as industrial wastewater. Robust, reliable and user-friendly measurement technology is essential to the reliable operations of water works and sewage treatment. Endress+Hauser offers a modern portfolio of measurement devices that make it possible for you to find the ideal solution for all your applications from one single source.

Platform technologies such as Proline (flow), Liquiline (liquid analysis) and Cerabar (pressure) offer a host of benefits for planners, system integrators, operators as well as service personnel. These include reduced complexity due to standardisation of similar measuring points, easy multiplication of device settings for comparable measuring points reducing time and potential for errors, and optimising stock keeping of modular replacement parts for device platforms.

The correct selection of your measuring points starts at the design stage of your project. As part of Endress+Hauser’s industry focus and expertise, assistance and consulting services can be supplied early in the project stages. This will assist in selecting the correct and most cost-effective solution from the company’s extensive and flexible product basket. Also included is the selection of the most suited measurement principle to a particular process as well as selecting the correct segmented product according to required features and capabilities, such As a vital resource, water as advanced diagnostics. needs to be managed carefully Endress+Hauser can also supply the complete solution throughout the entire process. to the loop by offering surge Industry expert Endress+Hauser arresters, power supplies and displays. Smart system comassists with technical and ponents such as data manprocess support, offering high- agers and loggers complete the measurement basket quality solutions to increase and allow for smart solutions plant efficiency and optimise in respect of data storage, individual preference for I/O clients’ operational costs.

Water is our Life

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mar/apr 2016

industry insight opposite Municipal wastewater plant right Memograph M RSG45 – advanced data manager touch panel below right Promag 400 electromagnetic flow meter

types, quantities and linking to various communication protocols. These include HART, WirelessHART, Profibus, Foundation Fieldbus and Ethernet.

As energy consumption forms a large part of the overall operating cost of a wastewater treatment plant, it is of utmost importance to monitor this continuously. The transparent presentation of energy consumption needs to be broken down into individual processes in order to benchmark the energy optimisation.

Endress+Hauser has developed a smart energy-monitoring solution for sewage treatment plants based on the advanced and improved Memograph RSG45. As an energy manager, the RSG45 collects, calculates and visualises the defined key performance indicators of the plant. In conjunction with the intuitive Field Data Manager software (FDM), remote access and further processing becomes very easy to implement.

Hennie Pretorius, Energy monitoring offers: industry manager: Water and • optimised plant performance Wastewater, Endress+Hauser • increased pump efficiency • electricity generation monitoring using ammonia and nitrate levels in the (where biogas is used) process, aims to achieve safe effluent • improved aeration performance levels as a first priority and also reduce • customised KPIs. energy consumption significantly. The Biological wastewater treatment is a controller can be rapidly commissioned core process in any modern sewage and supplies you with identical HMIs for processing plant. It involves the decomup to three biological treatment zones. position of organic loads and nutrients It provides you with real-time control, that can cause eutrophication in downfieldbus communication, failure-safe stream water bodies. Aeration of the modes according to process impact, aerobic treatment step is, however, a event and alarm messaging as well as major cost factor, with at least 50% of data logging. It is able to control and optotal electrical energy being consumed. timise continuous aeration, intermittent It has already been proven by many opaeration as well as precipitant dosing for erators that a strategically implemented phosphate removal. aeration control system can significantly Endress+Hauser South Africa will be improve both effluent discharge values launching the Liquiline Control CDC81 as well as energy consumption. In many at WISA 2016 in Durban from 15 to places, phosphate precipitation is neces19 May 2016. sary but this also represents a significant When you need help quickly, cost factor. Load-sensitive phosphate Endress+Hauser’s 24/7 service helpline precipitation is an effective solution is there to support you and give you for cost-efficiency and safe phosphate required assistance in order to minimise discharge levels. your downtime. This can be telephonic The Endress+Hauser load-sensitive assistance or on-site diagnostics or repair. controller, the Liquiline Control CDC81, Further support services offered include

“Endress+Hauser will be launching the Liquiline Control CDC81 at WISA 2016 in Durban from 15 to 19 May 2016.”

endress+hauser

engineering, commissioning, traceable calibrations, maintenance and expert product training.

When you want to optimise your processes based on the services provided, Endress+Hauser can offer further assistance. This includes maintenance and calibration management, maintenance consulting as well as calibration consulting.

Only a clear picture and detailed knowledge of the installed instrument base can act as a solid foundation for a predictive maintenance and optimisation strategy for your plant. Whether you need to find information on spare parts, verify software versions, trace instrument history records on the basis of key events, or view the plant database with its installed instruments, the data must be up to date and readily available.

W@M Lifecycle management supports these operational matters and can assume strategic tasks.

The first step for this implementation is an installed base audit in order to capture all the process equipment and instrumentation.

Your main benefit will be: • full information traceability of your field instrumentation once the audit is complete • information at your fingertips 24/7 – highly valuable in urgent situations •e fficiency gains in your operations through the significant improvement of your asset information management.

Even third-party devices can be included but the information update will be a manual process.

Plant managers face a continuous struggle to improve their water processes and reduce the operational costs of their plants. Hand in hand with this are the challenges faced in increasing plant safety and availability.

Count on Endress+Hauser – the people for process automation – to optimise your water process and support you globally as a long-term partner.

+27 (0)11 262 8000 hennie.pretorius@za.endress.com http://bit.ly/1RYiMEj mar/apr 2016

23

AFRICA ROUND-UP

Water, sanitation and hygiene across the continent AFRICA

Wastewater a key resource The 330 km3 of

municipal wastewater produced globally each year is enough to irrigate 40 million hectares – equivalent to 15% of all currently irrigated land – or to power 130 million households through biogas generation, concluded a recently released UN report.

The report, titled “Sanitation, Wastewater Management and Sustainability: From Waste Disposal to Resource Recovery”, published by the UN Environment Programme and the Stockholm Environment Institute, gives an overview of current knowledge and practices in wastewater management and demonstrates the opportunities for recovery and reuse of the resources found in domestic waste flows. Globally produced municipal wastewater contains 25% of the nitrogen

flushes enough nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to fertilise about 500 000 ha of agricultural land.

A more circular approach to wastewater would significantly contribute to achieving the recently adopted 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The report recommends that sustainable sanitation and wastewater management systems be created that are technically, culturally and institutionally appropriate, economically viable and resilient to disasters.

ETHIOPIA

Fogera Dam nearing completion Although four years

behind schedule, Fogera Irrigation Dam, which has been under construction for the last eight years in Amhara State, South Gondar Zone, on the Rib River, is set to be completed within the next five months. Feleke Kidane, acting manager: Fogera

above from left Wastewater has the potential to be a source of numerous, valuable minerals Newly repaired hand pumps in Liberia Drought relief in Namibia is only a temporary fix

and 15% of the phosphorus of chemical fertilisers. It can also carry large amounts of iron, chloride, boron, copper and zinc. In just one day, a city of 10 million

24

mar/apr 2016

Dam Project, Ethiopian Water Works Construction Enterprise, said that the construction was delayed because of the gap created between the feasibility study

and the actual construction, lack of construction materials and financial limitation. “But presently, all these have been fulfilled and the construction is progressing well.”

Teshome Seyum, consulting engineer: Fogera Dam Project, Water Works Design and Supervision Enterprise, also said that the dam is expected to cultivate 20 000 ha of land upon its completion.

In addition, it would protect the area from flooding and supply drinking water.

“Presently, the dam is 72% complete and we are working day and night to finalise everything in the next five months,” he added.

in the communities, including engaging community residents, assessing hand pumps, and distributing chlorine, among others. He said the ministry would set up a call centre for residents to report problems with the hand pumps so they can be quickly repaired.

Paye also disclosed a plan to strengthen community wash teams to help protect these hand pumps from criminals, particularly at night.

The Ethiopian Herald

The Ministry of Public Works has launched a “FLOW” campaign to repair the country’s water points under the theme, “For the Love of Water” (FLOW). At its launch, the Deputy Minister for Rural Development and Community Services, Jackson J Paye, said the campaign is intended to repair hand

has, so far, allocated N$916 million for drought relief between April 2015 to March 2016, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said recently.

In an interview with The Namibian at her offices in Windhoek, KuugongelwaAmadhila said about 500 000 Namibians are benefiting from various interventions put in place by the government.

The government has also

pumps in various communities and make sure they are functional again, adding the campaign will also institute the hand-washing systems at these communities through training followed by the distribution of chlorine tablets and leaflets on hand washing. He said that major activities will be carried out

made sure of adequate preparedness and enough finances for such disasters, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said, but admitted that the country faces a disaster of significant magnitude if the rain pattern does not improve. A report compiled by the National Early Warning and Food Information Unit

LIBERIA

FLOW campaign launched

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Tanzanian researchers aim to treat water using biochar

says the persistent drought has weakened food security and that households that had food had already depleted their stocks between August and October last year.

the ocean, lakes, rivers and streams. The research would develop design guidelines to treat faecal sludge that would later be disseminated to regional water authorities in the country.

The Citizen

The Namibian

water and wastewater

ZIMBABWE

TANZANIA

Sanitation project starts At UDSM The College of

Engineering and Technology, in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, has introduced the Faecal Sludge Dewatering Research Project, which intends to produce biochar and improve sanitation.

Apart from understanding the process of faecal sludge dewaterability, the development and optimisation of dewatering technologies, this research will provide cost estimates and design guidelines for full-scale project implementation.

The construction of the facility located at the University of Dar Salaam premises was funded by the Swiss government at Sh31 million and research would start in March 2016 and end in 2018. A number of students from the college would get an opportunity to learn how it operates and understand its importance in addressing sanitation problems at a community level. In Tanzania, large amounts of untreated faecal sludge are discharged into water sources such as

Reliable level measurement for water andlevel wastewater Reliable measurement for

Half-full dams signal water crisis The country’s major

dams are about half full and supplies won’t last through the start of the next rainy season in October, Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Oppah Muchinguri has warned.

“These are the chilling effects of the climate phenomenon which has affected the whole SADC region,” Muchinguri-Kashiri told reporters in Harare.

“This address is a clarion call for all of us to be highly responsible and adopt measures that will ensure we get through the drought period together.”

Muchinguri-Kashiri said government needs to preserve and monitor existing water infrastructure with greater consistency and efficiency.

“Zimbabwe has more than 10 000 (water bodies) which are underutilised, which, coupled with the unfortunate state of weather affairs, has had a disastrous effect on food security and livestock in the country.”

The ministry has now imposed stringent measures in both rural and urban communities to conserve water.

New Zimbabwean mar/apr 2016

27

Radar Sensor for the water mangement sector Radar Sensor for the water mangement sector

VEGAPULS WL 61, the radar sensor by VEGA was developed for the areabyofVEGA water/ VEGAPULS WLespecially 61, the radar sensor sewage. was developed especially for the area of water/ sewage.

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The radar sensor VEGAPULS WL 61 is able to The radar VEGAPULS WL 61with is able measure thesensor level in open channels verytohigh measure the level in open channels with very high precision. Since the measurement is completely precision. Since the measurement is completely unaffected by temperature fluctuations, air unaffected by temperature fluctuations, air movements and light foam generation on the liquid movements and light foam generation on the liquid surface, VEGAPULS WL 61 represents the optimal surface, VEGAPULS WL 61 represents the optimal solution for this industry. industry. solution formost mostapplications applications in in this

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amanz' abantu

LEFT The dam construction nearing completion viewed from the east bank below The new dam over-topping for the first time in December 2015

Water for people

The Mndwaka Dam project received the SAICE Water Division’s Technical Excellence Award for 2015.

Oliver Ive – managing director, Amanz’abantu Services, and director, Zana Manzi JV – discusses the project.

I

n 2008, the Amathole District Municipality commissioned the Mncwasa Water Supply Scheme.

The Mndwaka Dam was identified as the preferred source of water to supply approximately 63 rural villages with some 40 000 people in the Mbashe Local Municipality Area of the Eastern Cape.

The planning and investigation process for this scheme included community consultations by way of baseline surveys and the formation of a Project Steering Committee (PSC), which comprised representatives from the key stakeholders and villages. A high unemployment rate was identified and the need to maximise work opportunities was prioritised.

The Mndwaka Dam is situated near Hole in the Wall, along the Eastern Cape Wild Coast. Due to its isolated location, engineering design, construction and related materials procurement activities necessitated careful planning to confirm economic feasibility while promoting maximum benefit to the villages surrounding the dam site through job creation.

The engineers considered a number of dam types and configurations, and the availability of construction materials, source-to-site distances, valley shape, dam configuration and associated quantities were evaluated together with the requirement to store a designated volume of water within a relatively small dam basin. This led to the selection of a rubble masonry concrete (RMC), multiple-arch/buttress-type structure. With a maximum height of 29.6 m and its RMC volume of approximately 30 000 m3, this

PROJECT TEAM •P roject developer and owner Amathole District Municipality • Funder Depar tment of Water & Sanitation • Design and construction monitoring Sontinga Consulting Ser vices, ARQ Consulting Engineers •C ontractor Zana Manzi Joint Venture (WSSA, Amanz’ abantu & Zana Manzi Construction) dam represents the highest and largest structure of this type yet constructed in South Africa.

RMC dam construction offers advantages in terms of lower cost on a small scale and in a remote location, but it is the high

utilisation of labour, with associated skills development, and the insensitivity to floods during construction that make this particular type of dam construction so attractive in rural Southern Africa.

The construction methodology required efficient materials supply and handling procedures and the contractor implemented several innovative strategies that ensured most raw materials required for the construction of the dam wall were sourced from the upstream basin and were refined to the required specification as near as possible to the dam wall. The approach included: •e stablishing a quarry to produce some 40 000 m3 of blast rock • efficient materials handling, crushing and screening to produce both coarse and fine aggregate for concrete stone, mortar sand, and filter sand • batching and pumping of mortar to the dam wall • operating an aerial cableway, spanning some 270 m across the valley, to deliver large plums and equipment to the wall.

Selection and employment of local labour was done through the CLO and the PSC. And a process of rotation of labour was agreed upon with the PSC to ensure suitable and fair opportunity for employment while developing and retaining key skills.

The final cost estimate, including R2 million in extension of time claims and R4.5 million in variation orders, was R76.7 million, which represents a 9.5% total cost increase.

The labour component of the project costs amounted to R21.1 million, confirming the employment benefits of the technical choice to use RMC. Construction works commenced in April 2012, with completion at the end of July 2015.

The Mndwaka Dam has successfully demonstrated the applicability and appropriateness of RMC technology for use in the rural context, and provides a successful precedent for future application.

+27 (0)43 735 3581 www.aserve.co.za mar/apr 2016

29

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industrial water

Closing the

supply gap By 2030, South Africa’s Department of Water & Sanitation (DWS) estimates that a supply-demand gap of 17% will exist. This gap could severely impact socioeconomic growth and government is forming the right private-sector partnerships now to minimise water contamination and secure supply. By Frances Ringwood

T

he National Development Plan has identified universal access to safe, running water as a main objective by 2030, and outlines several key projects to achieve this,” says Strini Perumal, wastewater industry specialist, Festo Southern Africa.

He goes on to point out that there are, fortunately, many initiatives – both current and planned – in place aimed at addressing water scarcity. “Government has been proactive here, putting in place frameworks such as resource-directed measures (RDM) aimed at developing and implementing policies to improve overall water quality,” adds Perumal.

The RDM’s purpose is to realise the National Water Act’s (No. 36 of 1998) promise to ensure access to and use of the limited resource, water, on an equitable basis in an integrated, managed and sustainable manner, giving priority to basic human needs and needs to sustain the aquatic environment. It also provides essential legal decision-making tools for achieving a balance between protecting and using water resources, according to a Water Research Commission (WRC) report.

Systems optimisation

“Additionally, the DWS has invested in effective monitoring systems. These

will optimise reuse of water and ensure that water and wastewater treatment adheres to certain quality standards,” explains Perumal.

One of the specific monitoring systems to which Perumal refers is the former Department of Water Affairs’ (DWA) partnership with the Water Resources Group (WRG), secured in May 2011. Many of the DWA-WRG partnership’s originals objectives continue to inform policymaking, oversight and private-sector water conservation strategies today.

What first sparked the partnership was the DWA’s realisation that the need to bridge the supply gap up to 2030

presented an almost impossible task and that government couldn’t fix the problem without help from international bodies and local industry.

After further input and analysis by leading global bodies, including the United Nations Global Water Compact, the World Economic Fund, the World Wildlife Foundation and local consulting firm Pegasys, the partnership established a two-step process for managing supply-demand disparities. The first step was concerned with initial diagnostics, including an economics-based analysis of how to address supply gaps. The second step was to develop a public-private advisory platform to help the government shape and test concepts, strategies and processes aimed at closing the gap.

The second step resulted in the Strategic Water Partners Network: South Africa (SWPN) – an organisation that was authorised with a clear oversight function.

Other tools since implemented for the purposes of transparent government oversight include the biennial Blue Drop, Green Drop and No Drop reports, which are conducted in conjunction with South Africa’s local municipalities.

Briefly, the Blue Drop reports provide a clear picture of the level of functionality of South Africa’s water treatment plants; the Green Drop reports demonstrate the functionality of the country’s sewage treatment plants; the No Drop report – a new programme – will seek to determine the state of the country’s underground piped infrastructure. What sets the SWPN apart from these other oversight Industries such as mining are both the biggest users of water and contributors to pollutants in the national supply mar/apr 2016

31

industrial water

mechanisms is not only the fact that it explicitly includes the private sector but also because it focuses on developing new technologies and methodologies for water saving, as well as refurbishment and building plans aimed at finding those “quick wins”, which will hopefully bridge the supply gap.

footprint for the plant. The $130 million plant has garnered international acclaim and produces 12% of Witbank’s drinking water supply. At the time of the latest part of the system’s commissioning in May last year, Marius Keet, senior manager, DWS, stated, “The eMalahleni plant is a very good example of how water reclamation should be done.”

Partnering for sustainability SABMiller’s strategy for reducing its water input, while pro“Other industries, also recognising the importance of water ducing more beer, was to be a water-footprinting pioneer in quality, have closely worked with government South Africa. Through this research, it Assets need to in treating and reusing water. The DWS has was discovered that more than 90% of be managed with formed partnerships with networks such as the company’s water use was accountSABMiller, Nestle, Anglo American, Sasol, ed for in the agricultural supply chain. the objective of Eskom, BHP Billiton, the Coca-Cola Company To this day, this knowledge inspires prolonging their and the WRC. Through these partnerships, SABMiller to support South African farmfunctionality, by government has produced an investment ers to reduce their water use, through operating them within a number of initiatives, including the framework for the refurbishing and building of new infrastructure in all of these different development of computerised irrigation, their design limits sectors,” points out Perumal. educating farmers about measuring soil Many of the partnerships cited above are part of the SWPN. moisture and removing thirsty alien plant species that threatSome of the results, to date, have been promising and even en the water security of localised ecosystems. inspiring. For example, Anglo American has built a water rec“We’re also minimising our water use in the brewing area of lamation system, in the eMalahleni coalfields, which uses the the value chain through the promotion of bottle recycling,” most advanced purification technology to establish a neutral comments Andre Fourie, head: Sustainable Development, SABMiller. The other partners in the SWPN are engaged in similarly groundbreaking or otherwise leading water-saving strategies.

Refurbishment and construction

New infrastructure and concerted refurbishment efforts are also essential to ensuring the sustainability of South Africa’s water supply. Perumal’s position at Festo, a top local supplier of process management equipment, gives him specialist knowledge about what’s ultimately going to be needed to bridge the gap.

“Water treatment processes need to be managed to ensure the production of safe drinking water for the protection of public health and adequate structures are required to be in place to maintain, operate and manage available infrastructure according to acceptable asset management principles,” says Perumal.

“Healthy drinking water treatment systems are essential to the continued supply of high-quality drinking water to consumers. The components that make up the system include the water impoundments, abstraction systems, treatment plants, bulk supply infrastructure, reservoirs and distribution networks and consumer take-off points.”

He adds that it is crucial for all assets to be managed with the objective of prolonging their functionality, by operating them within their design limits and providing regular maintenance. This must be in accordance with the need to manage assets in a cost-effective manner for the following reasons: • These assets represent major public investment.

• Well-run infrastructure is important for a town or city’s economic development.

• Proper operations are essential for public health and safety.

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industrial water

Water and sanitation delivery highlights •C onstruction of the first phase of the Mokolo and Crocodile River (West) Water Augmentation Project.

Already star ted, the R2.1 billion project will provide par t of the water required for the Matimba and Medupi power stations.

• The par tial impoundment for the De Hoop Dam. The dam will supply water for domestic and mining use in the Greater Sekhukhune, Waterberg and Capricorn district municipalities. A total of 2.3 million people in the domestic sector will benefit from this project.

• T he Dwarsloop-Acornhoek steel pipeline has been completed. It will supply water to nine rural communities in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality.

• The first phase of the Nooitgedagt Low-Level Scheme.

Once complete, the project will provide water from • Assets provide an essential customer service.

• Proper asset management promotes efficiency.

Moreover, the World Health Organization has identified that investment in water and sanitation yields a ROI of between 3 and 30 times the cost. Whether the country has the money or not, new infrastructure and refurbishments are going to be critical for managing the supply gap in the years to come.

•

•

•

•

the Gariep Dam through the Orange-Fish-Sundays Transfer Scheme.

The Mooi-Mgeni Transfer Scheme, which includes the construction of the Spring Grove Dam as well as a pumping station and pipeline.

The implementation of Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. The deliver y of water from this project is expected in 2025.

The raising of Tzaneen Dam and the construction of the Nwamitwa Dam, both on the Groot Letaba River.

The Hazelmere and Clanwilliam dam walls are also being raised.

Additionally, R38.5 million is being spent on the refurbishment of eight sewage treatment plants and three water treatment plants in the Free State.

“The moves from government and business to address infrastructure issues have been promising, but it will be some time before these take effect.

In the shorter term, more must be done to improve the output of national water and wastewater treatment plants so that it can meet the rapidly growing demand,” he concludes. mar/apr 2016

33

Water Treatment

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profile

N&Z Instrumentation & control

AMR (Automatic Meter Reading) N&Z's AMR system provides the following at your fingertips: • Reliable billing • Pipeline pressure •R eservoir level

Remote metering excellence AMR systems are the future of water management.

N&Z Instrumentation's turnkey AMR solution provides municipalities with exceptional levels of cost-effective efficiency.

Battery-powered flow meters, manufactured

by Isoil in Italy, ready for shipment

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profile

N&Z Instrumentation & control

Always on top of No Drop

W

ater boards and municipalities need a reliable revenue stream from the water that they supply, and they must be a reliable supplier of water to their customers. Automatic meter reading systems help water authorities achieve both these objectives.

The key component is a reliable, accurate meter that does not under-read.

The Isoil battery-powered magnetic meter is an ideal solution as it is highly accurate, has no mechanical parts to wear and has its own power supply. It also has a built-in GSM modem, which sends meter readings and trends directly to the user's computer on a

daily basis. The reservoir level sensors continuously measure water level and,

Water in, water out – data in, value out

Every municipality is compelled by developing regulations to manage its water supply according to set water demand management criteria, adapted from the International Water Associations specifications.

The AMR's daily reports can alert to system fluctuations and deliver fault alerts. Weekly and monthly reports provide regular oversight of system performance, water volumes and consumption data that speak to the integrity of the system and is No Drop compliant.

Flow meters are municipalities’ cash tills. Installing the N&Z AMR on a bulk water distribution system is a game changer

AMR infogram

with this information, water managers can make sure that they optimise water delivery to their customers. N&Z Instrumentation has built a fully integrated AMR system – with battery-powered flow meters, pressure sensors, level sensors and Scada software – which is a turnkey solution proven over years of use in local conditions.

N&Z’s track record in the municipal segment extends over 20 years.

N&Z Instrumentation’s symphonic AMR system

Japie Vermeulen, a passionate representative of N&Z’s AMR system, says, “An AMR system is best positioned to

WaMSS SCADA DATA COLLECTION Date & Time 2014/06/04 00.30 2014/06/04 00.45 2014/06/04 01.00 2014/06/04 01.15 2014/06/04 01.30 2014/06/04 01.45 2014/06/04 02.00 2014/06/04 02.15 2014/06/04 02.30 2014/06/04 02.45 2014/06/04 03.00 2014/06/04 03.15

1

Positive Totalizer 777305.00 777384.00 777462.00 777540.00 777619.00 777697.00 777776.00 777854.00 777933.00 778012.00 778091.00 778170.00

Unit Negative Totalizer m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00 m³ 0.00

Unit Flow Rate m³ 311.90 m³ 312.90 m³ 313.50 m³ 313.80 m³ 314.00 m³ 313.70 m³ 314.00 m³ 314.00 m³ 315.60 m³ 315.40 m³ 315.30 m³ 315.10

AUTOMATIC REPORTS

Unit

Pressure Unit

m³/h

22.63 22.72 22.80 22.78 22.75 22.73 22.73 22.75 22.84 22.93 22.98 22.98

m³/h m³/h m³/h m³/h m³/h m³/h m³/h m³/h m³/h m³/h m³/h

MANAGER

bar bar bar bar bar bar bar bar bar bar bar bar

5 4 1

STANDARD SENSORS • Mag flow meter • Mechanical flow meter • Pressure sensor • Level sensor • Temperature • Corrosion potential • Analysers • Etc.

2

3

Install N&Z’s Isoil battery power mag meters with on-board GPRS logger

2

Your existing sensors connect to N&Z’s GPRS loggers

3

Data sent to the web

4

Data imported into SQL. Reports emailed automatically

5

Management has key billing and operational information at their fingertips

6

Technicians and operators fully informed

REPORTS AUTOMATICALLY EMAILED

6

mar/apr 2016

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profile

N&Z Instrumentation & control

perform optimally when a single service provider installs and manages the complete system.”

Engineering, installation, commissioning, repairs and maintenance

“We are very committed as partners to the municipalities’ nominated suppliers, including service providers and consultants, and work in total coordination with the WSAs," explains Rod Glatt, MD, N&Z.

What can N&Z Instrumentation’s AMR system do for you?

“Isoil’s battery-powered mag meters are everything you would expect from an Italian design,” explains Philip Smit, customer support. “With no moving parts, this is the Ferrari of magnetic flow meters, and it is unaffected by wear, corrosion, debris build-up or catastrophic failure.” Thus, there is none of the underreading that typifies mechanical meters.

Successful water distribution planning and management can only happen when you have reliable, on-time data. N&Z’s locally engineered AMR turnkey solution provides you with this.

Essential reports Many years of close work with municipalities and water authorities has resulted in a locally engineered Scada system that delivers reports that put management in control.

The water balance as per the IWA model discloses where losses are occurring and automatically provides information for No Drop compliance.

Daily Flow Dashboard gives management an immediate view of what is happening at every flow meter and reservoir location. Abnormal operation is immediately apparent and management can take action.

Flow Trends

Flow Trends drilling down to individual meter level.

Line Pressure Trends

Products and installations • Battery-powered mag meters with GPRS telemetry • WaMSS Flow Scada • Smart loggers interface with mechanical or other flow meters • Insertion mag flow meters: hot tap installation – no need to shut down the line • Water balance to International Water Association model • Leak detection • Verification of flow meters in the field Services • Flow surveys • Site surveys and analysis • Project and scope of work definitions • Blue, Green and No Drop services • Back-office monitoring of WaMSS Scada and managing repairs n&Z's team (From left) Johan Maritz, Bruce Sody, Johnny Engelbrecht, Zandi Nkosi, JP Bosman, Japie Vermeulen, Philip Smit, Rod Glatt & Ray Baldwin

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Meter Reading Reports

Meter Reading Report for billing purposes.

N&Z WaMSS WaMSS Reservoir Reservoir Report Report N&Z

Line Pressure Trends give immediate

information on water delivery and possible pipe bursts.

Reservoir Reservoir Name: Name: Reservoir Reservoir ID: ID: Report Report period: period: Comments: Comments:

Report generated: generated: 2016/05/08 2016/05/08 10:00 10:00 Report

Mafulawane Mafulawane Tank Tank 104969-R1 104969-R1 2016/05/01 2016/05/01 05:00 05:00 -- 2016/05/08 2016/05/08 05:00 05:00

reservoir management Village Village

Reservoir level trend with In-flow and Out-flow trends gives you

information to manage and optimize your water delivery to customers

“We offer a full solution, from installation and monitoring to technology transfer and training technicians for water services authorities.”

Rod Glatt, MD, N&Z

www.nz.co.za www.nz.co.za

enquiries@nz.co.za enquiries@nz.co.za

+27 (0)11 435 1080 • www.nz.co.za

grey water

Grey water grey areas Although industrial grey water footprints are not yet measured in South Africa, Frances Ringwood explores the potential for implementing this measure in industry’s environmental sustainability strategies.

A

ccording to the international Water Footprint Network’s glossary of terms, a grey water footprint is: “An indicator of freshwater pollution that can be associated with the production of a product over its full supply chain. It is defined as the volume of fresh water that is required to assimilate the load of pollutants based on natural background concentrations and existing ambient water quality standards. It is calculated as the volume of water

38

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that is required to dilute pollutants to such an extent that the quality of the water remains above agreed water quality standards.”

This is clearly very different from household grey water, which constitutes water, detergents, human skin and hair, and is differentiated from black water by its absence of faeces.

Obviously, mines would be an excellent place to start looking at a facility’s grey water footprint but, given the mining industry’s reluctance to spend on anything over and above what is essential during the commodities crunch,

the prospect is much further off than it is for other private-sector industries.

Opposing trends?

Anthony Turton, environmental advisor and professor at the University of the Free State’s Centre for Environmental Management, says that, to him, the concept of managing mine grey water using dilution is, itself, problematic. “Dilution represents an old-fashioned way of thinking and it is no longer the solution – this kind of thinking indicates a world view locked in a business-as-usual paradigm.”

Turton believes that the water sector in South Africa should not become too tied up in “risk-awareness-based procedures that stifle our ability to think outside the box to develop disruptive solutions.”

He adds that a reuse-and-recycling paradigm is a far more useful approach to managing grey water.

Of course, there is no real contradiction between grey water footprinting and effluent treatment. In practice, having a working knowledge of grey water volumes is useful for management and treatment of contaminated water and – with or without that knowledge – having a treatment strategy in place reduces the water volume used per unit of a product produced. Measurement and treatment are complementary and water footprinting has the advantage of working out the real financial and environmental gains of treatment – a useful tool for compiling year-end and sustainability reports.

Mine grey-water footprinting According to Morné van Wyk, technical manager, I-CAT, “The technology for implementing grey water footprinting already exists but, from a financial point of view, most local mines are just not going to want to look into it right now.”

He says that the technology solutions offered for filtering grey water manufactured by I-CAT involves a four-step process. First, water is treated using moving bed bioreactors. Next, it passes through activated carbon to remove contaminants.

grey water

Thereafter, ultraviolet filtration is applied to kill any harmful microorganisms in the water. Lastly, the water is dosed with chemicals such as chlorine or sodium hypochlorite.

“While many of the local mines won’t be looking at their grey-water footprints soon, the big international players will very likely do so in the near future in order to comply with the high levels of environmental compliance demanded by their head offices in the US and Europe,” says Van Wyk. Industrial grey water footprinting Van Wyk says his company expects to start working on its first industrial grey water project in 2016. “A large, well-known chocolate manufacturer in Gauteng is currently considering building a plant for this very purpose,” says Van Wyk. Since plant construction

for the purposes of diluting grey water and grey water footprinting is relatively new in South Africa, Water&Sanitation Africa will be tracking the progress of the plant, as the project unfolds, as a case study for how other industries might look at implementing similar projects.

Conclusion Grey water footprinting is a very useful tool but it can become relatively complicated and even cumbersome to implement.

Companies wanting to reduce their grey water footprint proactive-

“Grey water dilution represents an oldfashioned way of thinking and is no longer an appropriate solution.”

International precedents Van Wyk says that Spain, for example, has legislation in Anthony Turton, environmental advisor place that compels golf courses to reuse grey water for ly have access to a range of technolirrigation purposes. “Water foot- ogies to assist in meeting this goal. printing, grey water footprinting Nonetheless, the concept is useful and reuse strategies are regular for reporting and measuring the features in a number of countries, real gains of mining and corporate and it will only be a matter of time water saving and water treatbefore they follow suit. ment initiatives.

mar/apr 2016

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water & wastewater

The Darvill Wastewater Treatment Works in Pietermaritzburg

for 2 Mℓ/d, exceeded its design capacity by more than 150% by the end of 2015.

The facility receives average daily inflows of about 57 litres per second, which works out to about 5 Mℓ/d, meaning that the plant is overloaded.

A technical analysis done on the infrastructure of the plant shows that the quarry to which the non-compliant treated sewage is pumped is small.

However, the Metsimaholo Municipality undertakes regular maintenance on the facultative pond, two aerobic ponds, biofilter tanks, humus tanks, maturation channels and sludge dry beds, so they are in good condition.

An emergency intervention was launched by the department with the primary objective of putting into place proper functioning structures that will include the training of process controllers and improving health and safety issues and, most importantly, the replacing of dilapidated infrastructure In Mpumalanga, the department identified the Lekwa and Msukaligwa local municipalities as problematic during its assessment and is currently in the process of finding long-lasting solutions to assist them in implementing the recommendations from the audit.

In Gauteng, the assessments show that the infrastructure of some of the wastewater treatment facilities are still in good condition.

The Ennerdale WWTW is at an acceptable level, with no major concerns, according to the department. The shortterm requirement for this plant includes the installation of emergency storage to prevent contamination of groundwater.

A study is being conducted to investigate the feasibility of this intervention, which should be implemented in the

Wastewater treatment

under the spotlight

I

n February this year, the DWS announced that it was spending more than R300 million to repair and upgrade 26 semi- or non-functioning wastewater treatment works (WWTWs).

This came after reports that raw sewage was being discharged into the Vaal River by municipalities with dysfunctional wastewater treatment facilities.

Coupled with this investment, the department also embarked on independent conditional audits on a number of treatment facilities in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Free State to assess their condition and assist in restoring them.

Treatment plants operating above their design scope coupled with a lack of human capacity and infrastructure maintenance are the leading causes of substandard effluent being discharged

The Department of Water & Sanitation is investing R300 million to repair wastewater treatment facilities in order to protect the Vaal River

40

mar/apr 2016

Wastewater treatment and the management of plants has been making headlines in recent months as the Department of Water & Sanitation (DWS) strives to curb water losses and improve water quality in South Africa. into the Vaal River, according to the department’s assessments.

Urgent interventions In 2015, the department contracted an engineering and consultancy firm to determine whether the Refengkgotso WWTW, under the Metsimaholo Municipality in the Free State, was contributing to the pollution in the Vaal River.

According to the recently released preliminary report, the Refengkgotso WWTW, which was originally designed

next 12 months. At the Bushkoppies WWTW, the effluent quality is also of acceptable standards. The only concern, according to the department, is sand ingress into the plant and its impact on sludge management. There are a number of projects currently under way to address some of the challenges, including: • upgrading of degritters to improve handling of sand from influent • replacing of compactor motors and gearbox service • construction of the drying beds for waste sand from primary sedimentation tanks and degritters • cleaning of the emergency dam, installation of linings and construction of an extra storage space for digested sludge.

According to the DWS, all these projects are currently being implemented and should be completed in the next 12 months.

Working with the public sector The latest trend to focus on water quality as opposed to quantity has seen the water and wastewater treatment component of many engineering and consulting firms grow quite quickly in response to government’s need to turn these facilities around.

“Water treatment, as a whole, is becoming more and more relevant in the South African context. While many of the issues around the looming water shortage in the country are related to the risk posed by the diminishing quantity, there is less discussion about the risk posed by water quality,” comments Andrew Officer, regional director: Water Business Unit, Hatch Goba.

“This is simply because, as the water “Most issues around quality deteriorates, SA's water shortage there is a commenrelate to risks posed surate increase in the cost associated with by diminishing water treatment.” quantity; however, Officer points to major there is little water-quality issues such as the acid mine discussion about drainage problem in water quality.”

Gauteng and other Andrew Officer, regional mining-intensive areas, director: Water, Hatch Goba and eutrophication in the Hartbeespoort Dam. “It is not only just a recreational or tourism issue anymore; the downstream concern is that you have to consume and use that water at some stage,” Officer adds.

“In South Africa, our business is predominantly public sector (about 90%), and that is in the water and wastewater treatment and bulk infrastructure arenas. At this stage, we are predominantly active in South Africa and its neighbouring states.

However, we are looking to expand our presence in the African market,” he says.

Around the continent, countries are focusing on effluent quality and wastewater treatment by constructing new facilities and refurbishing those threatening rivers. mar/apr 2016

41

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water & wastewater

Hatch Goba boosted capacity at the Bushkoppies WWTW from 200 Mℓ/d to 250 Mℓ/d

From a treatment perspective, Hatch Goba is hard at work in neighbouring countries at the moment.

Current projects include WTWs in Botswana, Mozambique and Lesotho; major transfer schemes such as Limpopo’s R13.4 billion, two-phase Mokolo Crocodile Water Augmentation Project; and the North-South Carrier Pipeline Project (Phase 2) in Botswana, which will transport water 360 km south to the capital city of Gaborone.

The firm is also undertaking several large-scale rural water supply projects in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. “From a wastewater treatment perspective, we are currently halfway through construction of the upgrade of the Darvill Wastewater Treatment

42

Works in Pietermaritzburg, owned and operated by Umgeni Water,” reveals Jason Browne, principal engineer, Hatch Goba.

This project is aimed at increasing the ultimate design capacity from 50 Mℓ/d to 120 Mℓ/d.

In November last year, the firm completed another major wastewater treatment upgrade for Johannesburg Water, boosting the capacity at the Bushkoppie plant near Soweto from 200 Mℓ/d to 250 Mℓ/d.

At the Midmar Waterworks near Howick in KwaZulu-Natal, Hatch Goba will nominally add 125 Mℓ/d of water treatment capacity in a major project that has just commenced construction, with completion anticipated in 2017.

mar/apr 2016

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Buckman’s most important commitment is to a sustainable future, which it sees as vitally important to the business, the people it serves and the planet.

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uckman first established a South African presence in 1971. Since then, its customers have been able to benefit from focused, local support while leveraging the vast technological resources of a global leader. Companies across the African continent, in a wide variety of industries, rely on Buckman’s advanced chemistries to boost productivity, conserve energy, protect natural resources, and promote the health and safety of employees and communities.

The company offers clients an exceptional level of commitment and support, with its business practices being reinforced by: • locally manufactured chemistries that keep costs down, reduce lead times and accommodate customisation • on-site, hands-on expertise to identify needs, understand goals and find creative, more sustainable solutions •a commitment to serving Africa’s key industries, including: water treatment, paper, leather, metals and mining, bio-fuels, utilities, and food and beverage • innovation that wins awards, including: Sappi African Achievement Gold Award, the Chemical and Allied Industries Responsible Care Award, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Chemistry Challenge Award, and the Most Admired Knowledge Enterprise Award.

Maximising efficiency There are increasingly persuasive calls for increasing production while reducing environmental footprint. A particular feather in Buckman’s cap is its ability to provide solutions that are designed to ensure a healthy return on investment and a responsible return on environment.

About Buckman Nature of business Specialty chemical manufacturing Products Specialty chemicals for the pulp and paper, water treatment, leather and per formance chemical industries Date established 1971 Customer base Includes Mondi, Sappi, Sasol, Arcelor Mittal, RCL Foods, Illovo, Tongaat Hullets, Richards Bay Minerals, Hulamin, ASSMang, Dulux, Sibanye Gold No. of employees 170 BBBEE status Level 4 Company mission We, the associates of Buckman, will excel in providing measurable, costeffective improvements in output and quality for our customers by delivering customer-specific ser vices and products, and the creative application of knowledge.

The company’s numerous chemists and specialists also work together to provide industry-specific feasibility studies, troubleshooting and technical guidance for customers, ensuring that clients stay at the leading edge of industry, with the most current, forward-thinking solutions available.

Driven by sustainability Underpinning all of the processes is Buckman Green, the company’s global sustainability initiative. This comprehensive approach to environmental stewardship, social leadership and financial responsibility, is an initiative

that can naturally help your company be more sustainable too. Areas of focus include environmental sustainability; safety through long-standing OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 accreditation; Membership min key, proactive organisations; accountability via the Global Reporting Initiative, the Carbon Disclosure Project and Sedex; and social outreach through community projects.

+27 (0)31 736 8800 • www.buckman.com mar/apr 2016

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Laboratories

A laboratory technician testing water

The case for

each year from intestinal infectious diseases, and this was the second most leading cause of death in children.

In the last published ‘Green Drop Report’ (2014), it was reported that “the majority of wastewater treatment plants are in high risk (259 plants), with 212 plants in critical risk.”

Given the nature and extent of the problem, it is disappointing to note that South Africa’s Draft National Sanitation Policy 2016 details the “what” extensively but does very little, if anything, to define standards, especially with regard to monitoring.

The argument in favour of automation

automation and robotics The unstoppable advancement of technology leaves no industry untouched. For the laboratory industry in South Africa, the time for automation and robotics has arrived. By Tony Stone

and robotics needs no further justification.

To quote Al-Sum et al., “The automation of water treatment plants has now become a necessity. It improves operating conditions, plant performance, assists supervision and reduces the risk of human error, as well as improving operational safety.”

rom kits and reagents to instruments and systems that prepare samples, run experiments, analyse and then interpret the results – the advancement of laboratory technology is no longer a vision of the future but a current reality. Wherever routine exists, it can be automated, even in the field.

The deployment of these technologies in South Africa is an imperative. As was widely reported in March 2015, municipalities in South Africa were discharging raw sewage into river systems and wetland areas. At the time, an immediate nationwide assessment by water experts was requested. Whether this happened or not is unknown, but this catastrophe must have been authorised at some level.

What adds to the concern, and the incredulity of it all, is the World Health Organization’s open record that South Africa’s most common waterborne diseases are: • Hepatitis A/E: Viral diseases that interfere with the functioning of the liver; spreads through the consumption of water (or food) contaminated with faecal matter, principally in areas of poor sanitation.

A best practice example While a number of municipalities take their water treatment responsibilities very seriously, the City of Cape Town stands out as an example in using integrated, yet differently automated technology. Its water laboratory is equipped with some of the most sophisticated water-testing instrumentation in the industry. And, to boot, most of the instrumentation has been interfaced with the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), facilitating the automatic and instantaneous transfer of analysed data from the instruments to the LIMS. This data is, in turn, used for the production of actionable laboratory reports. A list of interfaced instruments follows: • Discreet analyser/Aquakem 250: This selective chemistry analyser is an integrated system solution for convenient and automatic testing of routine photometric tests. It is capable of performing up to 200 tests per hour. This instrument is used by the laboratory to test for nitrates, nitrites, chlorides, sulfates, fluorides and colour in the water.

• Ultraviolet-visible (UV/Vis) spectrophotometer: This instrument determines the absorbance of the water by measuring

F

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mar/apr 2016

Victims of Hep A exhibit fever, jaundice and diarrhoea and Hep E victims exhibit jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain and dark-coloured urine. Some 15% of victims will experience prolonged symptoms over six to nine months. A vaccine is available for Hep A. • Typhoid fever: A bacterial disease spread through contact with water (or food) contaminated by faecal matter or sewage.

Victims exhibit sustained high fevers. If left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20%.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends that travellers to South Africa get vaccinated against Hepatitis A and Typhoid when visiting the country. While the rest of the world is aware of the dangers of these diseases in South Africa, a number of the very officials entrusted with the health and safety of South Africans seem ignorant.

In January 2016, six cases of Typhoid were reported in Johannesburg. While the National Institute for Communicable Diseases urged South Africans not to become overly concerned, the concern is obvious. Statistics SA, in reporting ‘Causes of Death’ between 2011 and 2013, reported that an average of 16 884 people had died

Laboratories

the intensity of light passing through the sample. The absorbance is measured at 300 nm in a 4 cm quartz cuvette and is a measure of the organic content of the water. The absorbance of the raw water is used to determine the dosage concentration of the treatment chemicals at the water treatment plant.

• Gas chromatograph mass spectrophotometer (GCMS): One of the analyses performed on the GCMS is the measuring of geosmin in the water. Geosmin is a naturally occurring compound found in surface waters (rivers and dams) as an organic molecule produced by blue-green algae. This compound is responsible for the earthy, musty taste and odour sometimes found in the water and is removed with powdered activated carbon in the water treatment process.

• Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrophotometer (ICP-OES): The laboratory uses the ICP-OES to perform weekly analyses on various water samples to determine their metal content.

Some examples of these metals are sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium,

aluminium, iron, manganese, lead, copper, zinc, chromium and vanadium.

• TIAMO analyser: The Metrohm automated titration system is a computer-controlled and fully automated titration system with a sample tray capable of analysing 59 samples simultaneously. This analyser is used to automatically determine the pH, conductivity, alkalinity and turbidity of a water sample.

The city’s bulk water branch recently acquired nine ProcessLab analysers, one for each water treatment plant. In a fully automated process, all raw, intermediate and treated water is sampled every two hours and tested for various chemical parameters, such as pH, alkalinity, turbidity, UV absorbance, residual chlorine, hardness, conductivity, chloride and ammonia. Samples are analysed within minutes, giving the overall benefit of much higher repeatability and accuracy compared to the previous manual determination methods. Electrode calibration is fully automated, as is the record keeping of the calibration data.

In addition, approximately 20 online chlorine analysers have been strategically

Children are the most vulnerable to water contamination

placed within the distribution network, where it is expected that the residual chlorine concentration will be low (e.g. the furthest point from the reservoir, the outer perimeter of the distribution network, and so forth). These online, fully automated analysers constantly monitor the free chlorine in the drinking water and send the results to a central server and website where it can be accessed and acted upon by reticulation branch management.

However, as much as some people may think they can automate everything, this is

mar/apr 2016

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Laboratories

figure 1 A schematic showing what tests need to be done in the water treatment process (Credit: Hach SA)

not possible. People are still needed, and will always be needed, because machines are not infallible, nor possess the integrated intelligence that humans have.

The City of Cape Town employs analytical chemists who possess the necessary skills Sensus iPerl Ad2014.pdf

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and experience to ensure that everything runs smoothly and operates optimally within specified parameters, so that consumers are supplied with drinking water of an acceptable quality, and that wastewater treatment works function optimally.

Automated process control technology, with a human touch, brings simplicity, consistency and reliability to water treatment. No matter how small your town, people matter. To win their vote,  automate.

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water utilities

Throughout history, problems and needs have been solved by inventive, innovative people. This will not change any time soon and South Africa’s water treatment domain is no different. Its future is defined.

By Tony Stone

automation

The inevitable future

T

he official definition of automation or automatic/robotic control is “the use of various electromechanical control systems for operating equipment and processes in transport and industry across a diverse range of applications, with minimal or reduced human intervention”.

The question that needs to be asked is: “Why do we need semi-intelligent, robotic-type, electromechanical machines to do a job that a fully intelligent and integrated human being can do?”

Experts predict robots will take over between 25% to 30% of jobs within the next 10 years.

Leslie Willcocks, professor of technology, work and globalisation at the London School of Economics, says, “Robots are able to work on repetitive tasks tirelessly and continuously. In many businesses, robots are welcomed as valuable team members because they do the work that humans don’t want to do or become unreliable in doing.” This truth

becomes even more pertinent when human lives are at risk.

In South Africa’s water sector, according to the Department of Water & Sanitation’s (DWS) 2014 Blue Drop and Green Drop reports, the overall status of both water and wastewater treatment works deteriorated.

“Despite the excellent improvements reported during earlier years, the 2014 Blue Drop Report indicated a distinct and sudden lapse in drinking water service provision with a decrease in the national Blue Drop score to 79.64% in 2014, from the 2012 value of 87.6% – a significant decrease of 8%, which translates to 210 water purification works failing to achieve compliance,” the Blue Drop Report said.

“The assessment of risk shows that the majority of wastewater treatment plants (259) are in high-risk positions, followed by 218 plants in medium-risk and 212 plants in critical-risk positions. The reduction in the number of plants in the low-risk domain, which

decreased from 199 to 135, is raising concern. Some of the formerly low-risk plants have since moved into higher-risk positions, which is undesirable. This can be seen by the increase in high-risk plants from 232 to 259, and critical-risk plants from 121 to 212 plants,” the report said.

According to a study by researchers at Oxford University and Deloitte, the likelihood that process operators and laboratory technicians will lose their jobs within the next 10 to 20 years is 85% and 70%, respectively. Given the regression in performance within South Africa’s water sector, this seems certain to happen – because the health and welfare of its citizens are at risk.

With greater accountability being demanded by

Automation offers an opportunity for more effective oversight, especially in tracking exceptions, which facilitates proactive management

mar/apr 2016

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citizens, the DWS will no doubt want to be a more effective oversight body. Automation offers this opportunity, especially in tracking exceptions, which facilitates proactive management.

With the ability to control pumps, valves, hydraulic motors, agitators, aerators, alarms and other electromechanical devices, automated control keeps your system operating efficiently, even when you are not around. It can also let you know, at set times or when emergencies arise, the status of operations. It does this by monitoring

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The flexible coupled bearing frame pump is commonly installed in dry areas, e.g., together with other process machinery, dry-well sewage stations……………………...

The construction of the flexible coupled bearing frame pump mounted on a fabricated baseplate makes it ideal for rapid dismantling and enables simple removal and installation during maintenance or shutdown periods.

The flange mount construction on the drive-end of the pump, allows the electric motor to be mounted direct and in-line with the pump shaft. The two shaft ends are then coupled via a flexible flanged shaft coupling eliminating alignment checks.

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and recording various aspects of water quality, around the clock, and stores continuous data that can be used to identify trends and improve production.

Sensors available can read dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, conductivity, salinity, turbidity, oxidation-reduction potential, ammonia, flow, level and more. Laboratory instruments used for analytical purposes can also be connected to the system, as can electric motor AMPs or RPMs be monitored to aid in detecting aerator failures, or other electromechanical equipment failures. These sensors can measure and store data at any interval you select, with data transmitted to a central computer for analysis. Through the use of mathematical algorithms, you can store processed data in the units of your choice - to simplify data analysis.

Integrating technology The availability of multiple integration and communications options for sourcing and transmitting data to a central computer also allows systems to be customised to meet exact needs. One such option is supervisory control and data acquisition (Scada), which is categorised as an industrial control system (ICS). Scada is an integrated information and communications technology system for remote monitoring, control and data acquisition.

It is distinguished from other ICS systems by being of large scale and one that can simultaneously process multiple sites, over large distances. These processes include industrial, and infrastructure and facility-based processes, such as water treatment and reticulation, and wastewater treatment. A Scada system usually comprises the following subsystems: • Remote terminal units (RTUs) connect to sensors in the process and convert sensor signals to digital data. They

50

mar/apr 2016

water treatment

A Scada flow distribution screen

have telemetry hardware capable of sending digital data to the supervisory system, as well as receiving digital commands from the supervisory system. RTUs often have embedded control capabilities such as ladder logic in order to accomplish boolean logic operations.

• Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) connect to sensors in the process and convert sensor signals to digital data.

PLCs have more sophisticated embedded control capabilities (typically one or more IEC 61131-3 programming languages) than RTUs. PLCs do not have telemetry hardware, although this functionality is typically installed alongside them. PLCs are sometimes used in place of RTUs as field devices because they are more economical, versatile, flexible, and configurable.

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centres, data warehouses, and the enterprise. Examples of wired telemetry media used in Scada systems include leased telephone lines and WAN circuits. Examples of wireless telemetry media used in Scada systems include satellite, licensed and unlicensed radio, cellular and microwave.

• A data acquisition server is a software service that uses industrial protocols to connect software services, via telemetry, with field devices such as RTUs and PLCs. It allows clients to access data from these field devices using standard protocols.

• A human-machine interface (HMI) is the apparatus or device that presents processed data to a human operator and, through this, the human operator monitors and interacts with the process. The HMI is a client that requests data from a data acquisition server or, in most installations, the HMI is the graphical user interface for the operator, which collects all data from external devices, creates reports, performs alarming, sends notifications, etc.

• A historian software service accumulates time-stamped data, boolean events and boolean alarms in a database that can be queried or used to populate graphic trends in the HMI. The historian is a client that requests data from a data acquisition server.

• A supervisory (computer) system gathers (acquires) data on the process The configuration of two pumps installed in series

A tidal flow meter

and sends commands (control) to the Scada system.

• Communication infrastructure connects the supervisory system to the remote terminal units.

• It also has various processes and analytical instrumentation.

All of this translates into options that include radio, telephone, cell phone, voice-synthesised phone, satellite and Ethernet, where systems can be programmed to send alarms or report site conditions by calling out to a another computer, cell phones, shortwave radios, and/or pagers.

This means that the DWS can implement oversight through a central or decentralised system, and proactively manage its problematic water and wastewater treatment plants.

A case of flow In hydraulics, a pipe is any closed conduit that carries water under pressure.

If flow occurring in a conduit does not completely fill it, the flow is not considered pipe or closed-conduit flow, but is classified as open-channel flow. In the past, flow measurement using flumes has been the traditional method. However, the world has moved on and the electromagnetic flow meter has since made huge strides into closed-conduit measurement. But, what is the relevance of this?

John Alexander, sales and marketing manager, Krohne, says, “The DWS, in its efforts to control pollution, has changed its approach and is now controlling at source by means of regulatory standards. For the producer of effluent, this means the rate and volume of flow must be measured as accurately as possible.”

For the wastewater treatment plant, its influent must also be measured as accurately as possible because of very real design capacity limitations. This means it is often necessary to accommodate both low- and high-flow situations, especially during rain storms.

With mines regarded as high polluters, accurate measurement is very important. Given the “user pays” principle, if effluent is not measured accurately, a mine could pay too much for their effluent discharge.

The typical cost of a flume measuring point is generally considered as the cost of civils, which includes the engineering design, earthworks and cost to build the concrete structure, as well as the ultrasonic sensor. The cost to install a tidal flux meter, also referred to as an electromagnetic flow meter, is

mar/apr 2016

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No limits approximately 25% of a traditional flume. As for accuracy, the acceptable measuring point error of an ultrasonic sensor can be as high as 8% on the total daily volume discharged.

The inaccuracy of Krohne’s Tidalflux is 1%, which is a 7% improvement on a conventional device, and it is more accurate than the slope-hydraulic radius method. It is also designed to measure flows between 10% and 100% of the pipe cross section.

The tidal flux meter can be used for raw water and/or effluent discharge. Suspended solids in the effluent do not affect the device, and cannot block or silt it up. Neither is it affected by debris, sediment or solids and it works under submerged, surcharged, full-pipe and reverse-flow conditions.

Most importantly, it saves on flume construction costs and, as it is accurate, it prevents over-measurement of effluent discharges, saving money and making it a cost-effective device to acquire and operate. Easy to commission, it has preset calibrated factory settings to avoid in-field calibration. It also requires no complex programming, equations or formulas, which means that it does not need a skilled and expensive operator. Lastly, it is maintenance-free.

Most pipeline replacement projects in SA are undertaken to replace ageing infrastructure and meet increased demand

A case of pumps With Gauteng’s urbanisation rate running at a high 3.18%, which is over 400 000 new residents every year, the demand for housing and associated infrastructure requires proactive, forward planning on the part of local authorities and utilities. Rand Water, currently busy with various water supply projects, is undertaking a R1.3 billion, 2.1 m diameter pipeline project from its Palmiet Pump Station in Alberton, along a 14.2 km route, through to the Signal Hill Reservoir in Primrose, Germiston, and along a further 6 km to the Klipfontein Reservoir. This project started in May 2014 and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2016.

According to Justice Mohale, media relations manager, Rand Water, the new pipeline is being constructed to replace an old concrete pipeline. The new pipeline will also assist in augmenting the system due to an increase in demand.

KSB Pumps and Valves is supplying 4 x 2 ultra-efficient pump sets to deliver 200 Mℓ/d. Each pump set is to be installed in a two-stage (in series), axially split-casing, centrifugal pump arrangement using two motor sizes (2 080 kW and 4 130 kW) to pump at 20 bar pressure to a head maximum of 350 m. KSB’s innovative drive solution for centrifugal pumps can be run so leanly that costs are cut by as much as 70%.

The first pump – the main pump – will be connected to the underside of the reservoir where the flow of water to the pump is regulated through what is called “available suction pressure”. This is determined by the height, or rather the depth, of the water in the reservoir. In a typical 9.5 m high, 20 Mℓ reservoir, to maintain efficiency, the lowest that the mar/apr 2016

55

Integrated solution for leakage detection in drinking water networks?

No problem with WATERFLUX. WATERFLUX electromagnetic water meter is now available with integrated pressure and temperature sensor as option. Thus it can be used for leak detection and quality monitoring in drinking water networks.

The integrated solution eliminates the need for installation and wiring of external sensors, and presents pressure and temperature readings for each metering point. The integrated pressure sensor provides an alarm via a status output when the programmed upper or lower limit is reached. The integrated temperature sensor helps to monitor water quality.

Adding the advantage of no straight inlet or outlet sections needed, the battery-powered meter can be installed even at remote monitoring points. GSM antenna (also battery powered) for remote transmission of readings is available as option as well as a protection class IP68 version.

KROHNE – Water is our world.

KROHNE South Africa 8 Bushbuck Close Corporate Park South Randtjiespark, Midrand Tel.: +27 113141391 Fax: +27 113141681 Cell: +27 825563934 John Alexander j.alexander@krohne.com www.za.krohne.com

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water level may drop down to is 3.3 m. Two other interesting design aspects of the pipe into the pump are the flat top of the pipe (to avoid the accumulation of air) and the initial wide-to-narrowing section of the pipe where a flow straightener or stabiliser is installed to prevent water rotation/swirl – which would result in an unequal feed into the pump.

The second pump – the booster pump – is set with a net positive suction head. This is determined by the static head plus the surface pressure head, less the vapour pressure of water, as well as the friction losses in the piping, valves and fittings.

Dale Croker, manager: Fluid Systems, KSB, says the pumps are large by any standards, having 800 mm suction and 700 mm discharge rates, with an impeller larger than one metre in diameter. Each of the eight pumps weighs in 8.9 tonnes, with each set weighing up to 20 tonnes.

These pumps are among the largest split-case water pumps to be sold in South Africa in recent times and, on installation, will go a long way towards taking pressure off the existing distribution system. With the massive pumping power of these pump sets, and an overall efficiency of over 92%, which exceeds the original requirement of 87%, it also marks a significant saving of electricity.

Automation equipment from KSB for integrating pumps in building management and process control systems is compatible with all common bus systems.

Besides digital and analog outputs (0/24 V, 4–20 mA, etc.), the control units mounted on the pump motor or in the vicinity of the pump offer interface modules for all common bus systems are: • LON-bus (local operating network): Integrated interface for connection via motor-mounted PumpDrive VS system without external gateway module (optional) • Profibus (process field bus): Integrated interface with PumpDrive without external gateway module • BACnetIP (building automation and control networks): Communication via PumpDrive or level control unit LevelControl (on request) • Modbus RTU/RS485: Integrated interface with LevelControl (optional) or communication via PumpDrive (on request) • EtherNet: Communication via customer-specific pump control units, e.g. Hyamaster (on request) The main bus connection parameters are: • start/stop • set point and feedback of actual value of controlled variable • operation and general fault message.

Further parameters are available for read-only or write/ read access but these depend on the type of control unit, the bus system used and what the customer’s specific requirements are.

Clearly, the benefits of automation in process control are significant, especially with regard to cost savings and productivity improvements. It’s a no-brainer.

The benefits of automation in process control are significant, especially with regard to cost savings and productivity improvements

mar/apr 2016

57

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PANEL DISCUSSION | introduc tion

A world of

possible solutions

W

hile Southern Africa may be in the grips of the worst drought the region has seen in over two decades, with significant pressures mounting on industry and agriculture, South Africa is fortunate to have a pool of top water talent to draw on to optimise water processes and help implement the latest technologies.

With both public- and private-sector entities facing myriad challenges in using water efficiently, the onus is on them to turn to industry experts – not only to service their own immediate needs, but also as responsible corporate citizens and

government bodies looking to minimise their water footprints while maximising efficiency and output. Sustainability has never been a more ubiquitous buzzword.

This Panel Discussion touches on numerous fields within the greater water industry, including asset and data management, high-rise water reticulation, and water treatment projects. With World Water Day on 22 March 2016 bringing water concerns into the public eye for an all-too-brief annual appearance, and South Africa’s own National Water Week taking place this March, there has rarely been a better time to explore the numerous solutions to South Africa’s various water challenges.

Pragma

Ultra Control

UWP Consulting

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mar/apr 2016

59

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We at Pragma have a complete set of solutions to assist and improve service delivery at utilities.

This will lead to increased client satisfaction and revenue collection.

Pragma Africa | Level 1 BBBEE Contributor

PANEL DISCUSSION Gerrie Olivier

pragma South Africa’s water purification and wastewater treatment plants are in a very poor state. How can this problem be managed more effectively? GO We have

Partner Consultant

right solutions to the problems they have?

management

availability of the assets

services on an

and ensuring they are

We start by performing an

outsourced

operated, cared for and

asset management maturity

basis. Pragma’s

assessment to determine

comprehensive set of accredited

effective manner. We also reduce

maintained in the most

the current state of the asset

asset management training

risk by taking into account

pockets of excellence that serve

management practices and the

courses supports the clients

the impact of performance

as an example for other entities/

resulting performance. Pragma

by ensuring continuity

requirements of, and the work

authorities to follow. In our

uses an asset management

through the ongoing training

activities to be conducted on, all

experience, Pragma has engaged

improvement planning (AMIP)

and enablement of new

the assets as well as the impact

with various role players in this

methodology and assessment

staff members.

on all the stakeholders in a

field and we are certain that our

tool for this purpose. We

best practices and the resulting

compare the AMIP results

performance can be replicated

with the ideal vision as well as

across the country.

relevant industry benchmarks.

holistic way.

integrated asset management

performance gaps can then be

solution to address these

easily identified, prioritised and

Do you follow and implement solutions in accordance with generally accepted best practices and internationally recognised standards? Over the past 26

challenges. ISO 55 000 defines it

improvement projects selected

years, Pragma has established its

about 350 highly skilled asset

appropriately as the coordinated

to drive the improvement

proven AMIP methodology and

management practitioners.

activities of an organisation

planning process.

framework which consists of 17

With 14 IAM, 3 CAMA and 12

Pragma promotes an

The best practices and

to realise value from its assets.

Coordination across many departments and disciplines requires a structured approach.

This coordination of activities

SAAMA SCPP certifications,

Pragma solution consists

of a comprehensive set of

such as finance, operation

asset management business

and engineering.

processes that is supported by

The Pragma Way – that is fully aligned with the ISO 55 000

Pragma’s team consists of

Do your solutions “Pragma’s team is arguably they are arguably the most include skills the most qualified and qualified and experienced transfer? The core of the experienced group of group of asset management

spans various departments

Pragma has a methodology –

What resources do you deploy to establish needs, and provide and implement solutions? In South Africa,

asset management practitioners in Southern Africa.”

an enterprise asset management software solution.

Skills transfer and proper

practitioners in Southern

Africa. Pragma has also forged a strategic partnership with Aurecon to further strengthen our offering in the public sector

key performance areas of asset

environment. We also offer

management. Pragma’s AMIP

expert condition monitoring

standard for asset management

change management are critical

supports compliance with the

capability through one of our

to extract maximum value and

success factors in this process.

PFMA, PAS 55, ISO 55 000 and

subsidiaries, Martec.

reliability out of assets while

Some clients have the specific

effectively managing the risk of

requirement to perform all the

asset availability.

activities in-house. In these cases,

GFMAM’s 39 subjects.

What is your approach to data governance?

we ensure enablement through

How do your solutions add value to clients? Our solutions

depend on the manner in

training and coaching to ensure

combine expert resources,

decision-making is essential

which our local governments

proper knowledge transfer to

leading technology and well-

for the effective and efficient

embrace sustainable practices

entrench the asset management

researched business processes

management of assets.

in an environment where

business processes in the client’s

and methodologies to establish

Embedded in the activities of

changes in management

operational DNA.

a sustainable asset management

our processes are data quality

system. Our value proposition

checks and balances, user rights

have the need for a strategic

is simply to assist the client to

and secure access, which are

service provider with whom to

achieve the optimum balance

further supported by high-

establish a long-term sustainable

between performance, costs and

quality business rules that are

relationship for managing

risks in their asset management

entrenched in our enterprise

their assets. In such cases,

function. We improve

asset management system,

Pragma provides all the asset

performance by improving the

On Key.

The success of solutions will

thinking and spend priorities are unpredictable.

What processes do you follow to more effectively engage with clients so that you can offer the

Other clients, however,

OUR VALUE PROPOSITION RELiable

optimise

savings

0%

100%

0%

unplanned stops when we ensure the reliability and availability of your assets

performance when we ensure tile efficiency and quality of your assets' output

waste when we ensure optimal use of resources

PERFORMANCE

capex delay peace of mind

100% optimisation of capex spend, when we extend the life of your assets

0%

Accurate and timely data for

COST expertise

100%

nasty surprises, confldence, when we when we ensure provide you with our that your asset asset management risks are managed experience and effectively expertise

RISK sustainability

DECISIONS

0%

100%

disruption to your asset management function due to staff turnover

correct decision making based on accurate and available information mar/apr 2016

61

PANEL DISCUSSION Peter Telle

ultra control

Managing Member

Although Gauteng is the smallest province, it has the largest population and urbanisation is taking place at a rate of 3.18% per annum. Many suburban areas are being rezoned as high-density areas and it is expected that the number of high-rise buildings will begin to increase once more. Meanwhile, many of the existing high rise buildings in central Johannesburg, Hillbrow, Berea, etc. will need refurbishing. Against this backdrop, the challenges of reticulating water in high-rise buildings become apparent.

about the smaller offtakes into appliances such as kitchen taps, showers, air conditioners and geysers? Water reticulation control can be solved by a novel flow-control device called Maric (developed in Australia). This device controls the flow rate at each usage point and ensures that no one point

What water-reticulation issues are likely to occur in high-rise buildings?

PT The specific issues of

Are there any new solutions that might eliminate or reduce these dangers? Yes. Many

water reticulation in high-rise

years ago, the Australians

buildings offer challenges

developed a new pressure-

that have traditionally been

reducing valve concept

met by direct acting pressure-

called a ratio-reducing valve,

reducing valves (DAPRVs)

which solves most of the

for smaller pipes, up to 50

issues mentioned. It is non-

mm, and pilot operated pressure-reducing valves (POPRVs) for larger pipes.

adjustable, has instantaneous

adversely affects another.

reaction time to demand

This maintains pressure levels,

changes and is stable at low

resulting in water savings.

and high flows. It solves

“Ultra Control Valves have a range of RRPRV's up to 100 bar pressure capability – far in excess of what’s needed in highrise buildings.”

However, since these

almost all of the above

PRVs are adjustable,

problems, including

they are vulnerable

operation in series.

You mentioned that air in water pipes is a problem. What is the solution?

Automatic air valves remove air from water pipelines as it occurs. Air trapped in water pipes creates problems of reduced

capacity, unstable operation, and water hammer – this creates noise and can lead to pipe breakages. Traditional

to tampering

Is this technology purely an Australian development? No.

valves are bulky and prone

special adaptations

Our South African

Accessories developed an air

have to be made to

mining industry,

valve to solve these problems.

and abuse. They may also become unstable under low flow conditions, and

overcome these issues.

This increases complexity

Many years ago, Israelibased A.R.I. Flow Control

which has similar

It is the most widely used in

problems to high-rise

the irrigation industry and is

and cost, with an associated

buildings, has assisted

increased vulnerability to

in the development of

tampering with the settings.

some RRPRVs with up

The other problem with

to 250 bar rating.

either PRV is that they

to leaking.

Today, Ultra Control

now available in South Africa

Are all these new solutions unique to the high-rise building industry? All of the

often have to work

Valves has a range of

challenges mentioned above

in series in high-rise

RRPRV’ up to 100 bar

are prevalent in most water-

buildings. Thus,

pressure capability

reticulation installations and

unstable operation

– far in excess of

the aforementioned

becomes an even

what’s needed in

equipment can solve many

bigger issue and

high-rise buildings.

of these problems. The simplicity of these solutions

conditions arise where the failure of one valve can cause others in the series to fail as well. This can result

RRPRVs have solved water reticulation issues in main supply pipes, but what

means they are inherently low or zero maintenance and, therefore, most suitable to African conditions. The resulting water savings are key if the African continent

in huge water losses and water outages in

TOP Ratio reducing valve

is to survive the continuing

these buildings.

LEFT Maric flow control valve

water shortages. mar/apr 2016

63

PANEL DISCUSSION

UWP CONSULTING The Water Division of UWP Consulting has built a strong reputation in the past 20 years for its expertise and professionalism in the design and management of a broad range of projects, including large, multifaceted water schemes, in Southern Africa.

Christo Dudenski Director and Head: Water Division

What are the advantages and challenges of undertaking projects in Africa? The substantial

However, we are looking

contract management and

forward to greater prospects in

administration, as well as

the near future. We can assist

construction supervision.

advantages are that projects

in water supply that are now

expansion of the existing

are usually larger and more

being brought into focus

plant from 180 Mℓ/d to 270

challenging. However, working

through droughts. We need

Mℓ/d, together with the

in Africa is very different from

to work hand in hand with

supporting infrastructure

South Africa. Challenges are

clients and funding agencies

for future expansion to 360

present every step of the way

to accelerate the identification

Mℓ/d, at a total construction

and include absence of general

and commencement of projects.

cost of about $40 million.

infrastructure, different business

Currently, this is slow.

It included the following

ethics, generally lower quality of local services provision, much higher costs, often very onerous immigration and taxation

How have you achieved this reputation? cd Gradually – with dedication, perseverance,

to solve the serious challenges

legislation, and enormous logistical challenges.

The only way to overcome

The project involved

major elements: a raw water

Was the Lower Ruvu Water Treatment Plant in Dar es Salaam your first major water project outside South Africa? No, we had previously

pump station, a flow dividing

been involved with many

associated automation

unit, a pulsator clarifier, filters, a treated water pump station, 14 km of large bore pipelines, a sludge lagoon,

hard work and patience. The

these challenges is with

projects in sub-Saharan Africa.

and switchgear, power

capabilities and commitment of

patience and hard work,

We have worked in Botswana,

supply, and all necessary

our professionals have played

research and compliance

Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia,

support infrastructure.

a substantial role in this. It has

with local legislation, and by

Mozambique, Tanzania,

been a joint effort of our team.

establishing procedures and

Madagascar and Burkina Faso,

providing training to local

among others.

We acted as the engineer

Many different consulting services were required to pull this project together.

How did you source the multidisciplinary team needed for this? The

for the implementation

team comprised of in-house

of this project in terms of

expertise, with associated

the moment, mainly due to

the FIDIC Yellow Book. Our

local sub-consultants for the

work in other countries

the unfavourable economic

services included the review

required specialist expertise

without partnering with

environment, the consulting

and approval of all designs

and local knowledge

local consultants.

industry is quite stressed.

produced by the contractor,

such as health and safety,

Has UWP’s strategy of expansion into other Southern African countries, in partnership with local consultants, contributed to this? Certainly. It is almost

What are the prospects for the consulting engineering industry in the South African water sector? At

impossible to undertake

Balancing dam at the Nakambala irrigation scheme in Zambia

service providers.

Can you describe the Lower Ruvu project?

environmental and social, and electrical.

What do consultants from different countries need to succeed working side by side on projects such as this one? Business ethics and commitment are the key requirements.

The technical skills and alignment of processes and procedures are usually a challenge that needs to be addressed as early as possible.

Where necessary, on-the-job training is required.

64

mar/apr 2016

PANEL DISCUSSION

How did you add value to the local community through this project?

above (from left) 25 mℓ concrete reservoir at the Jane Furse water supply scheme in Limpopo

The treatment plant

1.8 MW raw water pump station at the Lower Ruvu Water Treatment Plant in Tanzania

supplies water to 75% of the population of Dar es Salaam (over 4 million people). The water supply situation was severely stressed, both in terms of quality and quantity. The upgrading of the plant had a dramatic impact on eliminating the water shortages in the city.

“The treatment plant supplies water to 75% of the population of Dar es Salaam (over 4 million people).”

90 Mℓ/d filters at the Lower Ruvu Water Treatment Plant in Tanzania left Children enjoying fresh water supplied by the Batho-Batho rural water supply scheme in the North West province

At peak, the number will rise

committed management team

management role and how you will achieve common vision and team dynamics throughout?

on-site. We hire all the support

This is a massive project, from

key and support staff and the

staff locally on a contract basis.

a municipal civil engineering

necessary local knowledge.

UWP South Africa was recently appointed as supervising engineer for the Lusaka Water Supply, Sanitation and Drainage project in Zambia. Please describe the project briefly.

entire management team and

We are acting as the FIDIC

rienced logistics department,

cost of about $250 million,

engineer for eight separate

which we are in the process of

including the eight contracts we

construction contracts in

developing. The construction

are managing ($180 million) and

or near Lusaka with a total

works for three of the contracts

some other projects that are

value of about $180 million.

commenced in February 2016

not our direct responsibility, but

Our services include project

and the others will follow in

require coordination.

management and coordination,

March and April.

some of the key staff. We have a strong, experienced and very

Ideally one needs an expe-

to 40 or more. Our associated consultants play an important role in providing the required

perspective, with a total

Corporation in the USA,

What does it take, from a personal perspective, to lead multinational teams in challenging projects across diverse countries with different languages and cultures, and where infrastructure and services on the ground may not always be available? It

Millennium Challenge Account

takes some time and effort,

– Zambia, the Lusaka Water

a few sleepless nights, and

Authority, and numerous

frustration at times. But,

technical qualification criteria

consultants providing various

most importantly, it returns

and supporting infrastructure,

were very onerous and only

specialist services related to

knowledge, experience and

upgrading of bulk water supply

two companies exceeded the

the project. The coordination of

professional pride when the

services, and the expansion of a

minimum threshold. We offered

the efforts and the collaboration

work is completed and the

wastewater treatment plant.

a strong team, a well-motivated

among these players is critical

client is satisfied. It also grows

proposal, and our price was

to achieve the common goal

the division and the company,

competitive. Our track record

– the successful delivery of the

which is our ultimate goal.

also counted in our favour.

infrastructure for the benefit of

contract administration and

There are many interested parties and role players involved, including the

services, rehabilitation of the

The client specifically noted that UWP submitted the best technical and financial proposal. What do you think swayed the decision in UWP’s favour? The

main water treatment plant

site supervision. The contracts involve the construction of various municipal services such as: large drainage channels, large-scale water and sanitation

This is one of the biggest single awards ever made to UWP. How are you managing the resources needed for such a significant project? Again, we are undertaking this project in association with other local and African companies, which provide some of the key resources. UWP provides the

Millennium Challenge

the Zambian people.

The client also referred to “quality outputs in ensuring coordination and collaboration among the different players working on this project”.

Can you comment on the importance of your

How many staff will UWP dedicate to the project? What role will be played by the other consultants appointed to work with UWP? We currently have about 20 people on-site.

+27 (0)11 709 8420 www.uwp.co.za mar/apr 2016

65

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Infrastruc ture funding

A case for off-balance-sheet expenditure In order to meet the demand for great infrastructure development in South Africa and the rest of the continent, a fresh look at financing is needed, where the pay-off from infrastructure investments – in the water sector or any other – receives broader attention.

By dawid bosman

S

tudies show that global expopular with institutional investors development, economic blocks spent penditure on infrastructure looking for the low-risk, long-term yield different proportions of their GDP on characteristics required by pension would need to increase by infrastructure. In the twenty years from funds in particular. Before the financial nearly 60% over the next 1992 to 2011, China had spent a healthy fifteen years, or around $3 400 billion crisis of 2008, these investors would typ8.5% of their GDP on infrastructure, India ically have been turning to government per annum, to allow for adequate and Japan around 5%, the Middle East bonds for those investment mandates economic growth. To put that number and Africa around 3.6%, and the indebtbut, in recent years, revenue-generating into context, it would require about ten ed developed world (mainly US and EU) infrastructure provides a better return. times the GDP of South Africa (about only around 2.6%. Globally, the expendFrom an investor’s perspective, $350 billion) to be spent on global Appropriate infrastructure infrastructure is characterised by infrastructure each year, for the next 15 years. expenditure is conducive to the following.

Furthermore, much of the ineconomic growth, not least • low demand elasticity, often due creased expenditure would need to a monopolistic positioning because it steers capital • predictable, inflation-linked, longto be funded not by national fiscal term cash flow with almost no resources, but through off-balance- resources away from bubbleexposure to market risk sheet project finance, especially in prone sectors, and raises the • initial intense capital outcountries encumbered by high debt efficiency of doing business levels. Effectively, households and lay, followed by consistent iture on infrastructure needs to increase business will be funding the infrastruclong-term returns to a level of around 4.5% of GDP, to • predictable evolution of risks ture through tolls and user charges, in enable the necessary economic growth.

• relatively low operating costs, comaddition to general taxation.

To a large degree, the funding exists pared to the initial capital outlay Fortunately, there is a widely-held view for this undertaking; it is estimated that amongst economists that appropriate • return on investment is less affected about $5 000 billion is available each infrastructure expenditure is conducive by economic cycles, and less risky, year from infrastructure funds, instituto economic growth, not least because than nearly all other investment tional investors, public treasuries, develclasses. it steers capital resources away from opment banks, commercial banks, and In a nutshell, pension fund money has bubble-prone sectors, and raises the efcorporations. This list warrants a second found an attractive investment destinaficiency of doing business. Infrastructure look: public money is listed alongside investment is often deemed to have an tion in revenue-generating infrastructure. private money, and grant funding mineconomic multiplier of 1.59.

This highlights the distinction between gles with loans and equity. fiscal-funded infrastructure – using the Finding funds broad tax base – providing a purely Historically, around 3.8% of global Attractive investment public amenity for the benefit of all, and It should be noted that, over the past GDP has been spent on infrastructure, infrastructure funded by a combination five years, infrastructure has become an and most of that came from public of equity and borrowings – where users asset class on its own, being particularly treasuries. Depending on their stage of of the facility pay a fee that covers the mar/apr 2016

67

Infrastruc ture funding

operations, maintenance, and long-term debt redemption. In the latter instance, the infrastructure is deemed to have been funded off balance-sheet, and is also referred to as a financed project. Project finance can be defined as follows: “A longterm, non-recourse (or limited recourse) finance structure in which debt, equity, and credit enhancement are combined for the construction and operation of a particular facility in a capital-intensive industry. The debt is placed in stable value protection (SPV), isolated from the sponsor’s general assets or credit (i.e. ring-fenced), and security is provided by the cash-flows of the SPV (e.g. user payments).”

Capacity for bankability

Bringing an infrastructure project to a bankable state, i.e. a condition where it has been thoroughly assessed in terms of financial and economic feasibility, is not a simple task and requires a range of high-level professional skill sets, robust governance, and credible institutions.

These elements are often insufficient in developing economies, as indicated by the following statement by the World Economic Forum: “While there is plenty of private-sector interest in financing bankable projects, the available project-preparation resources are insufficient to advance the projects to a bankable state; thus, the pipeline of well-prepared projects is meagre, and investment opportunities are limited.”

A distinct advantage of a financed project is the objectivity and rigorous assessment by the lenders that inevitably accompanies the risk financing, which tends to result in appropriate and efficient infrastructure. In the developing world, and especially the African context, the time has come to consider the role of project finance in infrastructure. An extensive fieldwork-based study, by the World Bank, brings the following insights into Africa’s infrastructure: 1. Spending on infrastructure is a great stimulus for the economy: infrastructure expenditure underpins more than half of Africa’s growth in recent years, and significant growth potential remains, on the same basis. Modelling has shown that, had sub-Saharan Africa’s infrastructure development been at the level of that of Mauritius, it would have added more than two percentage points to GDP growth.

2. Understanding the sources of funding: existing expenditure on infrastructure amounts to $45 billion per year, including both on-budget and off-budget ($30 billion together), as well as external financiers ($15 billion).

Capital expenditure is largely funded from tax and executed through central government budgets. The operation and maintenance of infrastructure assets are largely funded through user charges, and executed through state-owned enterprises.

3. U nder-developed infrastructure is still a constraint to growth: the continent’s infrastructure networks increasingly lag behind those of other developing regions, and are being hamstrung by difficult economic geography and the absence of key regional links.

Infrastructure services in Africa are still about twice as expensive as in other developing countries, largely due to poor economy of scale and lack of competition. Power is the greatest challenge by far, with premium rates being paid for emergency power supply.

4. M uch more expenditure is required: the World Bank study has found that Africa’s infrastructure needs require an investment of $93 billion per annum (around 15% of GDP). This would enable the region to catch up in power generation, allow regional power trading, connect capitals and ports with good-quality roads, provide wet-season access to high-value agricultural land, double the crops under irrigation, meet the as-yet unmet water and sanitation Millennium Development Goals, raise household electrification by 10%, and give 100% of the population access to broadband and mobile voice signals.

Given that $45 billion is currently being spent, and $17 billion remains unspent due to inefficiencies, it leaves a funding gap of $31 billion, after the inefficiencies have been addressed. The funding gap can only be closed by raising

Courtesy of the International Water Management Institute

figure 1 Water availability in Africa could be sustainable, but only if all possible funding avenues are effectively leveraged

68

mar/apr 2016

figure 2 Water supply and coverage in Africa did not reach the Millennium Development Goals that expired this year – the need for new funding approaches has never been clearer

Infrastruc ture funding

additional finance (i.e. off-budget funding), adopting lower-cost technologies, or having less ambitious infrastructure development targets.

Realistic user-payments

This brings us to the matter of the affordability of user-payments, as required by off-budget funded infrastructure. In spite of the relatively poor infrastructure, the sub-Saharan African economy has performed rather well in recent years.

From the period 1988-2000 to the period 2001-2012, the number of sub-Saharan African economies growing faster than 5% jumped from 8 to 21.The projection for the period 2013-2030 is that 24 economies will exceed 5% GDP growth per annum. It is a notable concern that South Africa is not in this cohort.

It is also evident that a consumer class is emerging in sub-Saharan Africa. An analysis of the sectors that have attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) illustrates a swing away from resources and extractive sectors, towards consumer-facing

sectors. Over the ten years from 2003 to 2013, the FDI share of technology, media, and telecommunications has grown from 14% to 20%. Similarly, the share of retail and consumer products has gone from 12% to 17%, financial services from 12% to 15%, and business services from 6% to 12%. In contrast, the FDI share of metals and mining has declined sharply from 13% to 2%, and that of coal, oil, and natural gas from 11% to 3%.

This proportional shift towards consumer-facing investments is a strong indicator that a growing consumer class has been established in Africa, increasingly capable of paying tariffs for the use of utilities, subscribing to premium telecommunication services, and paying tolls for the use of upgraded road infrastructure.

Africa. The progressive emergence of an African consumer class will contribute to enabling that funding mechanism, by having the means to pay for the privilege of using that infrastructure, even though challenges in project preparation capacity remain. Institutional sources of private equity and project finance have also grown more comfortable with investments into revenue-positive, sustainable infrastructure projects. In a supportive policy environment, and with sufficient capacity to bring projects to a finance-ready status, off-budget project finance could well be the instrument by which African economic development is set on a higher trajectory.

For a full list of references used for this article, contact the editor: frances@3smedia.co.za

Conclusion

The author

The World Bank study has identified the need for additional funding of infrastructure, to be a catalyst for accelerated economic growth in sub-Saharan

Dawid Bosman, senior manager: Advisory Services, Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority mar/apr 2016

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Boosting the talent pipeline

W

orld Water Day 2016 is held each year on 22 March and is championed by the United Nations globally. This year’s theme is ‘Water and Work’ and, coincidentally, the South African government has timed its own job creation and skills training initiative in the water sector to start this year.

Government’s War on Leaks campaign has been under way for some time but, towards the end of last year, it gained momentum when President Jacob Zuma announced that, through the Department of Water & Sanitation (DWS), it will train “15 000 artisans and plumbers to fix leaking taps and pipes in their communities as part of promoting water conservation”.

The plan was first inspired by an article published by the Water Research Commission, which found that as much The type of material a pipe is made from will have a huge impact on how it’s installed.

Proper installation, in turn, affects its lifespan and the likelihood of leaking

World Water Week’s theme for this year is “Water and Work”.

Frances Ringwood

explores opportunities for job creation and skills development in the fluid conveyancing supply chain. as (or more than) 40% of South Africa’s non-revenue water was being lost through old pipes and ageing infrastructure (such as meters). The estimated cost of the lost water at the time the report was produced was R7 billion.

Public-sector intervention

The DWS has appointed water board Rand Water as the implanting agent for this initiative. A three-phased approach has been identified for the recruitment,

Pipes, pumps & valves

training and deployment of the new recruits, who will fill the roles of plumbers, artisans and water agents.

The distribution of trainees over the next three years will be: 3 000 intake in 2015, 7 000 intake in 2016, and 5 000 intake in 2017. The plan is that additional artisans and plumbers will be trained for a further two years after these initial milestones are reached. “This programme will enable us to provide training opportunities to unemployed young people who can also be trained as water agents. They will be responsible for visiting communities to investigate water leaks and teach people to save water,” President Zuma said at a media briefing in Zwide township, Eastern Cape, during August last year.

“Government will train young people with grade 12 or N3 qualifications, with mathematics and science as their subject choices, as fitters and turners, welders, instrument mechanics and electricians.

Their duties will include repairs, retrofitting and replacements. These young water professionals will be find employment in South Africa’s municipalities. This is being done in order to save water. Water is not unlimited,” he added.

Private-sector approach

Government is not the only sector getting into the swing of upskilling the youth and job seekers to maintain valuable infrastructure. Many private-sector players have had long-standing internal training programmes in place and are at the ready to provide more training and bursaries where needed.

For example, pump and valve manufacturer KSB Pumps & Valves’ head: HR, Shonah Smith, comments, “KSB has been committed to skills development for all 55 years of its existence. We started with a small staff compliment and now employ over 450 members of staff in various locations around the country.

“KSB has created job opportunities for highly qualified and skilled professionals, as well as for people with no formal skills or qualifications. We encourage personal growth as evidenced by very senior staff members who started at KSB as casual workers during their school holidays many years ago.

“On a formal level, we have an internal as well as an external training programme, which includes skilled and unskilled apprenticeships, and supporting of under- and postgraduate students in their studies.” mar/apr 2016

71

Pipes, pumps & valves

Skills development alone will not be enough to solve South Africa’s underground water-loss problem – municipal capacity development and citizen education are also vital for saving water

Smith adds that, as a company, KSB is confident in its strong workforce and commitment to the economic upliftment of all South Africans. That’s how one of the largest pump and valve manufacturers has approached skills development: through internal promotion, apprenticeships and postgraduate support. In the pipe manufacturing industry, a host of different skills is required and these often call for specialist knowledge depending on the type of material being used in pipe manufacture.

Tony Dean, managing director, Rare Plastics, comments on how his organisation equips itself internally to assist clients with installation and repair of its products where necessary.

“As original equipment manufacturers in the piping industry, we do not have in-house teams to perform installations.

What will usually happen is a client, e.g.

Johannesburg Water, will outsource its own installation and repair services,” Dean explains.

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He continues, “That being said, we have the capacity and are quite happy to train any of our clients’ service providers in the proper pipe laying techniques for high-density polyethylene (HDPE). You see, the major material currently used for normal municipal reticulation – in both sewers and potable water pipes – is PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Since that’s the dominant product, training in the differences that come with HDPE repair and installation may be necessary.”

The Rare Group sends four or five such trainees, annually, to Plastics|SA to learn more about these differences.

Back to basics

Training on its own cannot solve South Africa’s leak problem, according to Willem Wegelin, director, WRP Consulting Engineers.

“Providing training is good, but we need to create an environment where people can apply their skills and develop further, or we risk them moving on, outside the plumbing industry.” In instances where local government cannot provide this environment, there is an opportunity for the private sector to step in.

Behind public and private sector initiatives to train more skilled artisans is the desire to fix poorly maintained

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equipment and ageing infrastructure in order to save water. For a meaningful impact to be made on national government’s efforts to overcome water shortages, issues of delays with procurement, installation of substandard materials and ineffective management in local government will have to be dealt with.

Municipalities also need to be capacitated, financially and through their leadership structures, to undertake large and necessary infrastructure refurbishment projects, particularly in the area of leaking pipes.

Wegelin believes there is an opportunity for municipalities to make the War on Leaks programme more sustainable by taking ownership of it in their respective areas. “The DWS cannot be both regulator and implementer, especially since fixing leaks at local government level is beyond the department’s jurisdiction.”

Training and infrastructure investment only go so far. Government and industry have both stressed that citizen action is also desperately needed to assist the country to continue coping through the current drought. The DWS, Rand Water and other state organs have repeatedly stressed the need to replace faulty washers to reduce water losses through dripping taps. Also, simple actions like turning off running taps and encouraging homeowners to test their own properties for leaks can make an immense difference to South Africa’s water conservation efforts.

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ccording to waste manand can recycle waste as well. Vacuum price, as they do not want customer comagement and pipeline trucks that can perform fast offloading plaints and recalls. Even so, price competiservices provider Rescue and whose tanks are able to tip and open tion in the local market is high, despite the Rod, European vacuum are preferred by operators. Versatile and fact that there can realistically only be one pumps and their ancillary equipment easier to use, these vehicles can be used supplier competing purely on price. are the best when it comes to quality in sewer works and with just about any Not all vacuum pumps are imported; a and reliability. The company says it uses wet products, including oil and grease as handful of local pump manufacturers are European brands because they limit the well as the by-products from the food/ based around the country. Unfortunately, number of breakdowns the company hospitality industries. there are also a number of fly-by-night incurs, particularly on-site.

Important vacuum pump considerations pump resellers.

In Europe, there is a large vacuum for buyers include maximum flow rates Sweetening the deal pump supply industry and significant and the ability to maintain a constant Honey suckers are typically used in situcompetition. This has resulted in a highly pressure level over an elongated distance ations where the sewerage to be sucked competitive industry that strives for (in some cases, this can be 100Â m or more). up is not too deep or thick. Increases in product excellence. The European brands Pumps with these abilities are naturally depth or viscosity would require the use producing these pumps are typically rather expensive, but they last longer and long-established entities with well-re- of different machines or, at least, more so have a better total cost of ownership powerful pumps. sourced R&D capabilities. And they than cheaper alternatives.

Vacuum and honey-sucker trucks are seldom, if ever, compete on price.

Unfortunately, though, many local predominantly fully imported, although a This means the vacuum pumps from pump buyers haven’t learnt what to handful of engineering firms can also be Europe are generally made to withstand base their buying decisions on. They used. Either way, costs of these vehicles higher tolerances than more affordable are urged to do total cost of ownership and pumps have risen recently as the alternatives. They are often more precise comparisons. rand slips. in operation and this means they last Werner Pumps offers units with hydrauFancier vehicles incorporate a comlonger. Apart from precision and power, lic booms, which are easier to operate bination of vacuum and suction power vacuum pumps must be completely void than manual systems. The company of air leaks. wishes to automate Quality pumps that are operations, where maintained properly can possible, to simplify last for decades. Some of use. Werner offers a the leading brands include standard 12-month Wittig (which has been warranty on the around for over 100 years), pumps it sells.

Most vacuum pumps fitted to vacuum trucks Kaiser and KOKS. Spare parts availMost South African vacuability is important in South Africa, colloquially called honey um pump resellers choose because downtime suckers, are imported from either Europe or to prioritise quality over must be kept to

Pump action the United States, writes Tristan Wiggill.

mar/apr 2016

73

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Davey has pioneered rainwater harvesting with the RainBank®. The original, and the best, tank to mains interconnection device. Available in kits with surface mounted pumps or for dwellings located closer together, a submersible pump option to keep the neighbours happy. The range also now includes some neat configurations such as having it enclosed in a cabinet, or in the top of your tank.

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Vehicles & Equipment

a minimum and shortened as far as possible. Overheating of pumps is an issue, particularly in warmer climates like South Africa.

A challenge for pump suppliers is getting the industry to implement the UN’s 1957 ADR treaty, which governs the transnational transport of hazardous materials by road, as well as general adherence to international safety standards.

Many vacuum pumps sourced from Europe are built, as standard, to ADR regulations, e.g. the EcoVac from KOKS Special Products. This increases the quality level expected from the product and ensures compliance with the minimum standard required by petrochemical plants and refineries in Europe – in relation to the suction, transportation and offloading of hazardous fluid materials including fuels, oils, sludges and chemicals.

It is important that vacuum pumps are suited to their intended applications. The petrochemical industry uses liquid ring

Used vacuum trucks are cheaper, but models with the right specs are hard to find

systems, which have to have appropriate certifications, while roots-type blowers are normally used in municipal vacuum work.

It is vital for the pumps on vacuum trucks to be suited to their intended applications There is a small, but growing, market for used vacuum trucks. These trucks are becoming more affordable and, therefore, more attractive. Used vacuum trucks may be quicker to deliver to buyers, but are harder to find, especially when it comes to highly specialised work.

New and used trucks need to be specified correctly in order to perfectly match

their intended application. While truck OEMs provide everything from trucks with single axles to 8x4 axles, finding exactly what you want can take time and effort.

Any vehicle bought for the purpose of vacuuming has to be homologated as a waste vehicle. Not all OEMs can supply the necessary vehicles, especially if extra weight on the rear axle is needed. This

mar/apr 2016

75

Vehicles & Equipment

Vacuum trucks, particularly those dealing with oil and chemicals, must often meet strict regulatory requirements

makes specifying an appropriate vehicle tricky. An extra 1.2 tonnes on the rear axle can render the vehicle in excess of its permissible weight ratings.

Vacuum and honey-sucker trucks need to meet certain legislatory requirements,

76

mar/apr 2016

which are particularly strict when used in oil and chemical refineries. Municipal work normally requires the use of smaller pumps; it might only produce around 5 kW or 6 kW, which is appropriate for septic tank cleaning, whereas

“super-sucker pumps” can produce in the region of 120 kW. Units need to be built specifically to their intended application, be it wet or dry vacuuming. As such, the chosen pump will have to be fitted with the correct filter.

It is important to have backup and support through local agents, and spares availability is as critical as reliability. “I don’t want to become a pump distributor,” says Jet Vac’s Peter Solomons.

“Business is okay at the moment, although it has become more competitive recently. It is extremely important to know what running costs your business is incurring. When the fuel price goes up, for example, you have to know to what extent it will impact your business’s total running costs,” he concludes.

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INDUSTRY news

A name celebrating Afrika

J&G managing director, Paul Olivier (seated right) with fellow J&G board members

E

ngineering and environmental consulting centenarian Jeffares & Green (J&G) will be changing its name and renewing its brand to better reflect its goals and strategies.

Throughout its existence, J&G has evolved, keeping pace with fluctuations in demand, the industry and customer requirements. To maintain momentum

78

for continuous development, the bold decision was made to rename and rebrand the company in order to better align the brand with its areas of operation – the African continent – and highlight its proudly South African status.

According to Charmagne Denny, marketing and communications manager, J&G, “The brand development process started with the appointment of brand specialists. After much hard work, research and an inclusive staff voting process, JG Afrika was chosen.”

This name was designed to represent the company’s identity to the world, while maintaining its African roots.

“The inclusion of ‘JG’ symbolises the company’s acknowledgement of and appreciation for its history, while ‘Afrika’ denotes its independence, its love for the continent, and is a nod to the African way of spelling Africa,” says Denny.

The new corporate identity (CI) will be launched in April 2016. “The J&G name has served us well; however, the time has come to look to the future and align our CI with our diverse, modern and highly skilled workforce,” says Paul Olivier, managing director, J&G. “We sincerely enjoyed the process of evaluating naming options and involving our valued staff, upon whom our success is built.”

He concludes, “We assure the industry that we remain the same professional, knowledgeable and independent organisation; our name and brand changing enriches the spirit of the company and we look forward to providing another century of experience, quality and integrity as JG Afrika. Sihluma kunye – we develop together.”

mar/apr 2016

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South Africa is a water scares country now in the grips of a drought, and this is true of many parts of Africa.

The situation is exacerbated by climate change, water wastage, and degradation of existing resources.

Key strategies to guard against absolute scarcity include demand side efficiency, protection against pollution, and supply-side infrastructure investment.

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produc t news

Extra sensory solution right VEGAPuls WL61 sensors installed at a sluice site

Gunter Kech with VEGA's little surprise

O

n the River Weaver in Cheshire County, northern England, the Dutton sluice site consists of eight large sluice gates lifted by Rotork actuators. The water level in the river determines when to open or close the sluice gates and navigation is closed to river traffic if the

water level is too high. The sluice site is a key level-measurement point, where monitoring needs to be very accurate. Consequently, the river level is now measured by four instruments, the first two being ultrasonic sensors mounted in stilling tubes. These tubes require substantial engineering works to install, and generally need continuous on-site maintenance to prevent blockages, or repairs to keep measurement errors to a minimum.

Even with this installation, the site has in recent years experienced issues where the ultrasonic sensors lose echo or drifts, which causes the incorrect activation of level-sensor failure alarms.

As a result, the Canal & River Trust (CRT) has installed two other devices alongside the ultrasonic sensors, as test instruments. Designed and

manufactured by German company VEGA, the new VEGAPuls WL61 radar level sensors are unaffected by weather or surface conditions and were simply mounted on a unistrut adjacent to the stilling tubes. CRT has compared the data from both sets of instruments over several months and found that there has been no drift with the WL61 water radars since installation.

While there have been occasions where the water level on one or both of the ultrasonic units rises, the radars have not, commented the site’s Scada engineer.

“As far as I can see, the WL61 radars provide more reliable data than the ultrasonic devices. My concern with the ultrasonic sensors is that drift could create nuisance alarms and result in staff call-outs. I do not have these concerns with the WL61s.

“In addition, I have confidence in the support from VEGA should an issue arise with any of the instruments at a later date.”

New radar level transmitter breakthrough

W

ith Optiwave 1010, Krohne introduces a new radar level transmitter for bypass chambers and magnetic level indicators. The two-wire FMCW radar level transmitter is designed as a cost-effective solution for the continuous level measurement of liquids in bypass applications in various industries – e.g. chemical, power, water and wastewater, or automotive.

Optiwave 1010 can be combined with the Krohne BM 26 Advanced bypass chambers and magnetic level indicators (MLI), thereby adding a 4 mA to 20 mA HART output to the mechanical devices.

The combinations can be conveniently ordered as a whole – e.g. as BM 26 W1010 (Optiwave 1010 welded to BM 26 Advanced). Or, it can be welded on any bypass chamber with an internal diameter of 38 mm to 56 mm. Thus, it is also an ideal solution for other MLI manufacturers to add a level radar measurement option to their product range.

Optiwave 1010 is competitively priced to replace reed chains, magnetostrictive and simple TDR transmitters that are typically used with bypass chambers or MLIs. In addition to a measuring accuracy of ±5 mm, the FMCW principle offers a much better overall accuracy in bypass applications – while reed chain and magnetostrictive principles are measuring the float position, which depends on the product density, the FMCW radar directly measures the liquid surface.

The application range for Optiwave 1010 includes almost any liquids with process temperatures ≤ +150° C up to 40 barg and measuring ranges up to 8 m.

With clean liquids of dielectric constant εr ≥ 3, the device measures the surface directly, for εr < 3, a float with target is used.

Optiwave 1010 features a dual-process seal system that allows for removal of the converter under process conditions.

The two-wire, loop-powered HART device is preconfigured in the factory and

delivered ready to use. Applicationspecific adjustments are possible via HART/ DD and DTM.

Radar level transmitter for bypass chambers and magnetic level indicators

mar/apr 2016

79

events

the Water show

Strategic T innovation The Water Show at Power & Electricity World Africa 2016 When: 15 to 16 March 2016 Where: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg For more info, visit

www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/water-africa

he Water Show is a major drawcard of the annual Power & Electricity World Africa event. This year, the show, entitled “Strategy & Innovation for Water Producers, Partners and End Users”, serves as a particular highlight in an already packed water sector calendar year.

As part of Power & Electricity World Africa, The Water Show is a crucial component of one of the biggest events on South Africa’s trade and technical calendar.

It is attended by decision-makers and CEOs from the global water industry. It is the annual forum where industry professionals come together and learn about how to

develop sustainable, clean and bankable world-class water and energy projects throughout the African continent.

The organisers are expecting there to be 6 000 visitors and 600 delegates in attendance, with an astounding 250 exhibitors.

The 2016 keynote speakers are world-class, and include some of the biggest names in the industry. Among them are Prof Hamanth Kasan, president of the African Water Association, as well as Dr Hilonha Askwar, innovator and academic at the Nelson Mandela Institute of Science & Technology. American Ed McCormick from the Water Environmental Federation will also make an address.

Index to Advertisers

80

Abeco Tanks

IFC

ImproChem

14

SBS Water Systems

56

AECOM SA

51

Joat

37

Sensus

46

African Construction & Totally Concrete

26

Kaytech

52

SEW-Eurodrive

African Utility Week

77

Keller

25

SMEC South Africa

18

Air Liquide

76

Krohne

55

Sustainability Week

78

Amanz'abantu

28

KSB Pumps & Valves

30

Top Women Awards

2

APE Pumps

45

MasterRubber

66

Ultra Control Valves

62

Aquaplan Water Treatment Engineering

MMI South Africa

42

10

N&Z Instrumentation & Control

34

UWP Engineering

64

Atlas Copco

75

PipeFlo

69

Vega Controls

27

Buckman Laboratories

43

Pragma Africa

60

Vovani Water Products

19

Quality Filtration Systems

17

IBC

Water & Sanitation Services SA

OBC

Water Institute of Southern Africa

OFC

Degrémont

4

DPI Plastics

72

Rocla

57

Endress+Hauser

22

Rainbow Reservoirs

32

WEC Projects

Enterprises | University of Pretoria

21

Rare Group

33

WISA 2016 Conference and Exhibition 11

ERWAT

48

SafeQuip

74

Water Purification Chemical & Plant

39

Hidrostal Southern Africa

50

SAM Engineering

70

WorleyParsons

41

mar/apr 2016

58

We drive the water industry

SEW-EURODRIVE, a BEE company and one of the leaders in the field of geared motors, is now able to supply an Industrial Gear Unit that offers more efficiency for mixing and agitating applications with our MC range of Extended Bearing Distance (EBD) Industrial Gear Units.

In process plants, large axial and radial forces occur at the agitator shaft during agitating processes. Traditional designs solve this problem with separate, external bearings that take on the function of the agitator shaft bearings, a solution that very often proves cost intensive. Our new EBD concept extends the bearing span across the low speed shaft and offers stronger bearings within the gear unit itself, which means that in many cases separate bearings are no longer required in the agitator or an over sizing of the gear unit can be avoided. These high torque MC Industrial Gear Units can be used for the reliable operation of mixers, mounting flanges, agitators and surface aerators.

SEW-EURODRIVE - Driving the world.

Tel: +27 11 248-7000 Web: www.sew.co.za

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SEW-EURODRIVE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Driving the world

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