Imiesa jan 2012

The official magazine of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa

IMESA

MEDIA

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • MAINTENANCE • SERVICE DELIVERY

Aveng Grinaker-LTA IMESA Flood management

Cape Town Panel Refuse discussion

collection

Making good ‘cents’

Service delivery solutions for water services ISSN 0257 1978 Volume 37 No.1 • January 2012 • R40.00 (incl VAT)

p29

Clear Air and Clean Streets

The

C201 – Refreshingly Clear

When sweeping with the C201 Compact, Johnston’s “Water Curtain” technology traps small dust particles (PM10 and PM2.5) helping air quality by preventing their airborne release into the environment. Link air quality to the reduced fuel consumption of the C201 in work mode – up to 40% less fuel than other sweepers in its class – plus Eco Mode fitted as standard for in-transit fuel savings, and the Johnston C201 Compact is one of the cleanest sweepers available. Finally with an annual reduction of CO2 to 16 tonnes, the Johnston C201 is an environmental winner.

Contacts us on +27 (0)21 948 4746 email info@transtech.co.za

www.transtech.co.za

Surprisingly affordable, totally dependable

The VT650 The VT Range of truck mounted sweepers is now established as the most durable and dependable road sweeper ever produced by Johnston, a fact supported by our sweepers maintaining the highest residual value.

With more than 50 years of engineering expertise and design the VT Range leads the way, offering you years of outstanding performance.

www.transtech.co.za

You can choose your VT Range options from our selection of Customer Packs and save even more time, cost and labour.

Ask about our Contractor’s Pack, the Productivity Pack or our Eco Pack and you can be confident that whatever you specify, the VT Range from Johnston will provide you with the best solution in an ever demanding market.

Contacts us on +27 (0)21 948 4746 email info@transtech.co.za

Contents

VOLUME 37 NO 1 JANUARY 2012

18 29 53 61 SAICE Awards

Water Deliver y

The official magazine of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa

IMESA

MEDIA

Cover article 6 Covering the full road construction value chain

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • MAINTENANCE • SERVICE DELIVERY

IMESA 9 The impact and management of 13 15

floods Infrastructure asset management FAQs 75th IMESA Conference

Industry perspective 17 New president for CESA

Aveng Grinaker-LTA IMESA Flood management

SAICE Awards

Cape Town Panel discussion

Refuse collection

Making good ‘cents’

Service delivery solutions for water services

p29

ISSN 0257 1978 Volume 37 No.1 • January 2012 • R40.00 (incl VAT)

Aveng Grinaker-LTA Earthworks Engineering is a highly-successful business unit within the Aveng Group focussed primarily on infrastructure, including road construction and rehabilitation, water storage and distribution, rail construction and rehabilitation and airport development, as well as mine infrastructure development and rehabilitation.

18 19 20 23 25

Winner: Community based projects Joint winner: Technical excellence Joint winner: Technical excellence Commendation: Technical excellence Civil engineering accolade

Water and wastewater 29 Learning from private business 43 Specialised infrastructure and

Canal Upgrade

48 50 53 57 60

Good ‘cents

Pipe jacking showcase project Trading service: refuse collection Lotus Canal upgrade Recycling contributes to social empowerment New compactor fleet

Panel discussion 61 Introduction: Good ‘cents’ for 63 65 67 69 71 73

municipalities Hennie Basson: EFTEC Heinrich Mostert: Fiberpipe Anton Liebenberg: Aquadam Graham Lionel Beattie: Wasteman Sight Lines Zack van den Berg: Tecroveer/ Sewpacksa EXCO Mias van der Walt: Bigen Africa

Pipes, pumps and valves 75 Water supply for expanding regions

79 World-class equipment for municipal engineering

81 Rainwater harvesting 83 Process pumping solutions

reticulation products

Regulars

Cape Town

3 Editor’s comment 5 President’s comment

44 Community development 47 Replacing obsolete infrastructure

Products and services 85 Do not slip up 87 New technology for clay bricks 88 Transformers for power plants IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 1

METERING

RENEWABLES

WATER

LARGE INDUSTRY

INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT

T&D / SMART GRIDS

GENERATION

WASTE MANAGEMENT

“I am honoured to again be invited to participate in this important gathering. Thank you to Spintelligent and it’s partners for once again convening a world class event. We have consistently and will continue to raise the need for the energy sector to deepen engagement and debate on the collective challenges that confront all of us in this space.”

Honourable Minister Dipuo Peters, Department of Energy, South Africa “Thanks again for your assistance, indeed the event was very informative and well organised. “ John Mumba, Chief Engineer: Technical Support, City

Special offer for IMIESA readers: 10% off your registration fee.

Of Windhoek, Namibia

Quote reference IME01.

21 – 24 May 2012 Expo Centre, Johannesburg South Africa

Africa’s all encompassing event for utilities, municipalities and large industrial end users

African Utility Week is the only African conference and exhibition that covers the entire spectrum of the power, water and waste management utilities industry As the industry has changed and evolved, African Utility Week has responded to market forces and customer demands. It has provided industry professionals with direct access to everything that will enhance and grow their utilities and municipalities by bringing them together with governments, industry regulators, solution providers and large industrial end users to discuss the future of the industry. Don’t miss the four most valuable working days of 2012. Visit our website or call +27 21 700 3500 today to pre-register.

www.african-utility-week.com Media partner: Follow us: @AfricaUtilities

EDITOR'S COMMENT

2012 won’t be like a box of chocolates

PUBLISHER Elizabeth Shorten EDITOR Richard Jansen van Vuuren CREATIVE CHIEF EXECUTIVE Frédérick Danton SENIOR DESIGNER Hayley Moore Mendelow CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Cindy Maulgue CONTRIBUTORS Candice Landie, Pieter Myburgh, Stewart Gibson, F Fourie, I Oliver PRODUCTION MANAGER Antois-Leigh Botma PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jaqueline Modise FINANCIAL MANAGER Andrew Lobban (ACIS, FCIBM) ADMINISTRATION Tonya Hebenton DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Nomsa Masina DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha Pursotham SUBSCRIPTION SALES Nomsa Masina PRINTERS United Litho Johannesburg +27 (0)11 402 0571 ___________________________________________________

W

E WERE ALL bouncing through life quite contently up until Black September 2008 and the Black Swan Event that followed. For those not familiar with the Black Swan Event theory it was developed by Nassim Nicholas Taleb – a metaphor that encapsulates the concept the event in question i) is a surprise to the observer, ii) has a significant impact on the world and iii) can be rationalised by hindsight.

Taleb’s theory explains that: • The disproportionate role of high-impact, hard-to-predict and rare events that are beyond the realm of normal expectations in history, science, finance and technology.

• The non-computability of the probability of the consequential rare events using scientific methods.

• The psychological biases that make people, individually and collectively, blind to uncertainty and unaware of the massive role of the rare event in historical affairs.

The world saw the recession of 2009 coming but, by the time they did, the sequence of events that led to it were unstoppable.

Since then, I believe that, in some way, on both a personal and professional level, all of our lives in South Africa have changed. The private sector is now much more streamlined and cost effective. Government, on the other hand, has a mountain of capital to spend but is reluctant to part with much of it. Trust between the two entities is at an all-time low. This has resulted in a stifled approach to infrastructure development. Contracts are harder to secure now – the tender environment is brutal and many smaller companies have either had to shut down or have been acquired by larger corporates for a fraction of their worth.

As we begin the New Year, it seems another economical Black Swan Event is somewhat unavoidable as everyone who keeps an eye on current events will know there is a financial storm brewing in

ADVERTISING SALES Jenny Miller Tel: +27 (0)11 467 6223 ___________________________________________________

PUBLISHER: MEDIA No. 4, 5th Avenue, Rivonia 2056 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 Fax: +27 (0)11 234 7274/5 E-mail: richard@3smedia.co.za www.3smedia.co.za ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: R480.00 (INCL VAT) ISSN 0257 1978 IMIESA, Inst.MUNIC. ENG. S. AFR. © Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. ___________________________________________________ IMESA CONTACTS IMESA Administration Officer: Ingrid Botton P O Box 2190, Westville, 3630 Tel: +27 (0)31 266 3263 Fax: +27 (0)31 266 5094 Email: imesa@webstorm.co.za Website: www.imesa.org.za BORDER BRANCH Secretary: Melanie Matroos Tel: +27 (0)43 705 2401 Fax: +27 (0)43 743 5266 E-mail: melaniem@buffalocity.gov.za EAST CAPE BRANCH Elsabé Koen Tel: +27 (0)41 505 8005 Fax: +27 (0)41 581 2300 E-mail: elsabek@africoast.com KWAZULU-NATAL BRANCH Secretary: Rita Zaayman Tel: +27(0)31 311 6382 NORTHERN PROVINCE BRANCH Secretary: Cornel Taljaard Tel: +27 (0)82 899 8341 Fax: +27 (0)11 675 1324 E-mail: cornel@rchc.co.za SOUTHERN CAPE KAROO BRANCH Secretary: Henrietta Oliver Tel: +27(0)79 390 7536 Fax: 086 536 3725 E-mail: imesa.southcape@gmail.com WESTERN CAPE BRANCH Secretary: Erica van Jaarsveld Tel: +27 (0)21 938 8455 Fax: +27 (0)21 938 8457 E-mail: erica.van_jaarsveld@capetown.gov.za FREE STATE AND NORTHERN CAPE BRANCH Secretary: Wilma Van Der Walt Tel: +27(0)83 457 4362 Fax: 086 628 0468 E-mail: imesa.fsnc@gmail.com REST OF SOUTHERN AFRICA Representative: Andre Muller E-mail: imesa@webstorm.co.za

All material herein IMIESA is copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa or the publishers.

The official magazine of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa

Instit ute Africa ern zine of the al maga eerin g of South The offici cipal Engin of Muni

IMESA

A DIA MED MEDIA

MEDIA

INFR ASTR

UCT URE

DEV ELO

• MAI NTE PME NT

Europe – the effects of which could be longer lasting and farther reaching than that of the US meltdown of 2008. A possible advantage that we have is that, inadvertently, or in some cases specifically, we have all peeked into what the calendar year has in store (armed with points i, ii and iii of Taleb’s theory) and only those in a deep state of denial would see a glowing period ahead. We need to be aware of these points: • Another global meltdown seems inevitable.

• The Arab Spring, or Arab Awakenings as they are also known, heralded a dawn of State accountability and the ripple effects of these events are still circling the globe.

• South Africa’s political arena is going to be extremely unpredictable, causing instability.

• The petrol price, combined with SANRAL’s ambitious country-wide Open Road Tolling programme, is going to result in everything - from what you buy at your local café to industrial products and materials - to sky rocket in price.

I’d like to think that I’m not a pessimist but, reading what I have written here, it seems as though I may be one. But, believe me, by the end of 2012, when I write my column for our November/December issue, I’ll be more than happy to admit it if I’ve been way off the mark (and I sincerely hope that I will have been)!

NAN CE

• SERV ICE

DEL IVER

Y

Richard Jansen van Vuuren, editor of IMIESA

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • MAINTENANCE • SERVICE DELIVERY

Cover opportunity In each issue, IMIESA offers advertisers the opportunity to get to the front of the line by placing a company, product or service on the front cover of the journal. Buying this position will afford the advertiser the cover story on pages and maximum exposure. For more information on cover bookings contact Jenny Miller on tel: +27 (0)11 467 6223.

Aveng Grinaker-LTA tion

PPP in mo

IMESA

Service delivery

Tshwane

lion R190 mil rade upg WWTW

Insight reality

e: Wa experienc African o.11 The SouthI S S N 0 2 5 7 1 9 7 8 V o l u m e 3 6 N

rm Mix

IMESA Flood management alt halt hal ha pha Asp )

Cape Town Panel discussion

Refuse collection

Making good ‘cents’

ncl VAT

(i Service delivery solutions for water services

R40.00

p29

ISSN 0257 1978 Volume 37 No.1 • January 2012 • R40.00 (incl VAT)

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 3

ADVERTORIAL

T Every three years the International Federation of Municipal Engineering (IFME) brings the global community of municipal engineers and design professionals together.

he main theme of the congress will be sustainable communities. This allows for a comprehensive exploration of all key elements of sustainable communities, such as urban planning and municipal design, as well as solutions for transportation and energy systems.

Conference topics cover both new buildings and renovation projects, together with maintenance processes.

A multidisciplinary approach has been chosen to promote new ideas and to broaden discussion.

Practically and scientifically oriented professional presentations, interesting case studies and excursions, together with fruitful discussions with old and new colleagues, will perfect delegates’ expertise.

We warmly welcome all experts of municipal built environments – engineers, architects, administrators, contractors, operators, consultants, investors, researchers and students – to attend IFME 2012.

We look forward to seeing you in Helsinki!

Dan-H Langstrom and Helena Soimakallio, chief executive officer and FAME chair of the organising committee.

4 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

KEY DATES Conference: 4 to 10 June 2012 Notification of abstracts: 30 November 2011 Deadline for full papers: 31 January 2012 Registration: November 2011

CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT Jyrki Vättö • FAME • jyrki.vatto@hel.fi t +358 50 559 1435 Ville Raasakka • Finnish Association of Civil Engineers RIL • ville.raasakka@ril.fi t +358 50 366 8687

ORGANISERS Finnish Association of Municipal Engineering (FAME) International Federation of Municipal Engineering (IFME) Finnish Association of Civil Engineers (RIL) Estonian Association of Municipal Engineering (EAME) Svenska Kommunaltekniska Föreningen (KT)

VISIT THESE WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION www.ifme2012.easypage.fi/call-for-papers.html www.ifme2012.com www.ifme.com

COMMENT

PRESIDENT'S COMMENT

COP 17 – a showcase for Durban’s infrastructure I would like, once again, to pay tribute to all who helped make IMESA’s 75th Jubilee celebrations such a resounding success.

C

ELEBRATED AT THE annual conference in Johannesburg during October, the Jubilee presented the opportunity to reflect on the activities of IMESA since its inception and to consider the organisation’s current and future role in the development and maintenance of South Africa’s infrastructure.

The theme ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ proved an appropriate framework within which to identify the many successes of the past, and the individuals who helped achieve them, as well as the multitude of challenges that face our growing organisation in the years to come. The presentations we enjoyed demonstrated the vital role played by our profession and the significance of our Institute as its voice.

In my president’s address, I identified global warming and climate change pressures from environmental lobby groups as one of the many challenges our profession will have to address in the years to come.

The reality and scope of this challenge is becoming ver y clear during the seventeenth United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 17). As I write this comment, this event is being hosted in one of our own major cities, Durban. Not only is this giving us a close-up of the latest international thinking on the subject, it is also providing an opportunity to showcase the infrastructure we have created. Durban’s International Conference Centre is showcasing well in hosting the biggest event of its kind ever

held on African soil and the legacy of the World Cup in this beautiful city is clear for all the delegates and visitors to see.

As if to emphasise the urgency of the subject of the discussions, Mother Nature chose to mark the opening of the conference by dowsing Durban with some of the heaviest November rainfalls seen in years, and this ser ved to highlight the challenges faced by our municipalities, as well as our responses to them. This makes the article

by Pieter Myburgh in this issue particularly

I identified global warming and climate change as one of the many challenges our profession will have to address in the years to come timely (see page 9). Although the lessons and obser vations refer to flooding in the Southern Cape, they are applicable to all municipalities in South Africa, particularly those on the east coast, which will, if the predictions are correct, be subjected to increasing rainfall and rising sea levels.

The management of floodwater and reduction of its impact is likely to become an increasingly important aspect of the municipal engineer’s function, and planning and construction of infrastructure will have to take this into account.

On behalf of EXCO and Council, I wish all our members and readers a productive and rewarding year ahead.

Jannie Pietersen, president of IMESA

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 5

COVER STORY

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Providing value across the supply Aveng has been playing a leading role in the development of southern Africa’s infrastructure for decades and continues to be involved in some of the most significant projects constructed to date.

A

VENG’S strong balance sheet position, supported by revenue in excess of R34 billion for the 2010/11 financial year, ranks it as the largest JSE-listed construction company.

Aveng Grinaker-LTA Earthworks Engineering is a highly-successful business unit within the Aveng Group focussed primarily on infrastructure, including road construction and rehabilitation, water storage and distribution, rail construction and rehabilitation and airpor t development, as

well as mine infrastructure development and rehabilitation.

In order to provide the specialist services required for the surfacing sector, Rand Roads is a specialist division within the Earthworks Engineering unit. Their product and service offering covers the full value chain (see value chain opposite), from bitumen modification and spraying to asphalt production and paving. Rand Roads ensures that it understands and exceeds its client’s expectations and is constantly expanding its

With a robust focus on quality, the Rand Roads team is accredited with an integrated ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 system

6 - IMIESA IMIE MIIE M IES SA A JANUARY JA JJAN ANU AN UA UAR AR A RY 2012 20012 01122

knowledge and capabilities and applying this expertise for the benefit of its clients.

With a robust focus on quality, the Rand Roads team is accredited with an integrated ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 system. The company constantly strives to minimise the negative impact of its operations on the environment and runs an accredited ISO 14001 environmental management policy.

Rand Roads were first in the industry to ensure that their manufacturing operations are in line with the latest environmental policies. Key environmental indicators, such as carbon footprint and water use, are also monitored to ensure that the impact of operations

COVER STORY

chain are minimised and a more environmentallyfriendly product is produced. Rand Roads also cares for its people – as demonstrated by a world-class safety record. Operations carried out by the company include working on some of the busiest roads in southern Africa, including the N3 and Gauteng freeways.

Through ensuring that safety remains a key focus, 5 595 603.00 LTI free man-hours were achieved at the end of the reporting period, October 2011, with a large proportion of these hours being worked during the night.

The company’s success lies in its ability to correctly apply its expertise in crafting unique solutions to the challenges posed by each new project. Rand Roads has direct access to a network of technically-qualified and experienced employees and consultants in strategic locations, enabling it to meet client expectations through the innovative and successful execution of projects.

Contact Aveng Grinaker-LTA • t +27 (0)11 578 6000 • f +27 (0)11 578 6161 • enquiry@grinaker-lta.co.za • www.avenggrinaker-lta.co.za

VALUE CHAIN LAYERWORKS

PRIME

EARTHWORKS

INSITU RECYCLING

BINDER MODIFICATION

ASPHALT MANUFACTURE

ASPHALT PAVING FINISHING

CHIP & SPRAY

SLURRY

IMIESA offers advertisers an ideal platform to ensure maximum exposure of their brand. Companies are afforded the opportunity of publishing a two-page cover story and a cover picture to promote their products to an appropriate audience. Please call Jenny Miller on +27(0)11 467 6223 to secure your booking.

IM IM IMI IMIESA MIIES ES ESA SA A JA JJANUARY AN NU NUA UAR UA AR RY Y 2012 22001 201 01 2 - 7

ABS Afri-Infra AJ Broom Road Products Arup SA Aurecon Bigen Group Africa BKS Consulting Engineers Bosch Stemele Bosch Munitech BVI Consulting Engineers CBI Consulting Engineers Civil & Blasting Solutions Concrete Manufacturers CSIR Built Environment Davies Lynn & Partners Development Bank of SA DPI Plastics EFG Engineers Elster Kent Metering EnviroServ Waste Management Geotechnologies GLS Consulting Goba Hidrostal SA Huber Technology Hydro-comp Enterprises I@Consulting Iliso Consulting Infraset Jeffares and Green

hennie.basson@absgroup.com afri-infra@mweb.co.za ajbroom@icon.co.za rob.lamb@arup.com Ian.VanWijk@af.aurecongroup.com otto.scharfetter@bigenafrica.com siyandan@bks.co.za bsdbn@boschstemele.co.za info@boschmunitech.co.za cask@bvigp.co.za durban@cbisa.co.za jane@drillingandblasting.co.za cma@mweb.co.za LAustin@csir.co.za dlpdbn@dlp.co.za divb@dbsa.org.za mgoodchild@dpiplastics.co.za eric@efgeng.co.za keith.bailey@za.elster.com benoitl@millenniumwaste.co.za garry@geotechnologies.co.za nicky@gls.co.za trumang@goba.co.za hstal@mweb.co.za fstammer@lantic.net dan@edams.co.za louis_icon@mics.co.za monde@iliso.com fmyburgh@infraset.com dennyc@jgi.co.za

Johannesburg Water Kgatelopele Consulting Knowledge Base KV3 Engineers Lektratek Water Makhaotse Narasimulu & Associates Maragela Consulting Engineers Much Asphalt Nyeleti Consulting Odour Engineering Systems Power Construction Pumptron Pragma Africa Rocla SBS Water Systems Sektor Consulting Sight Lines Pipe Survery Services SNA Inc Siza Water Company SRK Consulting SSI Syntell Thm Engineers East London TPA Consulting UWP Consulting Vela VKE WSP Group Africa WSSA WRP Zebra Surfacing

rtaljaard@jwater.co.za kgatelopele@wol.co.za info@knowbase.co.za cbrandsen@kv3.co.za general@lwt.co.za mmakhaotse@mna-sa.co.za admin@maragelaconsulting.co.za john.onraet@murrob.com ppienaar@nyeleti.co.za mathewc@oes.co.za nbarnard@powergrp.co.za info@pumptron.co.za deang@pragma.co.za karen.devos@murrob.co.za irene@sbsgroup.co.za cradock@sektor.co.za sales@sightlines.co.za snapta@icon.co.za tionette.bates@sizawater.co.za jomar@srk.co.za francisg@ssi.co.za julia@syntell.co.za thmel@mweb.co.za roger@tpa.co.za zulchl@uwp.co.za capetown@velavke.co.za dirk.hattingh@mbs-wsp.co.za nbinase@wssa.co.za ronniem@wrp.co.za andrew@zebrasurfacing.co.za

IMESA

The impact and management of floods in the southern Cape With climate change and more severe flooding, residents and municipalities in the southern Cape should join forces and help each other to be better prepared for floods and storms.

Pieter Myburgh (Pr.Eng) Director: Roads, storm water and transportation - IMESA Head operational manager: Streets and storm water - Mossel Bay Municipality

C

LIMATE CHANGE refers to a change in weather patterns that can be identified (using statistical calculations) by changes in the mean and/or variability’s of its properties and that persists for an extended period of time. However, there are many factors that contribute to flood or storm damage that are not directly climate related.

These indicate the rapid growth and development of coastal areas on dunes, in flood plains or new natural flood paths. The risk of damage increases when set back lines, 1:100 year flood lines and natural water courses are altered to accommodate development.

The main types of flooding in the southern Cape are flash floods, river floods, ponding or pooling and storm surges.

Flash floods are quick response flood events that caused sudden flooding of small river basins. Usually flooding occurs within four to six hours after a heavy rain event (150 mm to 100 mm). Flash floods can also occur along tiny streams, dry rivers, clean pathways and along servitudes used to service pump stations, etc.

River floods occur when heavy rain is experienced in the upper catchment areas. Rising water levels overflow river banks, inundating adjacent low lying areas before flowing

downstream. River floods are also caused by the release of water from dams when sluices are opened to prevent overtopping of dam walls.

Ponding or pooling occurs when there is an accumulation of rainwater in low lying areas without any river flow. Informal settlements located in low lying areas, flat terrain without drainage or near wetlands experience this type of flooding.

Storm surges and coastal floods involve water rising to abnormally high levels against the coastline. This is caused by a combination of abnormal weather events, such as cut off lows, strong winds and high tides,

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 9

IMESA although coastal flooding is not only caused by dangerous storm surges that drive run up onto the land. It is also a result of runoff from rivers discharging storm water down to the sea as a result of heavy rainfall.

Impact of floods In November 2007, a cut-off low led to flooding in the Overberg, Eden and Central Karoo Districts. This was the fifth such event to hit the Eden District since 2003. Heavy rainfall between 300 mm and 450 mm was recorded in the George area. The direct damage cost to municipalities was R305 million at the time.

In June 2011, another cut off low caused flooding in the Mossel Bay area, with rainfall of 200 mm recorded in the mountains. The immediate risk deduction needs are estimated at approximately R102 million.

Flood contingency plans Flood contingency plans are a set of procedures to be followed during a major incident, e.g. floods, and involve role players such as the municipality, police, fire and rescue services, ambulance services and volunteers from the community.

The South African Weather Service (SAW) is the legally mandated institution (Act 8 of 2001) responsible for the issuing of alerts/ warnings in South Africa. Flood warnings are classified according to a description of weather alert levels (see table 1).

When a flood warning message is received, the disaster emergency manager will alert all relevant agencies, such as the police, fire and rescue services, ambulance services, public and internal emergency personnel.

The police will be primarily responsible for: • coordination of emergency services, media, etc.

• assisting with evacuation • securing, protecting and preserving the scene • controlling traffic with traffic officials • organising and disseminating casualty information • restoring normality • advising the public, e.g. stay in or evacuate • radio communication with relevant role players.

The fire and rescue services will be primarily responsible for: • the rescue of trapped casualties • extricating, assisting and stabilising injured people • ensuring the safety of rescue personnel • minimising environmental dangers

TABLE 1 Severe Weather Alert Levels GREEN Alert category No alert Awareness level None expected for disaster management and public Threat No hazardous weather expected in next few days.

Risk

Impact

Advice

No storm surge is expected.

YELLOW Advisory Be aware

AMBER Watch Be prepared

Early warning of Weather conditions potential hazardous are likely to weather. deteriorate to hazardous levels.

A risk that a storm Moderate risk that surge may occur. a storm surge will occur.

A risk of damage to A moderate risk infrastructure and of damage to local disruption. infrastructure and Dangerous local disruption.

Dangerous to coastal communities and to coastal marine activities. communities and marine activities.

Be alert and follow Be vigilant and follow the latest the latest alert bulletins issued by alert bulletins as issued by the South African Weather Service. the SA Weather Service. Prepare for a possible evacuation.

Typical Nil Low to moderate Moderate to high confidence of event occurring Source: Guidelines – storm surge early warning system for South Africa

RED Warning Take action

Hazard is already occurring somewhere or is about to occur with a very high confidence.

A storm surge that is imminent, or already occurring.

A high risk of damage to infrastructure and local disruption.

Dangerous to coastal communities and marine activities.

Be extra vigilant of dangerous conditions and follow the advice given by the SA Weather Service and Disaster Management Authorities. Evacuation imminent/likely.

Very high or occurring

When a flood warning message is received, the disaster emergency manager will alert all relevant agencies • recovering deceased and seriously injured people, in conjunction with the police.

The ambulance services will be primarily responsible for: • providing a central point for medical resources • arranging transport for injured people • alerting receiving hospitals • saving of lives, in conjunctions with other emergency services.

Personal flood plan Local residents should be better prepared to protect themselves, their loved ones and their property. The following is a list of actions to be taken to minimise the risk of loss of life and damage to property: • store valuable property in a raised secure location • fill containers with clear drinking water • take care of the needs of your pets • if you live in a flood risk area, have sufficient

sandbags to block doors and openings • if you have to evacuate, turn off electricity/ gas • do not walk, drive or swim through flood water • watch and listen for flood warnings and evacuation information.

The way forward Since 2000, municipal capacity to manage the effects of severe storms has improved significantly, however, the following issues needs urgent attention: • The identification of locations along the southern Cape coast which are vulnerable to floods and storm surges.

• The design and implementation of a storm surge early warning system for the entire southern Cape area.

• Determine the 1:50 and 1:100 year flood lines for all major water courses/ rivers.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 11

IMESA

FAQs regarding infrastructure asset management In the coming months, IMIESA will be printing a series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) from asset management practitioners. These questions will be answered by IMESA’s team of experts that form IMESA’s National Asset Management Steering Committee (NAMS) group.

The sound management of asset information often seems hard to achieve.

Why do you think this is so, and how can improvements be made?

C

HRIS VON HOLDT, Leon Naude and Roger Byrne from the Institute of Municipal Engineers of Southern Africa (IMESA NAMS.za group) believe that the answer is, yes, it is hard, but it can be done effectively and efficiently if you follow some simple rules.

The sound management of asset information is achieved through the development of good data standards and logical workflows for the collection and maintenance of the data required for good decision making. From our perspective, this is achieved by the following key quality elements or steps: • The development and adherence to a data standard and associated workflows.

• Adoption of a process that only collects the level of data sophistication as required by the decisions necessary for the asset and its components.

• Adoption of a process where the collection of data is undertaken at the most appropriate/optimal time and in the most cost effective way.

• The development of, and adherence to, necessary archival strategies.

Dealing with these in more detail we have:

Data standards and workflows: The data standard and workflows need to describe the data to be collected on each asset type, the data flows from collection to archival/disposal and clearly indicate who holds the prime roles and responsibilities for the collection, analysis and maintenance of data. All interactions between assets, people and software should be identified and defined in terms of standardised workflows that provide clarity and allow technical managers to identify and deal with information bottlenecks.

Levels of sophistication: Most asset-rich organisations suffer from information/data overload. They often carry data that will only be needed in 15% of asset operational decision making. What is needed is a process where we look at the confidence level we need for different asset investment decisions, e.g. maintenance/renewal/risk.

With a confidence level rating (CLR) process we can set the level of data sophistication to suit the decisions required and only collect the data needed to reach the required confidence level. This represents a significant saving, especially for those organisations that have large data backlogs, as they commence their initial comprehensive/advanced asset management activities. We believe that data needs come in three of four levels of sophistication and should be decided on asset business risk exposure (BRE) filtering that determines the % assets involved for each level, e.g.

Level 1 basic data = 100% Level 2 intermediate data = 20% Level 3 advanced data = 5% Remembering that this will change for different organisations Cost-effective data collection: The most cost-effective time for basic asset management data collection is at the asset creation/handover phase. All organisations should have clear asset handover guidelines that follow the data standards and allocated responsibility for its collection and storage in the appropriate systems. The balance of the backlog data collection should be undertaken using asset management plans and risk processes to identify those assets that will require decisions in the next five to 10 years and develop a suitable data collection programme.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 13

MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING Providing scientific and practical solutions for municipal, industrial and mining environments.

?

Water resource management ?

Municipal water management ?

Groundwater and surface water resources and supply ?

Water and sewage infrastructure development ?

Water treatment ?

Sewage treatment ?

Industrial water and waste water treatment ?

Solid waste management ?

Disaster and risk management services ?

Storm water and floodplain management ?

Geotechnical investigations ?

Soil and earth retaining structures ?

Dams ?

Bulk earthworks ?

Roads ?

Structures

Some 1000 professional staff in more than 40 offices on 6 continents.

Expert independent advice.

Tel: +27(11) 441 1111 www.srk.co.za Our global experience is your global experience

ELB Equipment Limited A member of the ELB Group

Trenching and Trenchless Technology from a Single Supplier

HammerHead® Tough and Trusted

HammerHead HammerHead®® pneumatic pneumatic piercing piercing tools tools create create aa compact compact hole for almost any underground hole for almost any underground installation installation with with minimal minimal disruption disruption to to landscapes, landscapes, buildings buildings or or normal normal traffic flow. traffic flow.

The The latest latest “must “must have” have” tool tool for for municipalities, electrical, cable/ municipalities, electrical, cable/ telecom, telecom, sewer, sewer, irrigation irrigation and and plumbing plumbing contractors. contractors.

The rugged range of Ditch Witch Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) equipment and Chain Trenchers gives you the punch you need to drill or dig through some of the toughest landscapes. And with a wide choice of attachments, Ditch Witch lets you triumph over those tough jobs – everytime!

For further information on hiring a Ditch Witch please contact ELB Equipment.

ELB EQUIPMENT LIMITED HEAD OFFICE: 14 Atlas Road Anderbolt Boksburg (011) 306-0700 • e-mail: Elb@elbquip.co.za • www.elbequipment.com BLOEMFONTEIN: (051) 432-3594 • BRITS: (012) 250-1565 • CAPE TOWN: (021) 933-2383 • DURBAN: (031) 464-6522 EAST LONDON: (043) 748-1469 • GEORGE: (044) 878-0874 • KIMBERLEY: (053) 841-0040 MIDDELBURG: (013) 246-2312 • NELSPRUIT: (013) 755-1003 • WOLMARANSSTAD: (018) 596-3032 POLOKWANE: (015) 293-1978 • PORT ELIZABETH: (041) 451-0232 BOTSWANA: (00267) 240-4320 • NAMIBIA: (00264) 61-234-052 • SWAZILAND: (00268) 518-5348 • ZAMBIA: (00260) 212-210-642 • ZIMBABWE: (00263) 4 494-871

IMESA CONFERENCE

Snapshots of the 75th IMESA Conference

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 15

BEE LEVEL 1 ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS PROVIDER Geosynthetics

Bulk Water Supply

Water Purification

Piping

CONTACT US TODAY M m www.tgast.co.za

United Nations

B

info@gast.co.za

T +27 (12) 660 1616

Ò +27 (12) 660 2093

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

CESA appoints new president Newly-appointed president of CESA, Naren Bhojaram, says that he has come into office at an interesting time for the consulting engineering sector.

T

HE OUTLOOK IS uncertain with turbulent economic times in both Europe and the US. Global economic uncertainty affects African and South Africa’s economies and our member firms are not immune to this.

“We are encouraged by moves made by the South African government, together with civil society and business, involving the signing of an accord to promote local procurement and job creation for our people. We are also anxious about just how the new Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA) and Regulations , which came into effect on 7 December 2011, will be embraced by our various client bodies.

“Against this cautious optimism the blight of corruption hangs heavy – business integrity is steadily worsening and it is with disappointment that I note that just about every country on the African continent has moved backwards on the Transparency International® Index over the past two years. South Africa has moved from No 43 (in 2006) to No 54 (in 2010).

“My focus, therefore, in the next two years as president of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) will be procurement and business integrity. If we get these two elements right in our industry, service delivery, job creation, poverty alleviation, economic growth, sustainability and capacity building will all fall into place.”

Bhojaram is a professional civil engineer, having obtained a BSc Engineering degree at the University Of KwaZulu-Natal South Africa in 1984. His speciality is water supply, sanitation and municipal service delivery optimisation. Having spent a few years at a local authority, he moved on to SSI Engineers and Environmental Consultants, where he rose to the position of chief executive officer from 2006 to 2011.

Bhojaram has been responsible for preparing the Sustainability Framework for CESA and its Business Integrity Management System, and use of both is mandatory for all CESA member firms. He is a mentor for Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) on business integrity and also chairman of the South African Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (SA Chapter).

Abe Théla from Nyeleti Consulting has been appointed as deputy president of CESA.

ABOVE Naren Bhojaram, new president of CESA, and Abe Thela, new CESA deputy president

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CHARTER FINALLY LAUNCHED CESA has welcomed the revised PPPFA and Regulations that have been gazetted. These revised regulations mean that, from 7 December 2011 onwards, use of the Construction Charter Score Card by public sector clients will be a mandatory component of their BEE tender evaluation processes.

Parastatals such as Eskom, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and Rand Water, etc., are now classified as organs of state and will be subject to the PPPFA, whereas previously they were not. The use of the Construction Charter Scorecard will be mandatory for organs of state negotiating the many diverse and confusing preferential procurement scorecards currently in use.

“The new Construction Charter Scorecard will ensure sustainable transformation and skills development, as well as go a long way towards eradicating fronting in the industry,” states CESA chief executive officer, Graham Pirie On the downside, a KwaZulu-Natal High Court ruling precluded the use of quality or functionality in the evaluation of such tenders, with price and BEE remaining the main criteria for evaluation. The use of quality as merely a threshold criterion does not solve the

problem. CESA is continuing with its efforts to reverse this ruling and has drafted a position paper on procurement promoting the use of quality in procurement and is also seeking judicial clarification on the applicability of the KwaZulu Natal ruling, originally made with respect to contractors and not professional service providers.

CESA has also embarked on a programme through the cidb, National Treasury and NEDLAC to ensure that quality or functionality again becomes a significant feature in the procurement of professional services.

It is essential that Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) once again becomes the preferred methodology, as is the case in most other parts of the world. Price based selection for the 90/80 percentage component inhibits innovation in the design process and invariably mitigates the consulting engineer’s ability to provide an optimal solution for the client in relation to life cycle costs. It is worth remembering that less than 2% of the life cycle cost of a project is devoted to the design component.

Some food for thought: Who ever heard of the services of a doctor or lawyer being sought out on the basis of the cheapest price?

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 17

SAICE AWARDS

WINNER: COMMUNITY BASED PROJECTS

Blackburn Pedestrian Bridge For over 20 years, Blackburn Village residents have found employment opportunities in the surrounding sugar cane fields. In 2001, the development of Umhlanga Ridge New Town Centre created additional economic opportunities for the area, causing Blackburn Village to grow dramatically.

T

HE VILLAGE LIES adjacent to the National Route 2 Section 26 (N2-26), a 120 km/h four-lane dual-carriageway freeway carrying more than 32 000 vehicles per day. In 2008, a pedestrian survey revealed that during the morning peak period more than 500 Blackburn residents were walking south towards Umhlanga along the N2 shoulder, most of whom were also crossing both carriageways at grade in order to get to Umhlanga. This growing use of the national road by pedestrians was resulting in pedestrian and vehicular deaths and had become an increasing concern for the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), as South Africa already has one of the highest pedestrian fatality rates in the world according to the World Health Organisation.

Increasing traffic volumes and the anticipated opening of the new King Shaka International Airport persuaded SANRAL to proceed urgently with a pedestrian bridge and walkway.

Responsiveness to needs of client and community The bridge and pedestrian walkway were identified as a community development project for the Blackburn area, and SSI Engineers and Environmental Consultants was tasked with providing a design. The project began with early stakeholder inclusion in the form of public meetings held with the community of Blackburn and its leaders.

In order to satisfy the community’s preferred geometrics of the walkway, the bridge would have to be built at the location of N2-26’s widest median (80 m between carriageways).

This location, more than 1 km away from the informal at-grade crossing point being used at the time, would be required to be built over 9 m above the existing road level, with a total bridge length of approximately 180 m. The input provided by members of the Blackburn community increased the complexity of the project, but was invaluable in aligning the proposed design with the needs of the end users.

Influence of the consulting engineer In addition to the extra length of the structure required to meet the needs of the community, the natural valley contained in the median offered some technical challenges. Aesthetic considerations were given to the impact of multiple columns, but additional constraints were offered by the stream and adjacent wetland, as well as poor founding materials disclosed by the geotechnical investigation.

Conceptual designs were greatly influenced by the deck height, median terrain and soil profiles identified in the geotechnical investigation.

Design options such as a six-span continuous beam and column structure and a twospan stressed-ribbon bridge were explored, along with more innovative and technical solutions such as a cable stay option and a double arch. It was the aforementioned factors, in particular the difficult founding conditions at the selected location, which dictated the costs of each option. The significant depth to adequate founding along half of the bridge’s length favoured fewer footings.

Utilitarian options offered almost no cost savings over the more challenging long-span solutions and in early 2009 SANRAL’s technical team approved the cable stay pedestrian bridge in the form in which it now stands.

Unique design aspects The bridge deck is 177.5 m long and 4.9 m wide (with a 3.0 m walkway width) and has an average walkway slab thickness of less than 200 mm. The walkway slab is supported by 750 mm deep and 900 mm wide concrete edge beams that contain the deck post-tensioning ducts and provide bearing anchor points for the stays.

The spread footing supports the 60 m tall pylon, which at the base consists of four 900 x 900 mm reinforced concrete columns.

18 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

SAICE AWARDS

JOINT WINNER: TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

Buitengragt Structural Steel Pedestrian Bridge The Buitengragt Pedestrian Bridge sets itself apart as a unique structural steel bridge that is sculpted from its circumstances. From the technical challenges of the site, the project team created a unique but simple aesthetic that blends into the busy urban backdrop of Cape Town’s city centre.

T

HE BRIDGE WAS energised by the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Historically, pedestrians have had to cross the highway’s five lanes through an almost continuous flow of traffic. Today the bridge is a positive legacy that has greatly improved the pedestrian linkages in the city.

The structure’s position presented a number of challenges to the design team. Partly founded on top of a buried parking garage, and partly on land reclaimed from the sea, the foundation design required some innovative ideas.

Integrating the bridge into a narrow corridor between two of the city’s main hotels also influenced the design outcomes. In particular, the need to limit noise impacts became an unavoidable constraint.

A structural steel asymmetric box girder was not an obvious choice of structural form. It did, however, offer a number of specific benefits. Firstly, the use of structural steel significantly reduced the dead weight of the bridge, which had to be 4.0 m wide.

In its final form the steel structure is 101 m long with six spans: 17.7 m: 17.7 m: 27 m: 14 m: 14 m: 11 m. The lengths of the first two were set by the spacing of columns in the underground parking garage.

In conclusion, the bridge’s form is a testament to the technical ingenuity that allowed a unique aesthetic to be created.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 19

SAICE AWARDS

JOINT WINNER: TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

Granger Bay Boulevard and Greenpoint Roundabout Aurecon was appointed for the design and construction supervision of the new Granger Bay Boulevard and Green Point roundabout/traffic circle that now provides access for vehicles and pedestrians to the Cape Town Waterfront and the new Green Point Stadium.

D

UE TO THE DEVELOPMENT of the new stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, provision had to be made for access to the stadium for large numbers of the pedestrians in a manner that removed the vehicle pedestrian conflict and satisfied the requirements to provide efficient public and private vehicular

access to the stadium and the waterfront.

The project formed part of the Department of Transport’s 2010 Transport Action Plan, which had two main aims at an operational level: to get fans from the airport into the city by public transport and to maximise the use of non-motorised transport such as pedestrian movement and cycling.

The innovative solution to giving large numbers of people safe access to the stadium was to provide a pedestrian concourse under an elevated traffic circle. In conjunction with the urban planners and the architect, a concept was developed for a circle structure providing access from every direction, and with an element of a human scale, having features

20 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

Engineering success for sustainable water management

Aurecon provides engineering, management and specialist technical services for government and private sector clients globally. The group has been involved LQ SURMHFWV WKDW VSDQ PXOWLSOH PDUNHWV DFURVV $IULFD $VLD 3DFLoF DQG WKH 0LGGOH East.

Services Water and Wastewater Treatment :DWHU 5HVRXUFHV 0DQDJHPHQW Dams and Bulk Pipelines Water Sciences

Aurecon’s team of leading water specialists works with clients across every facet of the water cycle to design and deliver the most cost effective and sustainable infrastructure solutions, ranging from network modelling and bulk pipelines to treatment plant design and total operations management.

2XU WHDP RIIHUV ZRUOG FODVV WHFKQLFDO VNLOOV DV ZHOO DV VLJQLoFDQW H[SHUWLVH LQ WKH legal, environmental, planning and community consultation issues around water projects.

For more information contact us at tel: +27 12 427 2000 or email: water@aurecongroup.com

(FRORJLFDO :DWHU 0DQDJHPHQW Stormwater and Waterways Policy and Institutional Engineering, Procurement, &RQVWUXFWLRQ 0DQDJHPHQW (3&0

SAICE AWARDS more like a building than an elevated motorway. The concourse would then become the focal point of an urban park, which would also form part of the redevelopment of the area.

The final structure resembles a flat rind with an outer diameter of approximately 75 m and a 45 m internal diameter. The deck consists of a continuous slab structure with flat tapered edges, and textured with a radial tongue and groove finish. Expansion joints are provided only at the abutments, and all movement takes place around the centre of the inner circle. The heavy parapets necessary for potentially high vehicle impact loads have been effectively hidden from below with large, roughly elliptical edge couplings. The concourse was landscaped to produce an attractive area which was integrated with the adjacent stadium precincts.

During the course of the project it was decided to expand the contract to include the design and construction of the parking and pedestrian areas surrounding the new circle. The additional work also included the integration of the traffic circle with the bus rapid transport system through the construction of two bus

stations, one of which was linked directly to the pedestrian concourse under the circle.

The many design and construction challenges faced on this project were generally solved by excellent cooperation between the contractor and Aurecon’s project team management.

Another contributing factor to the project’s

success was the support received from the City of Cape Town’s project manager and his team. The Granger Bay Boulevard and Green Point traffic circle were completed successfully, within the time constraints and within budget. The project serves as a proud landmark for the City of Cape Town.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 21

Engineering Cape Town since 1950 As one of the oldest civil engineering contractors in South Africa, we have been partnering with the public and private sector to deliver innovative and effective solutions for more than 60 years. www.martin-east.co.za

COMMENDATION: TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

SAICE AWARDS

Warwick Triangle Viaduct Outbound The conflict of high-volume arterial traffic through Warwick Triangle had taken an increasingly unacceptable toll on human life. Some 460 000 people pass through the precinct every day and the inevitable conflict between vehicles and pedestrians has resulted in more than 60 deaths per year.

W

ITH THE FIFA World Cup, national funding was offered to the eThekwini Municipality to remedy this situation.

The timing of the late availability of the funding and the non-negotiable completion date presented a significant challenge to the eThekwini Municipality Engineering Unit. At this stage, no definitive technical proposals were in place.

The construction of a viaduct to separate the pedestrians from the vehicles was proposed by the Roads Provision Department in October 2008. The new outbound viaduct had to be completed by 28 May 2010 to secure approval for the funding.

Faced with tight deadlines, a highly congested work environment and many physical constraints, the project team overcame a number of challenges by using innovative solutions, teamwork and effective communication with all parties to deliver a successful project IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 23

Proud to be part of the Joint Venture team at The Warwick Triangle Viaduct – Outbound

Group Five Coastal (Pty) Ltd

Pan African Development (Pty) Ltd

41 Island Circle, Riverhorse Valley, Effingham Durban, PO Box 201219, Durban North 4016 Telephone +27 31 569 0300 I Fax +27 31 569 0420 I Email coastal@groupfive.co.za Website www.groupfive.co.za

PO Box 1079 Durban 4000, 430 Ridge Road, Suite 119 Office Tower, Overport City Telephone +27 31 207 3923/4 Fax +27 31 207 3926 Email thembah@pandev.co.za Website www.pandev.co.za

SAICE AWARDS four weeks ahead of schedule and within budget. The major design constraint was the gradient required from the Joseph Nduli Intersection. At this point, the original alignment of David Webster Street passed under the Eilat Viaduct.

The new proposal required it to pass over the viaduct, which is a distance of 100 m.

Goba developed an alternative to the conceptual design, which proved to be pivotal to the success of the tender. An additional vertical curve was introduced into the alignment, which reduced the overall height of the structure by approximately 5 m and assisted in reducing the length of the steepest gradient.

SSI highlighted, during the development of the scheme, that geometric constraints might compromise the sight distance at the crest of the vertical curve. In consultation with the municipal engineers, it was decided to commission a safety audit on both the gradient and sight distance. The recommendation from the auditor was that a queue warning system be put in place to warn oncoming vehicles of slow or stationary traffic beyond the crest.

This system has been put in place and meets

all the recommendations of the audit. To control the grade at the start of the Warwick Viaduct, it was necessary to regrade the Joseph Nduli Intersection. The two approaches to the Joseph Nduli Intersection were structures that passed over an operational rail network. To create a smooth transition at the intersection, a detailed three-dimensional model was created. The levels in the intersection could then be adjusted to optimise the approach to the viaduct.

A level adjustment in the order of 800 mm in one corner of the intersection was required. A consequence of the optimisation of the levels was that it became necessary to raise the level of the one leg of the approach structure.

Analysis of the structure showed that it could not tolerate any additional loading.

The raising of the levels was achieved by milling off the 80 mm asphalt surfacing and constructing a voided concrete slab dowelled into the existing deck. The voided slab with a 40 mm asphalt overlay maintained the original loading and allowed construction activities to commence without affecting the operational rail network below.

To accommodate the alternative vertical alignment, it was necessary to have as thin a deck as possible. This was achieved by varying the structural depth of the deck with a thickness of only 1.3 m at mid-span and 3.5 m at the piers. It was considered impractical to provide falsework for the deck bridging over the existing roads and bridges.

As a consequence, the scheme that was developed incorporated a monolithic pier with variable depth-balanced cantilevers spanning 10 m from the centre of the pier with drop-in precast U beams spanning 20 m between the cantilevers.

This scheme provided Group 5 Pandev with the opportunity to construct the cantilever pier heads simultaneously with the precast beams. The benefit of this was fully realised during the construction phase when a major challenge was encountered on site.

The construction of the 80 precast beams continued unaffected by the site conditions in a controlled environment in the precast yard. This assisted with the quality control as well as ensuring that progress was constantly maintained.

24 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

Asphalt is our business, Nationally Talk to us about: Warm Mix Asphalt - we do all types Any Modified Hot Mix Asphalt Foam Tec, our inhouse special Top Quality Cold Mix WMA product!

ALSO: Find out more about “EcoNat” - our new World Class rejuvenator OFFICIAL PARTNER

warm mix

asphalt rsa

Driven to care for the Environment Our state of the art mobile asphalt plants produce what you need ... where you need it ... when you need it.

Rau b

ed ex Group Limit

Tel +27 31 736 2146/85/86 • e-mail info@nationalasphalt.co.za • website www.nationalasphalt.co.za

SAICE AWARDS

CIVIL ENGINEERING ACCOLADE

Gautrain Rapid Rail Link A decision was taken for this year’s awards to have a special Civil Engineering Accolade for the prestigious Gautrain Rapid Rail Link project, which comprises the 80 km state-of-the-art, world-class, modern high-speed rapid rail network.

T

HE NETWORK INCLUDES some 15 km of tunnels in Johannesburg and 10.5 km of viaducts along various sections of the route (while the balance of the line is on surface or in shallow open cut). With 10 stations along the route, a rapid rail artery of this magnitude not only gives rise to profound land use challenges, but also to new economic opportunities.

The Gautrain is a state-of-the-art rapid rail network in Gauteng. The rail connection comprises two links, namely a link between Pretoria and Johannesburg and a link between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton. Apart from the three anchor stations on these two links, seven other stations will be linked by approximately 80 kilometres of rail along the route.

The three anchor stations are: • OR Tambo International Airport • Pretoria • Johannesburg.

The seven other stations are: • Rosebank • Sandton • Marlboro • Midrand • Centurion • Hatfield • Rhodesfield (Kempton Park).

The Gautrain offers international standards of public transport, with high levels of safety, reliability, predictability and comfort.

Travelling at maximum speeds of between 160 and 180 kilometres per hour, it reaches Pretoria (from Johannesburg) in less than 40 minutes.

This public transport service includes dedicated, exclusive bus services to transport passengers to and from stations.

Besides the commuter service, air passengers now have a dedicated ser vice between OR Tambo International Airport

and Sandton. This purpose-designed service brings Gauteng in line with global practice, which links cities by rail to international airports. The trip between the airport and Sandton station takes less than 15 minutes.

The safety and security of Gautrain passengers and other affected parties are of utmost importance. Safety and security features are extended to other facilities of the service, such as the station precinct and vehicle parking areas.

The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link project offers a cost-effective, efficient, environmentallyfriendly and safe solution to some of the worst transport problems in the most densely developed areas of Gauteng. It also supports many other government objectives.

The project is now managed as part of the Gauteng Department of Transport. The

Gautrain was initiated as one of eleven Blue IQ projects of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG).

Blue IQ is a multi-billion rand initiative of the GPG mandated to develop economic infrastructure for specific projects in smart industries, high value-added manufacturing and tourism. It works in partnership with business and government departments and acts as a catalyst to promote strategic private sector investment in key growth sectors of the Gauteng economy.

The Gautrain project is, therefore, primarily aimed at enhancing and supporting economic growth in the Gauteng Province, as well as generating employment. This project is part of a longer-term vision, which will include a commitment towards creating and sustaining a new culture of public transport usage.

The Gautrain in motion

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 25

6FLHQWL¿FDOO\ HQJLQHHUHG HQYLURQPHQWDO VROXWLRQV

5(6285&( 5(&29(5< IURP ZDVWHZDWHU PDQDJHPHQW A dedicated Team Committed to Effective Wastewater Treatment Processes 2XU 7HDP RI VSHFLDOLVWV LV SDVVLRQDWH DERXW ZRUNLQJ DORQJVLGH SURJUHVVLYH FRPSDQLHV WKDW DSSUHFLDWH WKH YDOXH RI HIIHFWLYH WUHDWPHQW RI ZDVWHZDWHU

285 7($0 KDV WKH FRUUHFW PL[ RI VNLOOV WR SDUWQHU ZLWK \RX LQ :$67(:$7(5 0$1$*(0(17 .(< $775,%87(6 >> )RFXV RQ ZDVWHZDWHU PDQDJHPHQW >> 6WHSZLVH KROLVWLF DSSURDFK WR DOO SURMHFWV >> 3URYLGH WXUQNH\ VROXWLRQV >> 6HOHFW DQG GHVLJQ DSSURSULDWH WHFKQRORJLHV >> 0XOWL GLVFLSOLQDU\ WHDP >> ([SHULHQFH LQ PDMRU LQGXVWU\ VHFWRUV

2XU EXVLQHVV GLYLVLRQV D 6$1$6 DFFUHGLWHG ODERUDWRU\ FRPPLWWHG WR 5$3,' 5(/,$%/( 5(6285&()8/ 5(68/76

7851.(< :$67(:$7(5 0$1$*(0(17 62/87,216 DSSURSULDWH IRU \RXU LQGXVWU\

:$7(5 (1(5*< 5(&29(5< IURP HIÀXHQW VWUHDPV

2876285&,1* 23(5$7,21 RI \RXU HIÀXHQW WUHDWPHQW SODQW PDNHV KXJH EXVLQHVV VHQVH

Talbot & Talbot SURYLGH VFLHQWL¿FDOO\ HQJLQHHUHG HQYLURQPHQWDO VROXWLRQV DQG VSHFLDOLVH LQ ZDVWHZDWHU PDQDJHPHQW 7KHVH GLYLVLRQV DUH YHUWLFDOO\ LQWHJUDWHG WR GHOLYHU D IXOO WXUQNH\ VHUYLFH LQ WKH GRPDLQ RI ZDVWHZDWHU PDQDJHPHQW :H KDYH \HDUV H[SHULHQFH LQ WKH GHVLJQ FRQVWUXFWLRQ DQG RSHUDWLRQ RI LQGXVWULDO HIÀXHQW WUHDWPHQW SODQWV

:$67(:$7(5 0$1$*(0(17 62/87,216 IRU LQGXVWULDO SURFHVVHV 32 %R[ 3LHWHUPDULW]EXUJ .ZD=XOX 1DWDO 6RXWK $IULFD *36 &RRUGLQDWHV 6 ( 7HOHSKRQH )D[ (PDLO WDOERW#WDOERW FR ]D :HE ZZZ WDOERW FR ]D

PROFILE

Resource management Industries in Africa constantly investigate ways to manage their industrial water and wastewater more effectively.

THIS NOT ONLY REFERS to the correct and safe disposal of wastewater, but also to how they can reduce their dependency on a sometimes insecure water and energy supply. The greater the insecurity of supplying these two essential resources, the greater the costs. Besides, water is not a never-ending resource and more regard should be paid to its usage.

Encouragingly, water and wastewater management is higher up the list of industries’ objectives now more than ever, and Talbot & Talbot encourages industries to investigate the options and benefits available to them to better manage their water usage and wastewater discharges.

Discharging effluent to municipal facilities, for many industries, is often not an option as they are often in a state of disrepair due to maintenance neglect and overloading. In this instance industries are required to revert to on-site wastewater treatment and it comes highly recommended that the industries approach a waste management programme in an integrated manner.

In order for the exercise to be meaningful and sustainable, it requires a stepwise holistic approach that should begin with a wastewater

management plan. A wastewater management plan is a comprehensive undertaking that considers all site specific conditions and reduces the risk of effluent plant failure in the long run by establishing water management measures from factory floor to end-of-pipe treatment and beyond.

Talbot & Talbot’s focus is on industrial and municipal water and wastewater management.

Major industry incentives are driven by stringent targets to reduce production costs, reduce impacts left by their production processes and deal with authorities less tolerant of non-conformers.

Moreover, many industries that exist in Africa belong to progressive, environmentally-aware companies that uphold internal wastewater discharge standards which are often more stringent than those imposed by local regulations.

In instances where industries have access to a piped water supply and a sewage treatment works for effluent discharge, the economics of on-site treatment and re-use can be financially beneficial. Disregarding the financial aspect however, the downstream benefits include reduced pollutant load being discharged to the

environment, recovery of wastewater to reduce dependency on a possibly uncertain supply and the harvesting of a valuable biogas as a green energy source. Biogas production is particularly relevant to the food and beverage industry or other organic rich effluent producing facilities.

Talbot & Talbot’s core business activity is in the management of water and wastewater and its approach to projects is comprehensive. The company comprises four business divisions, namely Talbot Laboratories, Talbot Engineering, Talbot Green Energy and Talbot Operations, which are all vertically integrated. With its multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers, they share a common goal of managing water and wastewater to drive down production costs and reduce its client’s environmental footprint. The aspects that distinguish the company are the fundamental understanding of numerous industry sectors, its ability to provide a turnkey solution from wastewater management planning, through to treatment plant design and construction (maintaining project responsibility throughout), its fundamental impartiality to any specific technology and its understanding of a broad range of technologies.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 27

PROFILE Talbot & Talbot endeavours to build long-term relationships with its clients through professionalism, excellence and quality in all it does.

Talbot Laboratories is a commercial laboratory, accredited by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) to the ISO 17025 standard, which services a broad range of clients which range from consultants to municipalities to industries. They offer chemical and microbiological analysis of all types of water, wastewater and other environmental samples.

Talbot Operations provides industries with a fully outsourced plant operation service for industrial and municipal treatment plants that have been built by Talbot Engineering or others. Their service packages can be tailor made to meet the clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; specific needs. Among the many tasks they achieve, they nurture the relationship between factory floor and treatment

plant operators that is paramount for the sustainability of the treatment plant, particularly in the case of biological processes. The division comprises a process hub with process specialists and data managers that proactively anticipate the health of the plants and advise operators of the required action accordingly.

Talbot Engineering offers a solution based team of scientists and engineers that strive to reduce the impact industry has on the environment through resource recovery. They work closely with Talbot Laboratories to correctly characterise water and waste streams which is needed in the design of the treatment plants. In addition, the partnership between themselves and Talbot Operations is strong as they are able to offer varying operation packages to the treatment plants they have designed and constructed. This way Talbot

& Talbot is able to offer a turnkey solution, from analysing your water or waste streams, constructing a treatment plant to solve the problem, and operation of this plan through outsourcing staff.

Water and energy are among the major contributors to production costs, therefore becoming more self-sufficient in terms of wastewater recovery and energy production has both environmental and financial benefits.

Talbot & Talbot Tel: +27 (0)33 346 1444 E-mail: talbot@talbot.co.za Web: www.talbot.co.za

TALBOT & TALBOT EXPANDS BOARD FOR GROWTH Talbot & Talbot is set to undergo a major expansion of its board to accommodate the rapid growth in its various divisions. Substantial growth, particularly in its environmental laboratory and plant operations divisions, has led to a growing need for broader leadership structures.

Stuart McArthur

Vanessa Talbot

Peter Bristow

Rosemary Purves

The company is proud to announce the appointment of Stuart McArthur to the board as the new financial director.

Previously the CEO of Eskort Limited, Stuart has been with the company for the last three years and brought with him vast experience in strategic, financial and general management.

In addition, development of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management capacity has been enhanced by the promotion of three of its divisional managers.

From its humble roots in 1989, the ISO 17025 accredited Talbot Laboratories has grown into a highly respected and leading environmental facility in KwaZulu-Natal. Vanessa Talbot is the new director of Talbot Laboratories after more than 20 years of dedicated service.

Peter Bristow is the new director of Talbot Operations, having grown this division aggressively over the last three years and now boasting activities throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Talbot Operations is experiencing rapid growth in Eastern Africa, where the company trades through its subsidiary company Talbot & Talbot Tanzania.

In recognition of her growth through the company over the last 19 years, Rosemary Purves has been promoted to director of Talbot Engineering, the core division of the company.

28 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

All three divisional directors are expected to be appointed to the board of Talbot & Talbot in the near future. These developments are expected to significantly enhance the capacity of the company to manage its rapid developments in the water and wastewater field as well as furthering its expansion into Africa.

WATER AND WASTEWATER

LEARNING FROM PRIVATE BUSINESS

Service delivery solutions for water services Skilled and experienced staff, good forward planning, realistic budgeting and a focus on collecting the income that is due all contribute to an efficient and effective service delivery unit.

By Stewart Gibson, director, Stewart Gibson & Associates

P

ART 1 OF THIS PAPER highlights the work undertaken as part of a World Bank/National Treasury case study of the Mbombela (Nelspruit) Water Concession after 10 years of existence. Part 2 of the paper utilises the writer’s experience in undertaking studies and advising a number of municipalities of varying sizes and types throughout South Africa on the optimum structuring of their water services delivery mechanism. In part 3 the combined experience points to the simple answer of applying tried and trusted business processes to the day-to-day work of delivering water services.

Skilled and experienced staff, good forward planning, realistic budgeting and a focus on collecting the income that is due all contribute to an efficient and effective service delivery unit. It is further argued that, given the shortage of skilled and experienced personnel and the

importance of a critical financial mass, the number of water services providers have to be significantly reduced through the creation of wellcapacitated regional water supply units (RWSUs).

PART 1: CASE STUDY OF THE MBOMBELA (NELSPRUIT) WATER CONCESSION The full case study can be accessed at www.ppp.gov.za.

Background In addition to the economic hub of Nelspruit, Mbombela Local Municipality includes a number of urban and peri-urban areas in the eastern parts of the municipality. Mbombela, the SiSwati word for ‘a lot of people together in a small space’, aptly describes some of the

IMI IMI IMIESA ME ES ESA SA S A JAN JJANUARY JA ANU NUA N UA U ARY Y 2012 2201 20 00112 - 29 29

WATER AND WASTEWATER areas within the municipalityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jurisdiction.

According to the 2001 census, Mbombela had a population of 475 000, whereas the current population is estimated to be approximately 600 000 in 165 000 households.

Prior to 1995 the Nelspruit Town Council served a population of 25 000. The majority of households were in the middle to upper income bracket and received full water supply and waterborne sewerage services. In 1995 the Nelspruit Transitional Local Council (TLC) was formed. This increased the population that the new TLC was serving from 25 000 to 250 000 and the land area increased eightfold. Many of the new areas had never had the benefit of water and sanitation services and the newly enfranchised groups were expecting an immediate improvement in services.

It was estimated in the late 1990s that the total water and sanitation investment required to serve all of greater Nelspruitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s citizens was R250 million. The municipality was limited to a capital budget of R25 million per year, was restricted in terms of budget growth and still had to provide equitably for other services and functions. It also faced a situation in

30 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

which none of the usual sources of finance (i.e., budget surpluses, loans, grants, etc.) would offer meaningful and timely assistance to meet its capital investment needs for water and sanitation. In addition, the council had exhausted its capacity to borrow funds to meet its capital expansion needs and significant water and wastewater revenue shortfalls were being experienced because of low rates of payment in the previously neglected areas.

Based on the above challenges, municipal officials sought advice from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), which workshopped the principles of levels of service and affordability with the councillors, many of whom were exposed to such matters for the first time. At the same time the concept of providing the required services through a concession contract began to attract attention. With support from national government, Nelspruit decided to move forward with a concession arrangement to deliver water and sanitation services. Simultaneously, the Dolphin Coast area of KwaZulu-Natal made a similar decision. These two municipalities were, and still are, the only two concession

arrangements in South Africa for delivering water and sanitation services.

With the assistance of DBSA, a short list of eight potential bidders was prepared for the Nelspruit Concession and the request for proposals (RFP) was issued in December 1996.

A critical item not included in the RFP was a draft contract: instead, a contract term sheet, which identified the main principles to be applied in the future contract, was included.

WATER AND WASTEWATER concession area are similar to or lower than those in comparable municipalities.

Five companies submitted proposals and the Greater Nelspruit Utility Corporation (now operating under the trading name Silulumanzi) was ultimately evaluated as the preferred bidder and a contract signed 30 months later, in April 1999. Financial closure of the contract was achieved and various other matters were eventually resolved to allow the concessionaire to begin operations on 1 November 1999.

The concession’s performance after 10 years Ten years on, the water and sanitation concession in the Mbombela Municipality has been successful in many important areas: • A stable operator has been established that has exhibited good management and operational capability.

• Virtually every household in the concession area now has some access to water. In 1999 it was estimated that 45% of the then 45 000 households in the concession area did not have access to any water supply.

The number of households has now grown to 74 000, of which 94% have some form of access to the formal water system and 88% receive water on a daily basis.

• Water and effluent quality is excellent in the systems operated by the concessionaire. These systems all achieved the Department of Water Affairs’ (DWA’s) Blue and Green Drop Awards.

• There has been continual investment in extending and upgrading existing infrastructure and the concessionaire has a strong maintenance programme.

• The concessionaire has established very good employee training and development programmes. As a result, personnel are well qualified and competent.

• Water and sanitation tariffs in the

Current challenges Levels and quality of service Despite the high number of households with access to the water supply system, a large number, approximately 50 000 households or 68% of the total number, still do not have water available through their supply system for 24 hours a day, a key contract expectation and one of the major reasons for undertaking this concession. There are primarily two reasons for this: • inadequate capacity of the regional water treatment plant to meet the actual demand levels • illegal connections on supply lines that prevent reservoirs from being filled.

The regional water treatment plant was recently transferred from the DWA to the municipality and is still being operated by a water board in terms of its previous agreement with the DWA. So, Silulumanzi receives treated water from this plant for part of its concession area, but does not operate the plant. There is great dissatisfaction in the communities served by the plant (which also include areas outside the concession), as a result of consumers not receiving a consistent 24-hour water supply, as well as ongoing water quality problems.

The split responsibility between the organisations responsible for the supply of bulk and retail water has resulted in an inability of the parties to agree on the source of, and to accept responsibility for, the problems and to address them adequately. As is the case in many other municipalities, there is the challenge of a treatment plant being adequate

for theoretical demand but being totally inadequate for the actual demand as a result of illegal connections, water losses, misuse and overuse of water.

The extent of illegal connections to pipelines that supply the various reservoirs means that reservoirs rarely have the chance to fill during off-peak times. This is exacerbated by those with connections leaving taps open to collect water whenever a supply is available.

The concessionaire has recently established programmes that entail working in conjunction with the local or traditional leadership to educate consumers about the consequences of illegal connections and then finding and disconnecting such connections using local labour. While this is a positive approach it is concerning that it is only being implemented now. This has emphasised the need for stronger contract management by the municipality, which should have been insisting that the concessionaire prioritised addressing the lack of 24-hour service in these communities from the outset.

Risk allocation Parallel with the introduction of the new national policy of ‘free basic services’ in 2000, the financial basis and risk allocation as contemplated in the original concession agreement changed substantially. Along with this change, many customers in the areas without good water and sanitation services were less willing to pay for any services. As a result of the free basic water policy, the concessionaire negotiated contract amendments under which it: • did not commit further investment of its own funds • began to receive operating subsidies as

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 31

Clean water for millions.

Sustainable solutions for the world.

Water is essential to life.

At Sembcorp, we understand that every drop is vital.

We manage over six million cubic metres of water and wastewater daily. 24 hours, seven days a week, we keep the wheels of industry turning and supply over five million people with the fresh water they need.

Households and enterprises on five continents rely on our innovative and sustainable water solutions to meet a range of water needs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from the supply of potable and industrial water, the specialised treatment

of industrial wastewater to water reclamation and desalination.

A global water service provider, we are the name that people trust to deliver this most precious of resources - a clean and reliable supply of water that supports development and enhances the quality of life for millions.

Winner of Water Company of the Year, Global Water Awards 2011

www.sembcorp.com

Vital Partners. Essential Solutions.

WATER AND WASTEWATER partial payment for unpaid billings as well as capital subsidies for infrastructure investment in previously underserved areas • eliminated two annual payments to the municipality. It is important to note that the rate of return amount and the basis for its calculation remained the same.

Although the contract remains a concession, there is little doubt that the concessionaire has reduced and/or limited its risk and responsibilities through the various renegotiations of the contract.

The terms of the contract have been adjusted, with the results as shown in table 1.

TABLE 1: SHIFT IN RISK ALLOCATION Risk Revenue – Collection Revenue – Tariff levels Service delivery targets Return on investment Infrastructure financing Infrastructure construction Political

1999 Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No

2009 Limited No Limited Limited No Limited No

However, if the contract management had been more diligent, perhaps the risk allocation would have remained more balanced, with the return on investment being adjusted in accordance with the change in risk profile.

Service delivery before revenue enforcement Before 1994, the bulk of the concession area outside the town of Nelspruit formed part of the territory administered by one of the homeland governments. Where services were provided there was no expectation of payment. In the areas not included in the homeland, the refusal to pay for any municipal or governmentprovided services became a significant form of protest against the apartheid government.

There was therefore a strong culture of non-payment for water services before the start of the concession. A primary reason for entering into the concession, however, was ultimately to reverse this culture and to generate a revenue base that could support the development and operation of the water and sanitation systems throughout the entire municipality, including the peri-urban and rural areas. Contract performance requirements included targets for revenue collection in the areas outside Nelspruit of between 70 and 80%, depending on the community.

While the concessionaire has made repeated attempts to address the non-payment issues, little success has been achieved to date.

Lack of payment was cited as the reason for not being able to invest more in infrastructure to reduce the number of customers without a 24-hour water supply. However, the converse was and still is also true, with customers refusing to pay as a result of not having a 24-hour supply.

In this situation, the first priority should have been a focus on providing the service, and not on enforcing payment by customers or the financial performance requirements of the concession contract.

In this context, it would have been better for the contract to require service delivery targets (e.g. access, 24-hour supply, water quality) to be met in the initial years of the contract, and then the financial and remuneration targets (e.g. collections targets, non-revenue water and return on investment) become requirements for later years.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 33

Other lessons learned In addition to the aspects described above, there are several important lessons to be learned from the case study. These include: • The contract: It is internationally recognised that a strong contract is one of the key foundations for a successful concession. It is now standard practice to include a professionally prepared draft contract with the bidding documents. Unfortunately, the RFP for the concession issued in 1999 by Nelspruit did not include a draft contract; it included only the contract term sheet. As a result, this omission contributed to the very long time from bidding to

WATER AND WASTEWATER financial closure (35 months), much of which was required to draft and negotiate the concession contract.

• Performance criteria: The benefit of hindsight has shown that several of the performance criteria in the eventual contract were

is currently being sought. The principles of BEE partners are more established now than they were in 1996 but it remains an area that has to be managed carefully.

• Contract management: In the early years of the concession, the municipality had

It is critical for the municipality to have officials or advisors who understand all aspects of the contract not sufficiently well defined, including the limits of the operator’s remuneration.

• BEE requirements: The RFP document required each bidder to include a locally based black economic empowerment partner with at least a 10% share in the concession company. This requirement, although well intended, resulted in political interference during contract negotiations (undoubtedly adding to the delay in financial closure). However, the eventual BEE partner failed to add value to the contract and was clearly not impressed by the returns being received. It was recently bought out of the contract and a replacement partner

ensured that a strong, in-house, contract management function was in place.

Unfortunately, as the personnel involved left the municipality, they were not replaced until recently, resulting in: • the councillors and officials not having a good understanding of the concession contract and the concessionaire’s potential remuneration • important performance targets and other contractual requirements not having been sufficiently enforced • the periodic contract renegotiations having substantially changed the risk allocation in favour of the concessionaire.

In addition to the in-house personnel, the municipality originally engaged outside expertise to help monitor the concessionaire’s financial performance and adherence to the contract. Unfortunately, this appointment was allowed to lapse around 2005. Consequently, the concessionaire was in a stronger position to support its own decisions for operating and capital improvements required to improve service delivery.

It is critical for the municipality to have officials or advisors who understand all aspects of the contract, including the complex financial aspects. The contract management function is required to enforce the terms of the contract, to inform councillors and other officials (who will change over the term of the contract) regarding the status and principles of the contract and to advise them during the regular supplementary agreement processes. It can take years to develop the level of talent needed for contract management and monitoring. Unless, and until, the municipality can attract and recruit suitably qualified and experienced persons to its staff, these skills can be obtained quickly and locally from outside consultants to

34 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

Serving our living environment

WATER AND WASTEWATER provide short-term inputs on an ongoing basis as required. The use of skilled and experienced financial and technical professionals for a few days per month, if properly managed, can be more cost-effective than the full-time employment of junior, less experienced staff.

• Internal rate of return: The internal rate of return calculation is based on actual financial performance over the full 30 year contract period and on critical assumptions for: • normal inflation in expenditure costs • operating and capital costs required to meet service delivery targets • financing • growth in customer revenue collections.

It is therefore essential that both parties understand the rate of return concept and the assumptions that drive the model’s rate of return calculations. The lesson from this is that such matters should be kept as simple as possible and, as stated above, that suitable skills should be available to the municipality to monitor and advise on the impact of any amendments to the contract.

• Dividends: The concessionaire has not taken any dividends from the operation to date. This makes it much easier for the concessionaire to justify its lack of investment in the operation since 2003 and why resolving the 24-hour service issue and further extensions of services to formerly unserved areas are not financially viable. However, the concessionaire does expect to start paying its shareholders increasing levels of dividends from the operation in 2011. The issue of a reasonable rate of return may become much more difficult to explain when the level of dividends becomes much larger.

Summary The Nelspruit water and sanitation concession can be considered a success, but with some significant challenges left to overcome.

However, the concession still has 20 years left for implementation and there is ample time to apply the lessons learned during the initial 10 years. With the existing strong and capable operator, coupled with an improved contract management capacity by the municipality, one can be optimistic that the result will be a sustainable water and sanitation concession that can serve as an example for the rest of South Africa and beyond.

PART 2: SERVICE DELIVERY IN WATER SERVICES While the concession contract represents a very different institutional model from that

used in most municipalities for the delivery of water services, it does offer guidelines for determining how the municipal departmental model can be improved. This paper is not promoting the principle of putting every water service delivery unit into a concession type of contract (although in certain cases it may be a viable option) but it is necessary to learn from that form of delivery in identifying the solutions we are seeking.

Applying business principles In considering possible solutions to service delivery challenges it is proposed to apply normal business principles. The idea behind this approach is that each area of a municipality, like any well-run business, has to provide the expected product or service to its customers and be able to balance its expenditure against its income.

Property rates and general charges must be set at a level to cover the proposed spending on roads, storm water, planning, building control, health, safety and security, community facilities, etc. The tariffs and charges of the trading services such as water, sanitation, electricity and refuse disposal have to be set to cover the proposed spending on each of these services. Each area must also cover the overheads of the councillors (i.e. the equivalent of the board of directors in a business), senior management and the relevant support services. If during the financial year the income is lower than expected, expenditure must be cut to balance the books. If, however, income is greater, there are additional funds available to pay for some much-needed extras.

Water services Countrywide, municipal water services, i.e. water supply and sanitation, represent a business with a potential customer base of 13 million (the number of households in South Africa) and a reported turnover of R24 billion in the 2010/11 financial year. These figures (as reported to the National Treasury) represent a large business by anyone’s standards.

No successful business, however, is going to operate with 150 totally independent operations and where the department responsible for expenditure operates independent of the department responsible for income – particularly departments that seldom talk to each other, let alone cooperate. Any successful business is in fact going to try and group the component parts of its business into profit centres so that it can understand the costs and income potential of each separately. If it

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 35

WATER AND WASTEWATER is considered appropriate to cross-subsidise one part of a business with another part, at least the true costs are known and understood.

There is still a perception among many councillors and members of the public that water and sanitation is a profitable business and that the surpluses that are generated can be used to pay for other municipal costs. Many municipalities reflect attractive large surpluses in their water budgets. Unfortunately this is far from the truth as these same budgets are totally underestimating the true costs of providing the service and are not stating the true levels of non-payment that are being experienced.

Each trading service must be made responsible for both expenditure and income. The finance department can support and assist in this but the ultimate responsibility for financial management must remain with the person accountable for the provision of the service. This single point of accountability must also apply to the supply chain management process. There needs to be a much higher level of cooperation between the supply chain managers and the department that will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the procured item or asset. There has to be a balance between procurement processes and the need to select the appropriate standard of product that might be buried underground for the next 100 years!

Structuring the budget A well-run business will use its annual business plan and budget to guide and direct its thinking for each year. It is also accepted good business practice not to limit the thinking to a single year but to be planning two to five years ahead at all times. In the municipal environment, the integrated development planning (IDP) process (including the Water Services Development Plan (WSDP) for water services) is the annual business plan that is required to look at least two years into the future and the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) requirements bring a three-year time frame to budgeting requirements.

However, that is where the comparison to good business practices ends. In the majority of municipalities (and I accept that this is a generalisation, with certain municipalities, generally the larger ones, following good municipal/business practices) the IDP is generally a cut and paste of all the mistakes that were in the previous document, with estimates of population, households and levels of service still being based on the 2001 census. Also included is a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wish listâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of capital projects identified by the ward committees and public meetings. The budgets are the same as the previous year, adjusted by a nominal figure decided on by the council, and fail to take account of changing circumstances, salary increases awarded to staff, the value of assets (old and new) and the effect of this on maintenance and refurbishment requirements. Tariffs and charges are set using a general percentage increase that the council thinks will not upset the voters but is not based on any calculations, to see if these tariffs actually cover the costs involved.

PART 3: SOLUTIONS FOR SERVICE DELIVERY IN WATER SERVICES Combining the lessons learned from the Mbombela case study (part 1) and the general experience reflected in part 2, the following solutions are proposed to improve our water service delivery capability: Adopt a business model for water services Water services delivery units or departments must be structured on good business principles. This implies a properly staffed organisation

36 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

WATER AND WASTEWATER

WORKING AT HEIGHT MADE

that includes all the skills and experience required for the effective management and operation of the service, covering both the technical and financial responsibilities. Councillors have an important role to play in this organisation, being the equivalent of the board of directors

The ability of the managers within a water services delivery department is a critical indicator of the success of that department

Safe•Productive•Cost-Effective Work at height solutions from 4 to 47 metres

and providing strategic guidance, policy direction and support. A good director, however, knows when to step back and give freedom to the appointed personnel (the officials) to get on with the implementation within the framework that has been agreed on.

Diesel or electric booms and scissors for outdoor and indoor applications

Water services delivery units to have a minimum critical mass The skills, experience and ability of the managers within a water services delivery department or unit are a critical indicator of the success of that department. There are simply not sufficient numbers of experienced personnel in the country to staff some 150 water services authorities (WSAs) adequately. In retrospect, it is unfortunate that the original thinking behind the Water Services Act, where only the metros and district municipalities would have become WSAs, was changed through ministerial proclamation. That would have reduced the number of WSAs to around 50 and the remaining skills that did exist in the stronger municipalities could have been applied throughout the entire district.

A further important element is the financial critical mass of a water services provider unit, reflecting both the income-generating potential and the ability to afford to employ suitably skilled and experienced personnel. In the Mbombela concession, some 90% of its tariff income is generated by the town of Nelspruit. In the municipality of Kungwini, just east of Tshwane, 90% of the tariff income is from the eastern suburbs of Pretoria that were thoughtfully incorporated into its area by the Municipal Demarcation Board for this purpose.

By contrast, many smaller or more rural municipalities, such as Bushbuckridge (one example out of many), have no major economic generator and so are highly dependent on equitable share to cover their water services costs.

The core financial basis of a WSA is critical due to several aspects: • It allows for cross-subsidisation between the rich and the poor.

Call us now for your customised access solution!

Sole distributor of INSTITUTE FOR WORK AT HEIGHT

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 37

sales@eazi.co.za•www.eazisales.co.za•086 100 5540

QUALITY & RELIABILITY DOES NOT DEPEND ON WEIGHT,

BUT RATHER THE PEDIGREE!! ®

PEDIGREE *

Manufactured from white heart Malleable Cast Iron

*

Zinc coating on Galvanised Fittings is over 500gr/m²

*

Every fitting is Pressure tested

*

Produced by a Certified Company ISO 9001 (QMS) & ISO 14001 (environmental)

*

Class ‘A’ materials automatically complies for Water & Gas to EN 10242

SANS14-1994

We offer a GENIUNE Pedigree of Fittings SABS awarded exclusively to Incledon 1 September 2011

C

UL

FM

US LISTED

Cert Ex6624

SM

Approved

DIN DVGW CERT

NOW

ISO 9001-2008

Cert 3038663

SANS14-1994

MECH is a leading brand worldwide and in South Africa.

Mech Malleable Iron Fittings are manufactured in accordance with BS EN 10242:1994 design symbol ‘A’, BS143, ISO 49 and awarded FM and SABS mark of approval in 2011.

Proudly Imported By:

INCLEDON BLOEMFONTEIN Tel: 051 435 7364 BURGERSFORT

www.incledon.co.za

Tel: 013 231 7224

GERMISTON

Tel: 011 323 0800

KATHU

Tel: 053 723 2213

NORTHRIDING

Tel: 011 462 7555

KLERKSDORP

Tel: 018 469 4466 LEPHALALE

Tel: 014 763 5824

NELSPRUIT

Tel: 013 752 3121

POLOKWANE

Tel: 015 292 8660 PRETORIA

Tel: 012 653 8520

SECUNDA

Tel: 017 631 4200

DURBAN

Tel: 031 716 2200 EAST LONDON

Tel: 043 736 6022

PORT ELIZABETH Tel: 041 404 1800

WATER AND WASTEWATER • It reduces the demand on equitable share.

• It generates the finances necessary for the proper operation, maintenance and expansion of the water services systems.

• It creates the opportunity to attract and retain good quality, skilled staff, owing to: • its ability to pay attractive salaries and benefits • it being more attractive in terms of managerial and technical challenges • It being likely to be located in larger economic centres, which make it a more attractive location, providing schools, shopping, entertainment and the possibility of jobs for other family members.

TABLE 2: PERCENTAGES OF ELEMENTS MAKING UP INTERNAL OPERATING COSTS Staff costs General expenses Repairs and maintenance Other expenses Depreciation Interest changes

Low 26% 10% 10% 9% 6% 12%

High 41% 17% 16% 37% 24% 14%

Comment Higher figure includes Finance Sept

Higher figure harder to justify

Staffing structure The staffing structure of the concessionaire in Mbombela provides important indicators to what is necessary to run an effective water services organisation, including all the billing, collection and financial management aspects. To serve some 75 000 households it has a staffing component of around three staff members per 1 000 households and it employs eight to 10 professionals – engineers, technicians, scientists and accountants. These employees are responsible for areas such as general management, operations, capital projects, forward planning, developer management, scientific services, customer management, financial management, etc. Experience shows that where this type of structure is not in place, it will not be possible to support the full level of service expected of a water services provider.

Budget structure An exercise has been undertaken to compare the published financial reporting for water services in Johannesburg Water and Cape Town with the Silulumanzi concession. This was done to identify the relativities of cost elements in a well-run water services provider unit that would then give guidelines for use by other authorities. The comparison was based on the operating costs, excluding bulk water purchases and the allowances for bad debt or non-payment. It is interesting for us as engineers to understand that the financial reporting of bad debt is a provision for amounts that will never be recovered (in these cases it ranged from 6 to 18%). For the practical determination of a cash-based budget within a single financial year, however, an appropriate allowance for non-payment could be in the range 30 to 100%, depending on specific circumstances.

An analysis of the 2007/08 financial information gave an indicator of between R965 and R1 382 annual expenditure on the water and sanitation department’s operating costs per household, excluding the cost of water purchases. An interrogation of these numbers would appear to indicate that the higher end of the range represents a higher percentage of full service customers. Where information was available, the split of these totals between water and sanitation ranged from 74:26 to 62:38. As a current guideline for non-metro municipalities it is suggested that

figures of R800 per household per annum for water supply and R400 for sanitation can be used as an initial guideline to determine an indicative operating budget, exclusive of water purchases and bad debt provision.

Service delivery before revenue enforcement The first responsibility in terms of service delivery is for the water WSA clearly to establish and agree with the community on what levels of service are going to be provided or made available to each area. This has to be

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 39

WATER AND WASTEWATER based on a number of factors, including: • Practicality: are we able to provide that level of service in that area?

• Affordability: can the community afford that level of service and can the municipality afford to supply (subsidise) it?

• Priorities: achieving national targets in providing a basic level of service to all, rather than higher levels of service to some.

One of the clear lessons coming out of the Mbombela concession, as well as experience elsewhere, is the importance of making sure that the appropriate quality of service is being provided before enforcing billing and credit control. Would you pay your municipality for a water supply that was only available at certain times during a week and that may look discoloured or have a peculiar smell?

The priority must therefore be firstly to deliver the specified service and only then to implement revenue collection systems. Once implemented, however, it is critical to enforce whatever payment requirements or supply restrictions are applicable to the delivered level of service. Law enforcement in respect of water and sanitation services may sound

like a strange idea but it is a necessary process and only properly empowered law enforcement officers may enforce the by-laws of the municipality. We do, however, have to ensure that the necessary by-laws are in place in the first instance.

Effective management Good business management is about planning for the future and structuring the business to address both the current and future needs of the organisation. The same principle should be applied to a municipal services IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 41

SOUTH AFRICA

®

INNOVATIVE AND COST EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR SOLVING YOUR PIPING PROBLEMS TODAY!

CAPE TOWN- 021 380 4740 JOHANNESBURG- 011 975 2369/71 TOLL FREE- 0800 225 466

www.jetvac.co.za

DRAIN CLEANING - LIQUID WASTE SOLUTIONS - CCTV PIPE INSPECTIONS - PIPE REHABILITATION - PUMP HIRE

WATER AND WASTEWATER delivery unit. Management is all about managing people – those who work in the unit and all of those external people who impact on the performance of the unit. Planning is critical and tools such as the IDP process, the Water Services Development Plan and the Asset Maintenance Plan should be used as practical documents that set down the needs and solutions of the area. From this basis the annual plans and MTEF budgets can be developed and used to justify the required operating and capital budgets in the budget negotiating sessions.

Possible use of regional water services units Based on the above, it is argued that the optimum approach for the provision of water services in South Africa would be through the creation of RWSUs. While, by definition, metros will already possess the critical mass discussed above, these regional units will serve a number of local and/or district municipalities that are WSAs. The aim should be to have considerably less than 50 of these serving the entire country. There have been proposals that these should be provincialbased organisations but this is not supported as it is considered that this will introduce a second level of political control on the already over-controlled environment.

In structuring the proposed RWSUs it is important to incorporate the following

learning experiences: • the shortage of skilled personnel in many existing WSAs and water services provider organisations • financial non-sustainability in many WSAs • the lack of co-ordination between the staff performing the technical and financial roles in water services • the important role of contract management • experience of the often strained relationships between water boards and WSAs • Experience with the regional electricity distributors (REDs).

It is therefore proposed that RWSUs be established around at least one town that will serve as the economic hub of the area.

This economic hub must be large enough in terms of water services revenue to support the unit and to be a suitable base for key skilled personnel. It is considered that all the expertise from the existing water services units in the service area should be centralised in this unit and this will include the relevant personnel and skills required to provide the financial services, including billing and credit control. It is stressed that although this proposal refers to centralising the control over the water services provision it is not envisaged that every employee will move into a single central office. Decentralised operations will remain in force as required in each area and only scarce skills that can be effectively shared

will be centralised. Where there are existing water boards serving the area it may also be appropriate to work towards incorporating these skills into the unit and consolidating the full cycle of the service delivery process into one organisation.

While it will be important for the RWSUs to have a level of independence in proposing realistic tariffs, this has to be balanced with the role of the WSA in ensuring that nonrevenue-generating services are adequately provided to indigent households. The WSAs served by the RWSU will be the shareholders and clients of the organisation and will have a standards setting and monitoring role in terms of the levels and quality of service delivery. These principles will be established in a services level agreement that will determine the relationship between the parties and provide checks and balances in the processes to be adopted.

The statements of our national government are clear in respect of the national targets set for all residents of South Africa to have access to basic levels of water services. The reality in the majority of municipalities, however, does not reflect the urgency or mirror the importance of working towards achieving these targets. Dramatic interventions are required in the majority of our WSAs if we are to satisfy the understandably increasing anger at the lack of progress in improving the service delivery to the millions of people that are still not adequately served despite repeated promises by our national leaders.

It is the contention of this paper that only the dramatic change to a format similar to the regional RWSUs described above will provide the vehicle for achieving progress towards ensuring that everyone in South Africa enjoys the basic right of access to safe and adequate water, combined with appropriate hygienic sanitation facilities.

Acknowledgements: The work on the Mbombela case study was carried out in association with Paul Bender from Washington, USA, under the supervision and guidance of Alex McPhail, lead water and sanitation specialist, the World Bank.

The case study was commissioned by the World Bank at the request of the PPP Unit of the South African National Treasury and Mbombela Local Municipality. Funding was provided by the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility, a multi-donor technical assistance facility associated with the World Bank.

42 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

WATER AND WASTEWATER

Specialised infrastructure and reticulation products Structa Technology, a member of the Structa Group of companies, manufactures electrical masts, utility poles, lighting masts and pressed steel water storage tanks known as Prestanks.

S

TRUCTA TECHNOLOGY manufactures and supplies pressed steel water tanks under the 40-year-old brand, Prestank.

Prestanks are hygienically safe, cost effective and a reliable way to store water for commercial and private sectors, as well as personalised storage. The Prestank may be used for various water storage applications, including temporary or permanent installations at mines, power stations, building sites, hospitals, water affairs, municipalities, rural communities and agricultural businesses.

Prestanks are fully customisable, high-quality water storage solutions that are manufactured according to SANS guidelines and meet South African hot dipped galvanising requirements.

There are many benefits to choosing Prestanks: • The solution facilitates construction of an infinite range of sizes and configurations to meet the specifications and needs of the client: handrails, walkways and lightning protection are just a few examples of the features available to our clients.

• The profile panel sections provide excellent strength properties and are structurally sound for storing water. The stand is designed in strict accordance with SANS 10160 for wind and SANS 10162 for structural steel work. Tanks mounted on steel towers above ground level have an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

• Another major advantage of the sectional tank design is that it facilitates easier handling and transportation over long distances to remote areas, regardless of the final dimensions of the assembled unit.

• Assembly on site is quickly achieved without the need for

sophisticated tooling methods.

• Minimum maintenance is required because the galvanised steel panels resist weathering from the elements while maintaining the integrity of the water within and protecting it from most forms of contamination.

• Access to the water tank can be restricted by means of a lockable, ventilated access cover, providing our clients with safety and peace of mind.

Reservoirs constructed from pressed steel sections are used extensively by the mining Industry and municipal authorities. Large storage tanks to this design, which are mounted on steel towers, can also be seen at many of Eskom’s power stations. Structa’s pressed steel sectional tanks are hot dip galvanised for corrosion control in accordance with the requirements of the SANS 121 (ISO 1461) galvanizing standard.

Specialists in the manufacturing of domestic and industrial water storage

Water

ABOVE From left to right: Marketing director: Rodney Cory, managing director: Hercules Rossouw and production manager: Bertus Booysen, in front of Structa’s 1 300 tonne Double Action Hydraulic Press Machine. Structa Technology commissioned and installed this machine in order to increase production of its long-standing signature product, Prestank. The hydraulic press is used to press the steel panels that are subsequently bolted together to create the Prestanks

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 43

Storage MEYERTON 0861STRUCT (787828) Fax: 016 362 3608 rodney@structa.co.za www.structa.co.za

CAPE TOWN

Cape Town shines at community development In 2008, the City of Cape Town identified a major refurbishment programme, divided into various phases, to address the maintenance of the city’s 43 500 ageing rental properties.

F

OR MANY YEARS, Cape Town’s ageing housing stock has been subjected to increased maintenance problems.

Water penetration in walls and floors are common difficulties, as are plumbing and rainwater disposal systems, which no longer work properly. The City of Cape Town (CoCT) realised that unsatisfactory maintenance conditions prevailed in their housing stock of 43 500 units. The buildings were dilapidated, had structural problems, were poorly maintained, had no security and the communal areas between the flats offered no recreational and social interaction opportunities. In short, the state of the living environments of thousands of people was contributing to social evils like ‘gangsterism’, drug usage and the total lack of community pride.

The major refurbishment programme is being funded by the National Community Residential Units (CRU) programme, which is an initiative aimed at building new rental stock (including hostels and residential units) and upgrading existing higher density stock. It caters for families earning between R800 and R3 500 per month, who prefer rental housing.

As a start, 7 775 rental units were identified in 11 areas across the Cape Metropolitan in a pilot project programme for basic upgrade in terms of the CRU programme of national government. The CoCT identified two regions in which they planned to address the problem. In August 2008, Aurecon was appointed as implementing agent for the upgrade of 3 840 units at a cost of R506 million in region 2. Similarly, a different service provider was appointed for region 1. These projects include Kewtown (Athlone), Hanover Park, Heideveld, Ottery and the Range (Elsies River).

Project details Started in 2008 and still ongoing, the aim of the CRU intervention is:

44 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

• To provide community upliftment and act as a catalyst to providing new development opportunities for historically down-trodden communities.

• To ensure the upgrade of rental stock within budget and on time.

The project is a city-funded project, hence the focus being on ensuring that the available budget is utilised in the most advantageous manner for residents, as well as the CoCT, who has to maintain these assets.

The upgrade includes general renovations to buildings, roofs, electrical and plumbing systems, and the installation of new ceilings, floor coverings, cupboards and geysers, fencing, refuse management services, area lighting and greening of recreational facilities.

Planning for the CRU project began in earnest when Aurecon and BKS were appointed to project manage the roll-out of the refurbishment. The first phase is targeted at council houses and flats in Mannenberg, Scottsdene, Scottsville, Connaught, The Range, Uitsig,

ABOVE The Rang block before renovation

Woodlands, Heideveld, Hanover Park, Kewtown and Ottery. Structural assessment of these buildings was arranged, as well as surveys to determine the specific maintenance needs throughout these areas, with refurbishment currently taking place according to surveyed needs.

Minimal disruption The process of rolling out the project requires precision planning. A temporary village was established for the tenants to move into whilst the upgrade is in process, including

CAPE TOWN arrangement for storage of furniture and security. This alternative accommodation takes on the form of converted containers which are placed in the village for use by the residents. These containers are 2.4 m by 12 m long and have insulation, partitioning, power, running water and ablution facilities, as well as internal and external lighting.

A residential block takes five weeks to complete, after which the residents will be assisted in the move back to their upgraded units so the next block can be vacated for the builders to transform. The location of the temporary accommodation is in close proximity to the rental units, minimising disruption to the tenantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; daily lives. By arranging new refuse collection points, the cleaning of units between moves, installing fire hydrants, etc., Aurecon ensured that the village is kept in a good, clean condition without compromising the safety of the residents.

Materials used in the construction Painting The Kewtown and Hanover blocks were in a poor condition and desperately needed

renovation. This included a new coat of paint, but the previous paint colours were also dull and reminiscent of traditional council housing stock. It did very little for the overall ambiance of the area and was reminiscent of an era of oppression and unfair segregation.

Brick skin Some of the blocks are built with precast concrete walls (Ottery), which resulted in serious damp and water ingress problems, especially in winter. The brick skin was not part of the original refurbishment plans.

After the first community meeting, it became apparent that the water ingress was not only a practical challenge but also involved much emotional suffering. The community insisted on a serious investigation.

The pre-cast concrete walls at the rental units were assessed and a new brick skin was suggested for attachment to the concrete wall. The newly-built façade acts as a cavity wall. The brick skin will give the building a fresh look and reduce damp inside units and solve water ingress problems at window sills.

The quality of life of communities (fewer illnesses related to damp and moisture) is much better after the brick skins were constructed. Communities are really excited about the realisation of this particular upgrade option. Dedicated, properly-managed refuse collection removal areas were provided to minimise the health risk. All paint used is either solvent free or low solvent.

All external lighting is controlled by day/ night photocells.

Award-winning project On 13 September 2011, the Southern African Housing Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (SAHF) gala dinner took place at Moyo, Spier Wine Estate, near Stellenbosch. This annual event forms part of SAHFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Conference, Exhibition & Housing Awards and celebrates individuals and organisations that have excelled and made an outstanding contribution to the development of sustainable communities. This year saw the CoCT walk away with the coveted Housing Projects of the Year Award for their CRU Refurbishment Programme.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 45

Technically Challenging , Remote Locations, Large Projects...

Our Speciality Airborne LiDAR

Pictometry 3D City Models

Pictometry Oblique Imaging Changing the Rules for Municipal Mapping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

LQIR#DRF FR ]D , ZZZ DRF FR ]D

SOUTH AFRICA

YOUR WASTEWATER SOLUTIONS PROVIDER

AquaClean™ Industrial & Municipal Wastewater Treatment Applications

Natural Solutions to Environmental Problems For more information please e-mail henkhugo@blueplanet-sa.co.za • Phone: 082 354 0922 • Fax: 086 680 0476

www.blueplanetcorp.com

Formulated Specifically for Industrial & Municipal Wastewater Treatment

CAPE TOWN

The spark in Cape Town municipality The City of Cape Town has embarked on full-scale electrification projects.

IMIESA takes a look at two such projects, which include the replacement of obsolete infrastructure in order to cater for system load growth.

T

HE CITY OF CAPE TOWN’S (CoCT) electricity department is renowned for being proactive in the projects it undertakes. In 2009, the CoCT’s technical support services branch was the first municipal entity with a division, Electrical Support Services, which won the National Productivity Award for the public sector.

Organised by Productivity SA, the annual awards recognise organisations that have improved productivity in a sustainable manner and have resulted in major, positive impact on society. And the electricity department continues to embark on projects and proactive energy saving campaigns throughout the CoCT. Project 1 Rosmead reinforcement: To ensure system reinforcement and cater for system load growth, the Rosmead reinforcement project involved the replacement of obsolete infrastructure in order to better serve the areas of Claremont, Kenilworth, Wynberg and Newlands directly; while also improving reliability for the entire southern Peninsula, from Plumstead through to Cape Point, by reducing loading at the Rosmead Avenue Switching Station. The R150 million-project includes: • the replacement of a 40-year-old 66kV air insulated switchgear with a new air insulated 66kV switchgear at Loch Road Switching Station

• the rehabilitation of the existing substation building to remedy structural defects • the installation of two 120MVA 132/66kV step down transformers and the construction of new transformer enclosures to accommodate the transformers • the replacement of the protection panels with modern equipment, including a substation control system.

Two 132kV underground XLPE cable feeders were installed between Athlone Switching Station and Loch Road Switching station.

The existing 132kV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS), installed at Athlone, was extended by a further two feeder bays, a bus section and bus coupler. The existing building had to be extended to accommodate the new switchgear, with the 132kV cables connected to these bays at Athlone Switching Station and terminated on the transformers at Loch Road Switching Station, where the voltage is transformed to 66kV and transferred to the new 66kV switchgear via underground cables.

From here, the power is transferred via existing 66kV underground cables to existing substations in the area.

Protection equipment installed at both substations protects the high-voltage equipment using micro-processor-based intelligent electronic devices. The IEDs communicate via fibre optic cables utilising, among others, the new IEC 61850 Protocol for full Supervisory

The 12kV gas-insulated switchgear

Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) functionality. Substation control systems provide HMI interfaces for the operational and maintenance staff. These include the latest functionality in user-interface for equipment control and relay access, alarm, disturbance and event recording functionality, as well as condition monitoring information for the highvoltage equipment. According to Edgar Capes, Electricity Services: Engineering Branch at the CoCT, completing building works in good time was a challenge, as was diverting all load away from the Loch Road Switching Station onto the existing network feeders so that the remedial structural work on the building could be done. “Building work carried out around live cable circuits was an obvious hazard and fitting modern AIS switchgear in a building that was designed 50 years ago, and around equipment which was in production as long ago, can prove to be challenging,” he explains. Capes adds that extending the 145kV GIS switchgear to include the enhanced switchgear layout, while not interrupting the power to significant portions of the Cape Town area of supply, added to the team’s list of challenges. The project commenced in June 2010 and is in the final installation and commissioning phase.

Project 2 Retreat reinforcement: Like the Rosmead reinforcement, this R69 million project also includes the replacement of obsolete infrastructure in order to make provision for system load growth – servicing the areas of Dieprivier, Meadowridge, Southfield, Elfindale, Heathfield and Bervliet. Commencing in June 2009, the project was completed in September 2010 and included the replacement of 40-year-old power transformers with two new 50MVA units, the replacement of ageing fluid-filled 66kV underground cables with two new 132kV XLPE cable circuits and the replacement of old 11kV switchgear board with new GIS type switchgear. The two new 60 MVA 132kV single-core XLPE cable feeders were installed from Rosmead Avenue Switching Station to Retreat main substation, replacing old fluidfilled cables.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 47

CAPE TOWN

IMPRESSIVE PIPE JACKING TECHNIQUE

Improvements to the Jakkalsvlei River Crossing As the current Jakkalsvlei culvert does not have sufficient capacity for a 100-year flood and the N2 Gateway housing project lies within the 100-year flood line, no upgrade of the culvert would result in the flooding of the housing development in the case of a flood occurring. It could also potentially mean flooding of the N2, putting the safety of motorists at risk.

T

HE JAKKALSVLEI CULVERT is situated off Bhunga Avenue, where the Jakkalsvlei River crosses the N2 in Cape Town, with a canal both up and downstream of the existing culvert that crosses the N2. A detailed analysis of the Jakkalsvlei canal’s catchment indicated the capacity of the existing culvert to be 32m³/s, which should accommodate the 25-year return period storm. The N2 Gateway homes have however been built within the 50-year flood plain and, in order to reduce the risk of flooding of these homes, it is necessary that the culvert capacity be upgraded to 64m³/s in order to cater for the 100-year return period storm event. Investigations into upstream detention have shown that mitigation opportunities are severely limited and that the culvert upgrade is the only reasonable solution. The City of Cape Town (CoCT) appointed Bergstan SA as consulting engineers on this project, and as part of this work, Bergstan appointed a consultant to undertake an environmental impact assessment (EIA).

48 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

Four options The preliminary design identified four alternatives in respect of the works: a ‘no development’ and three ‘crossing of the N2’ options.

Apart from the no development option, the three alternatives would reduce the risk of flooding during the 100-year event, with subsequent improvement of safety to the residents in the nearby N2 Gateway Housing Development, as well as motorists traveling on the N2.

The following alternatives were considered: 1. A set of three pipe jacks under the N2, upstream of the existing culvert (preferred alternative): the proposed works was to jack three 2.4 m Ø concrete pipe sleeves under the N2, with a 1.9 m Ø glass reinforced pipe through each, and to fill the annulus between the two pipes with grout.

In order to upgrade the capacity of the existing canal upstream of the N2 and of the culvert, it is necessary to construct a second, parallel channel. This channel will convey storm water run-off to the

inlets of the proposed three new crossing pipes under the N2. An overflow is needed to allow excess water to move from the existing channel to the second channel.

A stilling basin to dissipate the energy of the water transferred to the second channel is required, and consists of the second smallest footprint and the least chance of carriageway settlement from jacking pipes underneath it. There will be no effect on traffic traveling along the N2 and it will allow for better storm water run-off, thus reducing the risk of flooding in the N2 Gateway community. Overall, this was the least expensive option.

2. A new culvert in an open cut downstream of the existing culvert: this alternative would allow for better storm water run-off, reducing the risk of flooding in the N2 Gateway community, however, the N2 would need to be closed off in sections and dug up. During construction, significant delays and re-routing of the N2 traffic and high potential for accidents would occur and the Provincial Roads Engineer would not allow this option. Overall this alternative was the most expensive.

3. A set of seven pipe jacks under the N2 upstream of the existing culvert: this alternative would have the highest capital cost, as well as the highest settlement risk, and was therefore not preferred by the CoCT or Provincial Roads Engineer. Overall, it would be the second most expensive alternative.

4. No development: since the current culvert does not have sufficient capacity for a 100- year flood and the N2 Gateway housing project lies within the 100-year flood line, the ‘no development’ alternative, meaning no upgrade of the culvert, would result in the flooding of the housing development in case of such a flood and could potentially also mean flooding of the N2.

CAPE TOWN No development would contravene the ROD and provide residents of the N2 Gateway with a legal basis to recover flood damage costs directly from the CoCT, Provincial Housing and National Housing.

At an upgrade cost of R29 941 153.57 (incl.

VAT), the proposed works of the Jakkalsvlei culvert consisted of the jacking of three 2.4 m-diameter concrete pipes underneath the N2. A 1.9 m-diameter GRP pipe was then worked through the concrete pipe and held in place by filling the annulus between the two pipes with grout. The upstream connection entrance configuration consisted of a side channel spillway from the existing low flow concrete channel and inlet works to accommodate 32m³/s. Downstream works consisted of a discharge structure and widening of the downstream cross-section for 200 m.

Pipe jacking Prior to construction, a series of wellpoints were installed in order to draw the water table down. These wellpoints consisted of vertical pipes on the edge of the roadway and raking pipes at varying angles in order to get to almost

under the centre median from either side of the carriageway. The depths of these pipes were determined from the geotechnical report that indicated a lens of clay at about half pipe.

Some of the wellpoints stopped above this lens of clay, whilst others went to below the lens of clay. Apart from the wellpoints around the jacking pit, 48 wellpoints were installed and the pumps to which they are connected run 24/7.

The quality of the water at the end of the outlet pipe coming from the pumps is monitored to see whether it is clear or murky.

Excavation within the jacking shield was done by hand and the excavated material was loaded into a skip that sits on a wheeled trolley, which is then pulled out of the pipe by means of a cable and winch. The skip was then lifted out of the jacking pit by means of a crane and the material was spoiled onto a stockpile for later removal. A record is kept of the number of skip loads of soil removed and the quantity of material removed is then compared with the net excavation.

Dewatering and settlements With the removal of water via the dewatering

process, the jacking process itself, the amount of cover over the jacked pipeline and the volume of heavy traffic on the N2, a degree of settlement in the roadway was predicted. A maximum settlement of 79 mm on the edge of the roadway, with lesser settlements elsewhere above the pipelines, was recorded. This settlement was reduced during the grouting process, which followed once the jack was completed. Grout, a mixture of sand, cement and a small quantity of bentonite, was pumped into the ground surrounding the pipe through holes in the crown and invert of the pipes. Pressure of up to 12 bar was used and the settlements have recovered by as much as 25 mm as a result of this process.

The project started on 8 June 2009 and was completed on 26 August 2010.

PROJECT TEAM Consultants Contractors Pipe jacking sub-contractor Jacking pipes supplied by Environmental consultants

Bergstan South Africa CSV Construction (Pty) Ltd Esor Concrete Units Ecosense

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 49

With more than 50 years experience, we understand that improving your tomorrow requires commitment today.

We are committed to quality service, the upliftment of our communities and transformation of our country.

Contact us to find out how we can change your tomorrow.

Bergstan South Africa is a Level 2 BBBEE contributor

t/a Bergstan South Africa

Cape Town Office 52 Loop Street, Cape Town PO Box 4733, Cape Town, 8000 tel: 021 4874900 fax: 021424 7657 Johannesburg Office 177 Jan Smuts Avenue, Ground Floor, Lumley House, Rosebank, Johannesburg tel: 011 442 9914 fax: 011 442 1003 e-mail: consult@bergstan.co.za www.engineer.co.za

CAPE TOWN

KITCHENS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN!

Trading service: refuse collections Unlike business and trade establishments, residential customers in the City of Cape Town are compelled to utilise the city’s once-a-week kerbside containerised service. By F Fourie and I Oliver, City of Cape Town

T

HE CITY OF CAPE TOWN’S refuse collection service is a trading service and is standardised on a 240 ℓ mobile refuse container or wheelie bin service. Residential service points are defined as dwellings or households in formal suburbs, on formal stands and registered in the deeds office (i.e. township developments that are supported by the necessary road lay-out and infrastructure to accommodate heavy-duty refuse compactor service trucks).

Approximately one quarter of all residential collection services are outsourced, with contracts administered by the city.

Unlike business and trade establishments, residential customers are compelled to utilise the city’s once-a-week kerbside containerised service. Informal settlements are serviced with 85 ℓ plastic bags via community-based contracts due to limited infrastructure and road access.

BELOW Scheduled weekly collection of wet waste (or mix of non-participants) in standard 240 ℓ bin

50 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

Legislation Following national legislation, the city adopted an Integrated Waste Management Plan (Plan) in November 2004 and an Integrated Waste Management Policy (Policy) in May 2006.

Various issues are identified in the Plan and Policy, including a looming landfill airspace crisis and proposals and goals for waste minimisation in line with the National Waste Management Strategy and the Polokwane Declaration. The Policy also provides for the development of satellite transfer stations and a regional landfill site as current sites reach capacity and are closed.

Initial waste ‘Think Twice’ pilot recycling projects A basic wet/dry at source, household waste separation programme was launched in 2007 under the ‘Think Twice’ brand. Six other areas across the city, comprised of suburbs diverse in character, followed. The programme had the following in common in all areas: • voluntary participation • outsourced service provision

• contractor to provide licenced Materials Recovery Factory (MRF) • separate trucks to collect wet and dry waste • both wet and dry waste collected on same day • participants supplied with 85 ℓ clear bags for dry waste • filled bags placed inside wheelie bin • contractor required to achieve participation rate of 50% (or penalties are levied) • contractor required to achieve minimum mass of 3.5 kg per week per participating household.

In the event: • par ticipation varied from 60% in Blaaubergstrand to 80% in Pinelands to 90% in Hout Bay BELOW Issuing of 130 ℓ recycling green lid bins (free of charge) at three council walk-in centres within the feeder area of the MRF. Weekly removal at zero tariff charge BOTTOM Stacked 130 ℓ green lid recycling bins, issued by council free of charge on application and collection

CAPE TOWN

• spoils averaged at 9% • cost premium 30%.

Need for city-owned transfer station and MRF A study completed in March 2006 confirmed the need for the establishment of a refuse transfer station in order to cope with long term growth in waste generation in the northeast of the city.

The necessary Record of Decision from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning was obtained and a permit to operate a transfer station, MRF, greens chipping facility and public drop-off was issued by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism on 11 June 2009.

The MRF is designed to accommodate clean, dry recyclable waste, including paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and metal (cans) commonly generated by households. However, the plant is designed to accommodate ‘dirty waste’ sorting should the need arise.

Construction of the facility was completed and contracts awarded for the following: • to manage and operate the MRF for a threeyear period, commencing 1 August 2011 • to provide, as a pilot project, a separate, dry ‘Think Twice’ waste collection service to, inter alia, approximately 34 000 residential properties within a portion of the feeder area of the facility.

Change in collection methodology What separates this project from previous recycling initiatives in the city is that it is the first time in South Africa that residents would (a) have their recyclables collected in special 130 ℓ wheelie bins and (b) that each wheelie bin will be fitted with a Radio Frequency Identification tag (RFID). It is envisaged that this particular initiative (i.e. using tagged bins) will provide the Solid Waste Management Department with much-needed information to better enable management of the trading service refuse collection in an environment renowned for experiencing difficulty in obtaining reliable data.

The new 130 ℓ containers look similar to, but are approximately half the size of, the standard 240 ℓ container used and it has a green lid. It may be used for storage of separated clean, dry and flattened recyclables only, which are collected weekly by the contractor on the weekday following the normal

scheduled wet waste collection day. During the application process, each container is linked to a specific property. This allows the city to monitor the success of the project, obtain records and statistics of participation and improve the accuracy of billing and contractor payment.

Although waste minimisation is a national imperative and considered the mutual responsibility of all waste generators, the city has limited the issuing of green lid containers

into ‘unicities’ and continuous growth, accurate measurement and performance management has become the name of the game.

The city’s fleet consists of some 120 scheduled 19 m³ bin lifting trucks. All bin lifters will soon be fitted with real-time tracking, bin counting and weighing devices so as to enable measurement and optimisation of resources via various electronic reporting options, such as bin loading rates, specific homes served, individual and accumulative net bin weights,

All bin lifters will soon be fitted with real-time tracking, bin counting and weighing devices to one per single residential property via an application process.

Recipients are not charged for either the new 130 l container or the regular weekly dry recyclable collection service. Residents will, however, be responsible for the safekeeping of the container and its replacement in the event of loss and or damage.

In summary, the latest wet/dry recycling initiative differs from the initial projects in the following manner: • Wet collection remained in-house; dry collection and participation/education was outsourced.

• MRF is provided by the city.

• Participation is initiated via an application process and the owner/resident is required to collect the container.

• Both wet 240 ℓ and 130 ℓ green lid bins are tagged with RFID and linked to a property/ account.

• Dry mix collected on the week day following the scheduled wet collection.

• Penalties for participation less than 60%.

• Contract payments per scanned lifts.

• Cost premium: close to single digit.

unregistered/non-paying bins and bin set-out rate in any given location/area.

All of the above information, and more, is available in spread sheet format: What is not measured is not managed.

Previously, possession of a wheelie bin would ensure a collection service, whether paid for or not. With the addition of bins tagged with RFID devices and linkage to specific properties and accounts, fair billing and responsible management of the city’s business is hugely enhanced.

Quo vadis • one size does not fit all in a diverse environment • lockable bins?

• phased-in mandatory recycling • buy-back centres • diversified drop-off facilities • ‘sin bin’ stepped tariff?

• penalties for non-participation?

• waste to energy, including water and sewerage sludge?

Waste bin lift counting RFID reading With the advent of compactor refuse truck containerisation, once-a-week collection and automated bin lifters followed. Moreover, with the centralisation of smaller local authorities RIGHT Mixing of dry, clean and flat recyclables consisting of paper, cardboard, plastics (including polystyrene and Tetra Pak), glass and cans/metal, and removal of contents by contractor on day after scheduled wet collection

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 51

3rd annual event

Limited offer!

Save up to R1140 per delegate ticket until 6 January 2012

Conference and Exhibition: 27 - 28 March 2012 Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa

Hear from

James Law CEO James Law Cybertecture, Hong Kong

Luxien Aryan Managing Director National Department of Housing, South Africa

Innovation and opportunity for developers, designers and constructors Peter Njue Architect Green Buildings Council, Kenya

Part of:

Code: A3 501268

Ojo Temmitope Architect Institute of Architects, Nigeria

www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/green-buildings-world-africa Diamond partner:

Gold sponsor:

Bronze sponsor:

Book before the 6th of January 2012 and save up to R1 140.

Register online today

Endorsed by:

Produced by:

BOOK NOW! online www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/green-buildings-world-africa | email enquiryza@terrapinn.com | phone +27 (0)11 516 4000

3126 Walls & Roofs

Samuel Ogbu CEO Liberty Properties, South Africa

CAPE TOWN

DETAILS, STORM WATER MASTER PLAN AND CHALLENGES

Upgrade of Lotus Canal The Lotus Canal in Cape Town was below current design standards, causing regular flooding in parts of Nyanga and Gugulethu. The section constructed between the NY3 and the railway line was impacted the worst by flooding and, as such, was the first portion to be upgraded – reducing the flood risk in areas adjacent to the canal.

T

HE LOTUS CANAL forms a major watercourse and storm water outfall on the Cape Flats. The canal begins at Boquinar South, which lies west of Cape Town International Airport and south west of the Airport Industria. The Lotus Canal passes in a southerly direction under the N2 Freeway and then passes through Nyanga, Gugulethu, Phillippi, Ottery, Grassy Park and, finally, the Lotus River before ultimately draining into Zeekovlei. The canal, originally constructed in the 1950s, is an excavated channel created to accommodate the increased run-off resulting from post-war development on the Cape Flats.

In general, the Lotus Canal consists of concrete-lined trapezoidal channels with pipeculverts at road crossings. Commissioned by the City of Cape Town’s Roads and Storm water Division, upgrade of the Lotus Canal includes: upgrading of 230 m of canal from in-situ profile to Armorflex trapezoidal cross-section, including the upgrading of the culverts at Klipfontein Road and NY45; stabilising 1 200 m of side-slopes along the

canal with Armorflex, grass plugs and sods; construction of a temporary relocation area (TRA) for 37 shack owners previously residing within the canal corridor; upgrading of 250 m² of sidewalk along Klipfontein Road, complete with hard landscaping features and the construction of a 320-m long cycle path for pedestrian passage adjacent to Lwazi Primary School.

Stormwater master plan Prior to 2011, the entire section of canal between Klipfontein Road and the N2 Freeway, however, was an informal earth-lined (in-situ) channel. Several studies have been conducted over the last decade by various consulting engineering firms to investigate and revise the storm water master plan for the Lotus Canal. These studies have included analysing the storm water drainage network, which includes the Boquinar and Transnet Ponds north of the N2, and the identification of capacity constraints of downstream storm water infrastructure. The studies, in part, focused attention on options for upgrading

ABOVE Flooding that occurred earlier this year when water diverted from the Lotus Canal into a detention pond in KTC/ Kanana: this storm water was the result of flows in the Lotus Canal being above the threshold capacity of the canal. The flow volumes subsequently exceeded the capacity of the storage pond and flooding occurred

the Lotus Canal to accommodate increased discharges during winter months so as to avoid incidents of flooding along the canal.

Project details for 2009 to 2012 In 2009, planning and design for upgrading the Lotus Canal between NY5 and NY45, and between Klipfontein Road and the N2 Freeway, was undertaken by Bergstan. Due to funding constraints, design and eventual construction of the 500 m portion between Klipfontein Road and the boundary of the N2 reserve was postponed.

NY5 to NY45 This section of canal featured an existing concrete-lined channel. The canal profile was

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 53

CAPE TOWN upgraded by means of providing a formalised grassed floodplain on both the eastern and western banks of the concrete-lined channel, using articulated concrete blocks.

The concrete blocks were filled using a composite mixture of laterite, compost and fertiliser, which was planted with Cynodon dactylon plugs at a density of 12 per m2.

This upgrade provided a grassed floodplain capable of accommodating the 1 in 50 year flood peak. In addition to this, the existing 1 350 dia inlet- and outlet- pipe culvert at NY45 was upgraded by adding two 2 100 x 1 200 Class S box culverts to the structure to increase its capacity for accommodating 1 in 50 year peak flows.

Klipfontein to N2 Freeway (SV0 to 230) and IDA The canal profile of the first 230 m of this section was upgraded by constructing an articulated concrete block trapezoidal channel to accommodate low-flows. Concrete articulated blocks were also placed along a width of 1.5 m of both the eastern and western banks of the floodplain to a slope of 1 in 10.

Battered slopes at varying grades (between 1 in 2 and 1 in 4) were trimmed, stabilised and seeded with a mixture of Cynodon dactylon, Annual Rye and Annual Teff. The inlet culvert at Klipfontein Road was also upgraded to accommodate the formalised channel. The extent of upgrading included lowering the culvert inlet, construction of new wing- and

head- walls and the inlet base.

In order to provide access for future maintenance of the canal, a service road was constructed, which provides access to the canal off Johnson Qona Road. In phase 2 construction, the service road will be extended up to the canal and upgraded to include a turnabout for maintenance vehicles, as well as a concrete access ramp that will extend to the edge of the canal.

In line with the guidelines of the Landscape Mater Plan, an integrated approach was followed to provide soft and hard landscaping features that complimented the upgraded canal. This included construction of the following features: • a 320 m long cycle path that runs adjacent to the boundary of Lwazi Primary School and parallel to the upgraded canal, complete with appropriate road markings, signage and trees • the upgrading of 250 m2 of sidewalk adjacent to Klipfontein Road, which included premix surfacing, kerbs and edging • hard and soft landscaping features to compliment the upgrading of the sidewalks, including 80 m of low-seating walls, tree-planting and a 30m2 tiled mosaic on the face of the Klipfontein inlet culvert headwall.

2012 under the phase 2 contract. The scope of works includes the following: • 500 m of articulated concrete block lined canal between SV230 and SV730.

• 115 m or articulated concrete block lined canal between the start of the N2 Freeway reserve and the N2 outlet culvert.

• trimming of side-slopes to grades between 1 in 2 and 1 in 4, as is dictated by the location of encroached shacks within the canal corridor on the eastern and western banks.

No IDA is available to relocate shacks under the phase 2 contract. Construction will therefore take place within the constrained site boundary lines stipulated by shack locations.

• Soft landscaping to stabilise the canal side-slopes. Clusters of trees will also be planted along the edges of the canal.

• Hard landscaping: construction of a kickabout or ‘futsal’ north of the IDA completed as part of phase 1 construction. Lowseating walls and step-walls will be constructed around the futsal, with the futsal itself being premixed and painted with markings for a soccer kickabout.

• A 7.4-m spanning reinforced concrete pedestrian bridge will be constructed at SV230 to allow passage of pedestrians safely across the Lotus Canal to Barcelona.

Klipfontein to N2 Freeway (SV230 to SV730) This portion of canal will be constructed in

Project design Figures 1 and 2 show the typical cross sections for the sections of the Lotus Canal upgraded in phase 1. Details of the layerworks for the articulated concrete block canal lining are provided in figure 2 As is shown in figure 2, the slope grades were battered based on available space and limiting constraints, namely shacks in the canal corridor. The eastern side slopes parallel to the canal between Klipfontein Road and the N2 are fairly steep at 1 in 2 grades, because of the close proximity of Barcelona shacks, which could not be relocated. The western slopes however could be battered to 1 in 4 grades as the shacks on the western bank were relocated to the IDA. Figure 3 shows the edge detail of the articulated concrete blocks.

FIGURE 1: Typical canal cross section (NY5 to NY45)

FIGURE 2: Typical canal cross section (klipfontein road to N2)

54 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

Challenges/setbacks Obstruction caused by shacks within the canal corridor Due to the 37 individuals in Lwazi who needed to have their shacks relocated, a significant amount of facilitation was required both prior to, and during, the construction stage.

CAPE TOWN Despite having reached assumed consensus regarding the design and layout of the IDA in October 2010, delays resulted in March 2011 when a newly-appointed representative from Lwazi approached informal settlement management with a complaint about the proposed block layout of the IDA. The ensuing discussions between all stakeholders (employer, engineer and affected parties) resulted in standing time of construction equipment and delays to the contractor’s programme of works.

Control of storm water and linear nature of site access One of the requirements for construction was that transmission of storm water through the Lotus Canal needed to be continually maintained. Due to the encroachment of shacks along the corridor and extent of development surrounding the canal, access to the site was restricted and linear. This exacerbated the challenges involved in managing storm water flows throughout the duration of the project as there was little available space for storm water deviation channels. Additionally,

FIGURE 3: Detail 1 - edge detail for articulated concrete blocks the grading of the canal is quite flat (1 in 507), which meant that failing to manage the upstream demand through the deviation channel would result in significant increases in the water level upstream of the works. The mitigation of upstream flooding became a constant challenge, especially during periods of increased flows in the canal.

Inclement weather The main challenge faced as a result of inclement weather was the subsequent high flows experienced in the Lotus Canal.

Construction was originally planned so as

to have all work in the canal completed before the onset of winter rain. However, due to the delays caused by relocation of the encroached shacks to the IDA, construction of the section of canal between Klipfontein Road and the N2 coincided with winter rains.

Despite using a DPM plastic and sand bag-lined diversion channel to deviate water from the works, sub-surface water proved to be a constant challenge. Control of water seepage into the section of canal under construction could not be achieved, especially with the onset of winter rains and the rising water table in the soil. In response to these IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 55

Faculty of Engineering & The Built Environment POSTGRADUATE STUDIES IN URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE: DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT The MPhil Programme in Urban Infrastructure: Design and Management is aimed at building capacity amongst those in government and the private sector with an interest in addressing challenges in infrastructure and services of African cities and servicing; particularly those affecting poorer inhabitants.

The programme is: ³ Inter-disciplinary: Urban problems can only be addressed by integrating all relevant disciplines ³ Modular: This allows part-time and full time study with modules being structured as one week of contact time sandwiched between periods of self-study ³ Flexible: It is possible to start with any module; although it is preferable to start with the first in the year ³ Supported by some of the world’s foremost academics and practitioners to anchor the modules.

Modules offered in the Programme include: • Sustainable Urban Transitions in the Global South, 5 – 9 March 2012 • Sustainable Urban Systems, 14 – 18 May 2012 • Community Development, 13 – 17 August 2012 • Municipal Infrastructure Management, 10 – 14 September 2012 • Urban Renewal, 8 – 12 October 2012 • Integrated Urban Water Management, 29 October – 2 November 2012 For more information contact Ms Isabel Ncube on tel: 021 650 2580 or email: uidm@uct.ac.za or visit the website www.urbaninfrastructure.uct.ac.za

103039

Applicants should preferably have obtained an Honours or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised university. Applicants with other tertiary qualifications and appropriate work experience are also encouraged to apply.

www.uct.ac.za

University of Cape Town

CAPE TOWN PROJECT TEAM Consultants Contractor Landscaping architect Suppliers of materials/ aggregates for layerworks Suppliers of Armorflex and Terraforce Suppliers of bituminous products (premix) Suppliers of landscaping materials and planting/ installation ABOVE The completed Klipfontein-N2 Canal INSET Before: Klipfontein-N2 Canal

challenges, the layerworks underneath the articulated concrete block channel were modified to overcome the problems encountered due to water saturating the layerworks and preventing compaction of materials. A 200 mm thick stone layer (25 mm crushed stone) wrapped in geotextiles replaced the layerworks underneath the concrete blocks

56 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

and provided a sufficiently compact surface and control layer to place the blocks on top of.

Appointment of local labour The site of works crossed two municipal wards, namely ward 40 and ward 41.

Considerable facilitation was required to obtain resolution from both wards about the approach to be used for sourcing targeted labour from the area.

Bergstan South Africa Exeo Khokela Civil Engineering Construction Samantha Glen Landscape Architects Lafarge INCA Concrete Products Much Asphalt Eco Creations

Accommodation of pedestrian traffic With the portion of canal between Klipfontein Road and the N2 residing in close proximity to the Lwazi Primary School and Klipfontein Road verge, pedestrian traffic posed a constant challenge. As part of the occupational health and safety requirement, safety netting, flagmen and signage was used to minimise the movement of pedestrians through the site of works.

CAPE TOWN

RECYCLING CONTRIBUTES TOWARD SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT

New solid waste drop for Mitchell’s Plain As part of the City of Cape Town’s drive to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill and develop waste infrastructure in all areas of the metropolitan, a new solid waste project has been initiated.

T

HE CITY IS currently instigating initiatives to educate the public on the need to reduce, reuse and recycle waste as part of a national programme of responsible waste management.

Commissioned by the City of Cape Town’s (CoCT) Solid Waste Management Department, in partnership with the local Urban Renewal Programme, the new solid waste drop-off facility for Mitchell’s Plain falls within the ambit of the city’s Integrated Waste Management Plan. The project was initiated to give the people of Mitchell’s Plain and Khayelitsha access to a facility that can be used to dispose of excess waste.

Ringing in at a cost of R6 million, the focus of this project is not only to develop

waste management facilities for the areas of Mitchell’s Plain and Khayelitsha, but also includes areas that are close enough for anyone from the surrounding areas to access.

The intention is to develop a recyclable buyback centre as part of the second phase of the development, in which the facility not only receives waste but also provides financial benefit to surrounding communities through the sale of useful recyclable products. This strategy will assist local residents financially, help to develop skills and minimise waste to landfill going forward.

Construction overview The CoCT embarked on an environmental impact assessment and waste management

license application in terms of the National Environmental Management Act. Commencing in July 2011, the scope of works entails the construction of a waste drop-off facility in Spine Road, Mitchell’s Plain. The drop-off is so designed as to be able to receive garden waste, household garage waste, household domestic waste, builders’ rubble and other recyclable materials. The drop-off consists of two platforms constructed out of reinforced concrete walls that separate the grade so vehicles can park at the top section and deposit waste into skips that are placed at the bottom section. The facility is also designed to ensure that the movement of refuse removal equipment and traffic disposing of waste are not conflicting.

The scope of works entails the construction of a waste drop-off facility in Spine Road, Mitchell’s Plain

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 57

CAPE TOWN The roadways are constructed out of reinforced concrete slabs, or of segmented concrete paving, and the contract also includes buildings for security, a recycling sorting and storage facility, an office building with a resource/training centre and storage areas.

The buildings include necessary amenities,

such as ablution facilities and kitchens for personnel.

Challenges Buried on a portion of the project site, the contractor encountered vast amounts of concrete that was probably the result of the past

use of the site as a concrete readymix facility. The concrete was not picked up in any test pits of other studies undertaken during the planning phase as it was located on only one portion of the site. The cement had to be removed in order to accommodate the layerworks of the roadways and raised platforms, which led to a significant delay in the project and additional spending. The project is due to be completed at the end of 2011.

PROJECT TEAM Consultants (design, health & safety and construction management) Contractor Environmental control

58 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

Worley Parsons

Abantu Civils Ecosense

CAPE TOWN

New compactor fleet for increased service delivery The long-term vision for the City of Cape Town’s waste management department is to integrate waste management services in such a way that the city is able to provide basic services, augment economic activity and minimise the effects of waste on human and environmental health.

T

HE WASTE MANAGEMENT Sector Plan or Integrated Waste Management (IWM) Plan of the Solid Waste Department of the City of Cape Town (CoCT) consists of operational and support strategies, and contains a schedule of projects and activities. The aim of the IWM Plan is to give effect to the strategies, manage and minimise waste and ensure sustainable and affordable services, as well as comply with and meet the objectives of the National Waste Management Strategy as per the National Waste Act. The National Environmental Management Waste Act (NEMWA), which came into effect on 1

60 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

July 2009, requires that waste minimisation be considered by municipalities in addition to

The city has also requested that bin lifters with lift loggers be added to the compactors municipal services such as cleaning, collection and disposal to landfill.

In October 2011, 600SA – importers and original equipment manufacturers of vehicles and equipment predominantly used by municipalities – was awarded the tender to provide

the CoCT with a fleet of 28 compactors, with all units expected to be delivered by the end of May 2012. With a fleet value of approximately R45 million, these are the first compactor units that the CoCT has purchased from 600SA and the specifications include units mounted to MAN CLA 26.280. The city has also requested that bin lifters with lift loggers be added to the compactors, which will aid in increasing service delivery to the people of the Western Cape.

In addition to winning this tender, the vehicle manufacturer has also been successful in supplying aerial platforms and truck-mounted cranes, as well as supplying service and repairs to all said equipment for the CoCT. Other waste equipment available from 600SA includes skip loaders, which are 100% locally produced, imported TAM hooklifts from Italy, which have 4 to 25 tonne capacities, and Bucher Schorling road sweepers.

PANEL DISCUSSION

Good ‘cents’ for municipalities Government and its utilities plan to invest nearly R2 trillion in infrastructure development over the next five years although, according to the DBSA, this is not regarded as sufficient to cover backlogs.

T

HE BIGGER MUNICIPALITIES, including metros, have a spending backlog of nearly R300 billion, with smaller cities and towns at about R100 billion, and a huge portion of this is being allocated to ageing water infrastructure. Cape Town, for example, is the oldest city in South Africa and battles with some of the oldest infrastructure in the country.

During the 2009/10 financial year, the city accelerated the upgrading of its water and sanitation infrastructure in order to meet the demands of the fast-growing metropolis. The city allocated R786 million for the upgrade, while close to 15% of the city’s R5.5 billion capital budget would be spent on water infrastructure and wastewater management.

The total replacement value of Cape Town’s water and sanitation infrastructure would cost approximately R23 billion, meaning that ageing water infrastructure is a huge cause for concern.

In the State of Municipal Infrastructure Report, prepared by the CSIR in conjunction with the cidb, the most important indicator

of the performance of water treatment plants is the quality of water entering the water reticulation system. The most common and immediate cause of water quality not meeting required standards is a breakdown of plant and/or the length of time that it takes to have that plant repaired satisfactorily and for it to resume correct working. The most common causes of plant breakdown typically include inappropriate plant, faulty operating procedures, lack of routine maintenance and

excavations taking place near to pipes, use of inappropriate pipe materials (and their consequent corrosion), inappropriate repair procedures and the ageing of the pipes; while illegal connections exacerbate the situation.

Moving forward, it is imperative that municipalities and national government look at ways of best utilising the money allocated towards water and sanitation infrastructure development, without wasting the impressive technology currently available in water

The total replacement value of Cape Town’s water and sanitation infrastructure would cost approximately R23 billion, meaning that ageing water infrastructure is a huge cause for concern overload. Very often, the underlying cause of these breakdowns is inadequate budget or operator error, or both. Another cause for concern is the issue of water reticulation, and a common problem experienced with these systems is the leakage of water. A variety of factors could contribute to this, including the use of incorrect procedures at the time of laying the pipes, damage due to

reticulation. The much-talked about no dig or trenchless approach is taking municipalities by storm, with more and more metros opting for this method of pipe laying and remediation. Apart from the technology/methodology used, the correct pipe material – be it concrete, steel, plastic or other alternatives – remains the solid foundation for proper water infrastructure.

Candice Landie facilitates this panel discussion, which features experts from Bigen Africa (infrastructure development specialists), Aquadam (manufacturers of water storage solutions), EFTEC (aeration specialists), Fiberpipe (manufacturers of pipes and fittings for water and wastewater applications), Tecroveer (specialists in design and construction of sewage treatment plants) and Wasteman Sight Lines.

They will all shed some light on the current state of water infrastructure in South Africa, projects they are involved in, best practice going forward and the different materials and technology currently available for the local market.

In addition, the discussion will address how investment in proper technology and product could lead to massive, long-term savings.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 61

Siemens Aeration Solutions www.siemens.com/energy/aeration

Expanding our decade long success story as HV-Turbo and now Siemens A/S Turbomachinery Solotions with more than 7.000 references in waste water treatment plants in the world Siemens is offering a complete product portfolio of Single Stage Centrifugal Turbocompressors, both direct drive and integrally geared. With more than 7.000 references worldwide, our specialists in Denmark can select together with you the right choice of equipment for your project requirements.

The Siemens Integrally geared Turbocompressor combines the proven air-end technology with Dual-Point Control tm and a state-of-the-art design which is specifically tailored to the unique environmental and process needs of the wastewater aeration process.

Siemens Partner: EFTEC Unit D1 141 Edison Cresent Hennopspark Centurion

Answers for energy

PANEL DISCUSSION

Hennie Basson: EFTEC Q. What are the repercussions of not using quality materials in installations at WWTW plants?

A. I believe that the cost of capital over the lifespan of a WWTW plant is only 20% of the cost of the lifespan of the plant. If you do not invest in quality materials, the long-term effect of lower quality products is at least an additional 20% on maintenance. I would rather pay more for better quality products than ‘water down’ my profits by having to do repeated repairs on the work I’ve done at WWTW plants. I don’t understand why contractors would choose to use low-quality materials and therefore have the need for ongoing maintenance.

Q. With regard to choice of materials and technology, can you briefly outline how the current tendering process works at government level, i.e. what criteria is used for selecting contractors? Does technology and quality receive preference over price?

A. Although the CIDB’s registry of contractors is a good system, the focus is on BEE credentials and price as opposed to quality.

Their single-tier approach to tendering puts the focus on a company’s financials and BEE credentials as opposed to the two-tier tendering process where technical compliance is submitted separately for adjudication and, only once technical compatibility has been established, are the financials looked at. Applicants who aren’t technically compliant are then disqualified at this point and their financials are not even looked at – that’s what makes it a more fair process.

Price is not influencing the decision where the product is not technically compliant.

There are consulting engineering firms that use the two-tier process, which results in the right technology for the right job. The consulting firm would then only present in that form. The system is flawed in that the focus is not on the technology, whereas the consulting firm, when representing his client, uses the two-tier approach which places emphasis on technology. However, it’s also important to note that price does not determine quality either way – cheap or expensive. The materials have to be analysed individually.

Q. What quality/type of equipment works better in WWTW plants?

A. If we look at equipment supplied for at the inlet works of a waste water treatment works, the inlet screening equipment developed by a supplier and field tested for years prior to placing it on the market, will be designed correctly for the application. Compare this with suppliers who copy and try and reverse

during 2012. However, there are a number of wastewater treatment works where similar technology has be developed and that are operational, namely Zandfliet WWTW in Cape Town, Delmas in Mpumalanga, Hannes van Niekerk WWTW in Westonaria and Durnacol in KwaZulu Natal. A number a treatments works are under construction where this technology will be applied, including Swartruggens and

Consultants and end-users are driving the latest designed motor vehicles with space technology – what do they apply in terms of wastewater treatment equipment? The oldest possible technology! engineer the equipment and, in order to be price competitive, cut on material thickness, gearbox sizing, chain dimensions, etc. For the end user, on face value there is no difference, but technically, the copied version is inferior. The same applies to screenings compactors where gearboxes on the copied units are smaller, and grit separators, where the settling compartments are half the size.

When it comes to equipment for the biological process, mixers, aerators and recycle pumps without guaranteed performance are normally less expensive than the properlydesigned and tested units - RND contributions increase the cost of equipment.

Consultants and end-users are driving the latest designed motor vehicles with space technology – what do they apply in terms of wastewater treatment equipment? The oldest possible technology! Their excuse – maintenance is a problem. Maintenance is the duty of the en- user and, if they do not comply with the maintenance requirements, this will result in a shortened life expectancy and much quicker replacement of equipment.

Energy efficiency is never taken into account during the selection of equipment and this includes pump systems, mixers and surface aerators. Consultants and end-users are reluctant to look at alternative solutions for aeration systems.

Q. Can you cite a recent successful EFTEC project, which specifically makes use of air bio control (ABC)?

A. EFTEC recently sold a complete ABC system to SASOL Synfuels that will be commissioned

Hartebeestfontein WWTW in the Northwest, Madedeni WWTW in KwaZulu Natal, Quineria WWTW in East London and Zeekoegat and Rooiwal WWTW in Tshwane, to name but a few.

Q. Moving away from quality and technology, how compliant are WWTW plants in terms of safety regulations?

A. As safety is a very relevant buzz word, most of the plants are compliant. The question, however, that springs to mind is: does safety compliance guarantee that the effluent produced is within required standards?

The answer is a simple no. Colour coding, painted handrails and demarcated floors are needed, but can give a false impression. Although all WWTWs need to comply with safety, safety is only a small contributor to the main purpose of a WWTW – that being to produce effluent that is treated to the maximum possible standards (greater than 95 %). Keep in mind that safety on the WWTW will not improve the quality of the Vaal River system, the Apies River, the Tugela system, or any other river system.

Remember too that we all need to reuse the water originating from WWTW effluent.

Q. Any additional comments you would like to include?

A. We need get energy efficiency, bio-solid treatment and energy recovery and generation listed as priorities with all WWTW in order to reduce our carbon footprint and, simultaneously, earn money from selling our carbon points.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 63

)LEHUSLSH 3W\ /WG Â&#x2021; 3 2 %R[ $OURGH 6RXWK $IULFD Â&#x2021; 7LHOPDQ 5RRV 6WUHHW *HUPLVWRQ 6RXWK $IULFD Â&#x2021; 3KRQH Â&#x2021; )D[ Â&#x2021; ZZZ ILEHUSLSH FR ]D

PANEL DISCUSSION

Heinrich Mostert: Fiberpipe

Q. What pipe material/s does Fiberpipe specialise in?

A. GRP, glass reinforced polyester pipes, Flowtite and the Vectus product range.

Q. What does fiber reinforced solutions mean? Can you give me a composite breakdown of your pipe material?

A. It means that we do not just supply pipes, but also give a value added service where we assist in the design of the pipeline to minimise costs. We then train the contractor and assist throughout the installation with field service support to ensure a successful project. The composite breakdown of the product is glass fiber, resin and inorganic filler such as sand.

Q. What water engineering applications would you say that this type of pipe material is best suited to?

A. Sanitation, installation in wastewater treatment plants, etc. GRP pipes are good to convey fluid for any environment: raw water, potable water, treated effluent, sewage, sea water, desalinated sea water, industrial wastewater and storm water. Installations in wastewater treatment works and water treatment works are fairly common. The secret is that erosion or corrosion is not present and no protection layers are required. There are no protection layers to damage, so installation is very easy.

Q. Can you cite recent examples of where Fiberpipe pipes have been fitted (water and/or sanitation applications)?

A. Installed in over 900 projects and approximately 1 600 km of pipe, some of the most recent are: • Namibia: Sikondo and Keetmanshoop • Gauteng: Thembisa and Ceres bottling plant and Daspoort • Northern Cape: Kamfersdam • Western Cape: Grabouw Bulk Water, Malgas Raw Water, Outeniqua Treated Effluent, Kraaifontein (Buhrein Development) and Fisantekraal • Zimbabwe: Triangle Irrigation • Mpumalanga: Duhva Power Station Mike Fels Pond • KwaZulu Natal: Industrial Main Bulk Richards Bay and Mkhwanzi North Phase 5B Water Supply • Swaziland: Ubombo Sugar Mill and Lusip TDS Q. When municipalities/governments choose pipe materials for price rather than quality, what effect could this have on that particular water infrastructure over time?

A. Not only price over quality, but also imported pipes over locally

manufactured ones, as well as cost of ownership, i.e. maintenance and running costs. The total cost of installation is skewed if cathodic protection is not seen as part of the total installation cost, or if it is ignored. Pipes with inferior/ cheaper protection layers will pass the installation test and then deteriorate and fail in a much shorter time than a good quality pipe. Inferior materials will require replacement or rehabilitation sooner than Heinrich Mostert quality materials. Life cycle costing is more important than current material cost. In today’s world, where electricity is becoming very expensive, it is critical to the take flow coefficiency of a pipeline into account, not only on the day of installation, but over the lifetime of the pipeline. Over a 50 year period, pumping costs are by far the biggest expense on a pipeline.

Q. Have you ever been called in to rectify such situations where other pipe manufacturers did not adhere to quality standards? If yes, what was the state of the infrastructure like upon arrival and how much did this cost the municipality in question?

A. There was a pipeline in Bellville, Cape Town, where we were called in to replace an 80 m section of a asbestos cement (AC) pipeline that was on the verge of collapsing. This was a portion of sewer pipeline and it had to be replaced before the service completely fell over. The AC pipeline had been installed 10 years prior to this and was the cheaper solution at the time. It ended up costing the municipality an additional R100 000 where, if the quality of the pipe was chosen over the price, the entire pipeline would have lasted for a minimum of 50 years.

Q. During your work experience, which have been the worst municipalities in terms of the state of their ageing water infrastructure?

A. There is not one to single out as all the older municipalities have problems with ageing infrastructure that require replacement.

Q. In what areas (e.g. maintenance /repairs/rehabilitation) does choosing the best pipe material upfront help minimise costs in the long term?

A. The costs will be minimised on all areas. Maintenance, repairs or rehabilitation should not be necessary on any pipe for a minimum of 50 years. As mentioned before, pumping costs are by far the largest expense.

Q. Can you name the top two pipe products on offer at Fiberpipe and what are the advantages of each in water engineering applications?

A. Flowtite and Vectus. Flowtite is Fiberpipe’s leading product for water, sewage and industrial applications. The GRP systems are a costeffective piping solution.

The Vectus pipe system is manufactured from glass fibre reinforced polyester and vinylester. The pipe systems are free of corrosion, lightweight and a well documented product with good references worldwide.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 65

Your water storage problems.

Solved.

P Uniquely engineered construction methods P Commercial and Industrial applications P Applicable to a wide range of industries P Effective and economically efficient P Rapid factory production P Extended life expectancy, minimal maintenance P Durability and value for money

Our network of Distributors extends throughout South Africa and beyond its borders.

MULEBY SYSTEM TANK

Post-tensioned Panel Reservoirs Muleby System Tanks (MST) meets the highest classification of water tightness. It is versatile, highly durable and exceptionally cost-effective.

Concrete panel reservoirs is ideal for all liquid storage requirements and offers superb quality as fermentation tanks.

Produced in a controlled factory environment guarantees high quality, and the mechanised, low labour-intensive installation means a safer working environment.

FUTURE TANK

Zinc/Aluminium Coated Tanks Future Tanks are highly versatile and can be used to store anything from potable liquid to municipal sludge. Manufactured from Zincalume sheets, the Future Tank is highly resistant to corrosion and virtually maintenance-free.

Our Zincalume Coated Tanks are very competitively priced and due to their modular nature can be constructed extremely quickly, even in difficult or remote sites.

Contact t XXX BRVBEBN DP [B Pretoria: t Cape Town: 021 - 905 7943

8BUFSEJHUF 0QMPTTJOH t 8BUFSUJHIU 4PMVUJPO

PANEL DISCUSSION

Anton Liebenberg: Aquadam Q. Can you give me a brief overview of Aquadam’s Muleby System Tank for the municipal and industrial sectors, i.e. how long have the tanks been around, where did the concept originate, dimensions of the tanks, type of materials used in the production of the tanks, durability, etc?

A. Aquadam’s Muleby System Tank originated in Muleby in Belgium with the MST1. The Muleby Tank system is a prefabricated, modular concrete tank. This tank uses the old technology of pre-stressing and post-tensioning. For the first time in South Africa, pre-stress and post-tension is used in unison, making use of concrete best asset as it functions best under pressure. High quality pre-cast, pre-stressed elements are placed on a site -pecific, cast in situ concrete floor. Poly ethylene-coated post-tension cables are fed through the elements and post-tensioned in the horizontal direction to pressures in excess of 135 KN. These tensions are calculated for the tanks’ specific application. These cables are placed internally and the stressing point closed to protect against corrosion.

The Muleby System Tank has been use by Famitec in Europe for the last 35 years for storage of potable water through to manure.

Currently, the newer version MSTs, the MST1a, MST2 and MST3 are being manufactured for the building of bigger water treatment plants and water storage facilities. Aquadam is manufacturing the MST1a locally, under license to Famitec in the Nederlands . The MST1a gives us the capability to construct reservoirs ranging from a 8.6m diameter, with a depth of only 3 m, up to a 33 m diameter, and a depth of 7 m, storing 178 000 litres to 5.7 million litres. Plans are in place to start producing the bigger MST2 in early 2012. The MST2 will allow us to up to 8 m in depth, a diameter of 78 m and a capacity of 32 million litres.

Q. Name the areas of application of the MST A. The MST is a storage structure, storing what can range from potable water to certain chemicals and molasses to treatment plants and biogas fermentation tanks.

Q. What are the top five features of the MST, in particular, with relation to water purification plant applications?

Being a prefabricated concrete tank, the mix design of the concrete can be manipulated in the controlled environment of the casting yard. This giving us the flexibility to change the mix design for specific applications or environments without compromising on the exceptional quality. The elements can be given exceptional protection against chemicals where it is needed. Pre-cast also allows for exceptional quality control and ensures the correct curing of the product.

The relatively slender elements allow for very competitive pricing and less use (wastage) of concrete steel reinforcing, and also assures a smaller carbon footprint.

The ease and speed of the installation saves time, which in itself is a big money saver, but also means more facilities can be produced in the same period of time, thus resulting in better service delivery.

Not using shutters and props at great heights makes it very safe to install, which is another big time and money saver.

Aquadam concentrates on the production and installation of the elements and prefers the main contractor to cast the specified floor, which allows for local, smaller upcoming contractors to erect huge treatment

plants without forfeiting quality or spending months or years just building the storage facility. It give them the opportunity to do what they are good at, and this also gives the municipality peace of mind in that it is supporting local business.

Q. Apart from the MST, what other tank products does Aquadam have on offer and are any or all Anton Liebenberg of these tanks suitable for the municipal sector? If so, where are the tanks being used or implemented?

A. Apart from the MST, Aquadam offers the durable, seamless gunite reservoir. With the capacity to be built in sizes ranging from 4.5 m in diameter x 1.6 m in depth, up to 30 m diameter and 2.4 m depth (25 Kl to 1 300 Kl). These reservoirs can be left open or can be covered with a concrete or corrugated steel roof. A vast amount of these smaller maintenance-free concrete reservoirs are in use in small communities as potable water storage tanks and break pressure tanks. These reservoirs are also very popular in the farming community, which is probably our biggest market.

In keeping with our company mission of giving the client the best water storage solution in the shortest possible time, we also have the Future Tank. These tanks are like the MST – a modular tank – but are comprised of zinc aluminum coated steel panels, bolted together in a circular structure. These structures are fitted with a plastic liner and corrugated roof. These tanks are also widely used by municipalities and the mining sector for their speed of installation and flexibility in terms of being erectable in very inaccessible terrains. They are also quite popular for their semi-permanent status.

Q. Can you cite two recent water infrastructure projects that Aquadam has been involved in, and which tanks were selected for these projects and why?

A. Xtrata Eland Platinum Mine, where we are doing two mine water return reservoirs. Water coming from an existing clarifier is stored in these tanks to gravitate back to the machines working underground.

They decided to use the 7 m-high Muleby system tanks. Reasons given for the use of these tanks: the high quality of the design and huge

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 67

PANEL DISCUSSION savings on the cost and the safety of the installation. DRA Minerals are also using our Muleby tank system for, essentially, the same reasons, and they simply love the design. According to our clients, the quality, at the cost, is simply out of this world.

Q. Having worked with municipalities, what are the repercussions of not using quality materials and technology in water infrastructure installations, for example at wastewater treatment plants and water purification plants?

A. During one of my recent site visits to Limpopo, I visited a project that had been running for almost six years in an attempt to construct a reservoir and tie it into the existing reticulation system. After six years, it was still not functional – what a waste of time and money!

As we all know, black water, i.e. untreated sewerage, is a killer. It kills people, animals and vegetation, and this is one thing you don’t want left untreated. Poor quality products leads to leakage and this leads to extra time and money that has to be spent in order to rectify the problem. Down time on this facility lets these killers run free. The effort and money spent on water infrastructure must be undertaken with great care.

Q. During your work experience, can you identify the worst affected municipalities in terms of ageing water infrastructure, and cite a few examples if possible?

A. It is very difficult to point out one specific municipality, but we feel that this is a challenge we should all take to heart and attempt to

assist the various municipalities to do the best they can with their limited budgets. This is not just a municipal challenge as it affects all of us.

Q. On average, do you know how much a municipality spends on repairs/rehabilitation of ageing water infrastructure, and can select quality materials from the outset aid in reducing these maintenance costs?

A. I have no idea how much is spent on repairs and rehabilitation, and I feel it is a waste to spend good money on an old, mostly inadequate and inefficient system. In my humble opinion, especially in the treatment industry, there is a lot of new technology that we can implement.

South Africa is not unique in the challenge of ‘more people, more waste’. We must learn from the rest of the world, but also support local companies as some of our local businesses have better solutions than our international counterparts.

Q. Any additional comments you would like to add?

A. We want to share government’s new point of view of using local products to solve our domestic markets needs and keep South Africa’s money in the country for the growth of our economy. In South Africa, we can still safely drink water from a tap. In places in the rest of the world you must pay a huge amount of money just to get water, and then it is not even safe for drinking. We take the water in South Africa for granted even though we are a dry country. If we don’t take care of one of our most vital resources, we, together with our children, will pay dearly. We can all make a difference – even a small difference counts.

68 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

Since its inception at the beginning of July, the new IMIESA weekly e-newsletter is proving to be hugely popular, with a total of 5 640 subscribers already receiving their copy directly every week.

Su ubsscribe now to the weekly IMIESA e-new wsleƩer or the most up-to-daate news in the indu ustry! fo To subscribe e-mail unity@3smedia.co.za | Send your press releases & event information to richard@3smedia.co.za

To advertise on the e-newsletter contact Tania Milic T:+27 (0)12 331 5168 | C: +27 (0)82 829 9285 | E-m: tania@dfcom.co.za

MEDIA

PANEL DISCUSSION

Graham Lionel Beattie: Wasteman Sight Lines Q. How important is it that municipalities select quality pipe materials and advanced technology for water engineering applications, rather than going simply on price?

A. South Africa has extremely capable and competent engineers who can specify a pipeline for any application. In addition to this, our contractors are extremely capable in terms of rendering a quality installation. Cutting cost must not compromise quality.

Q. Overall, what are the benefits and cost savings involved when using trenchless technology in pipeline maintenance and repair?

A. It is of paramount importance that all pipelines are maintained on a regular basis. Pipelines can quickly become blocked through the introduction of large objects, together with a variety of failure modes.

Q. Can you cite a specific project of where Wasteman Sight Lines is making use of trenchless technology, as well as any associated advantages for the project?

A. Our recent activity in KwaZulu Natal identified that only approximately 10% of the anticipated maintenance and repair budget needed to be spent in order to restore the pipeline infrastructure to an

acceptable level of performance.

Q. Please explain the company’s involvement in pipe detection Graham Lionel Beattie technology. What products do you have available and what does this type of technology offer?

A. Provided access to the pipeline is available, our equipment is detectable from the surface. Therefore, pipelines can be traced and inspected simultaneously.

Q. More recently, in which municipalities have you witnessed ageing infrastructure at its worst and what were the reasons behind the deterioration?

A. With due respect, old infrastructure, if properly managed and proactively maintained, can last several decades.

Q. Any additional comments you wish to include?

A. Know your infrastructure status, have the condition assessed and prioritise your actions. Wasteman Sight Lines can manage this for you.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 69

We specialise in the following: • CCTV pipe inspection, condition assessment and structural grading from 6mm to 1500mm and above • Vactor combination cleaning • Internal pipe diameter laser measurements

• Non man entry void and cavity inspections • Comprehensive condition assessment under high Àow conditions using sonar • High pressure Jet cleaning • Bucket dredging

• Asset/infrastructure management • GIS mapping and GIS correction of buried infrastructure • Data collection for hydraulic modelling • Manhole condition assessment • Well, shaft and borehole inspections

Sustainable technology solutions for a greener future

Tel: (+27) 86 117 4448 | Fax: (+27) 12 661 4641 | www.sightlines.co.za 57 Adriana Crescent, Gateway Industrial Park, Rooihuiskraal

PANEL DISCUSSION

Zack van den Berg: Tecroveer/Sewpacksa EXCO Q. Can you give a brief overview of small package plants and why they are suited for use in the informal environment?

A. Package plants offer a total solution in a short time frame. The biggest challenge is to select the best available appropriate technology for a specific solution. Having a focused solution, which is properly engineered and continuously improved, must result in a better total solution than a single, once-off design. For this reason, we believe that, by selecting the right package plant supplier, the client can obtain an optimum solution for his effluent problem.

Q. For municipalities, what are the benefits associated with small package plants?

A. Once a minimum design standard is set in terms of material, process, operation and maintenance, the municipalities can benefit from cost-effective solutions available in the market. Sewpacksa is a nonprofit organisation established by the suppliers of package plants to address these specific issues.

Q. In which municipalities are small package plants most popular?

A. Remember, package plants are defined as any sewage treatment plant with a daily average flow smaller than 2 Mℓ per day. This means that the sewage of communities of up to 30 000 residents is treated with package plants. With specific reference to your question regarding small package plants, my personal interpretation will mean plants with an average flow of less than 100 kℓ per day. Other suppliers might interpret this as plants of less than 25 kℓ per day. With specific reference to small package plants, less than 100 kℓ per day municipalities will prefer package plants were the municipality WWTP is not capable of handling the additional flow of a new development, if the reticulation cost to the existing municipal WWTP exceed the life cycle cost of a new small package plant or if the existing municipal WWTP needs to be upgraded. By encouraging home owners to operate and maintain their own WWTP, the municipality will only need to execute an audit role.

Q. Do small package plants aid in the overall longevity of ageing water infrastructure?

A. Yes, they offer a readily available solution that, if selected correctly, can be applied to cost-effectively replace infrastructure that is past its life expectancy.

Q. Is using the best pipe material also important to the lifespan of small package plants, as with WWT plants?

A. There is no excuse for using inappropriate materials, not only on pipes but on any equipment. Sewpacksa is setting itself the goal of ensuring that, when suppliers are competing, the bid will be won by offering best value for money. Competitive pricing should be obtained with innovative, cost-effective solutions. The challenge for small package plants is far greater. The scaled down sizes challenge normal design criteria, such as minimum and maximum flow velocities, minimum pipe sizes to handle raw sewage and sludge and fluctuation in inflow conditions, which are exponentially bigger than with larger WWTP.

Q. On a large-scale WWT basis, what are the more recent/ advanced technologies that Tecroveer is making use of?

Zack van den Berg A. The fixed reactor volume with big varying flow and loading variation makes it difficult to ensure a continuous quality effluent on small package plants. For this reason, Tecroveer have acquired two other treatment technologies. Becon Water Technology is the first and it uses an attached growth process that is linked with a ‘series’ approach. Although this technology is old, it is still, in my opinion, one of the most appropriate technologies available for small package plants. The other technology we have acquired is the PETRO process. This is a patented process that uses a combination of ponds as a primary treatment process, in combination with a secondary treatment process that can be activated sludge or trickling filters. Recently, we have proven this cost-effective solution at Jeffreys Bay. The big advantage lies in the reduction in operating cost due to a 30% to 40% reduction in electricity requirements. Other new technologies include the mechanical dewatering of sludge with the simple-tooperate technology of the Dehydrator, and our patented recycle mixers that eliminate any pump requirements on site.

Q. Can you cite projects of where Tecroveer’s technology has or is been implemented?

A. Tecroveer, with its acquisitions, has implemented more than 500 WWTP over a period of 35 years. Our plants are installed in Africa, the Indian Ocean Islands and Australia. The majority have been implemented in South Africa (excluding the really small package plant suppliers).

Some of our bigger design and supply solutions include the recentlycompleted Wonderkop 9 Mℓ per day, the 3.2 Mℓ per day Karee WWTP that obtained the first runner up in the 2008 WISA design awards and the 8 Mℓ per day Jeffreys Bay WWTP that is currently under construction.

Q. Any other comments?

A. The worst experience is walking onto any wastewater treatment site that has recently been fitted with mechanical equipment that has been run into the ground due to a lack of maintenance. Our problem is not ageing equipment, but rather a lack of basic preventative equipment maintenance to ensure a reasonable life expectancy.

BELOW Top view of Lanseria pasveer reactor with Tecroveer's patented horizontal bridge aerators

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 71

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Clean water?â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Infrastructure!â&#x20AC;?

Delivering sustainable infrastructure that improves our world.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OUR SMARTER BUSINESS APPROACH.

*VU[HJ[ ^^^ IPNLUHMYPJH JVT VY [OL VMĂ&#x201E;JL TVZ[ JVU]LUPLU[ [V `V\! 7YL[VYPH " 1VOHUULZI\YN " )SVLTMVU[LPU " *HWL ;V^U " +\YIHU " ,HZ[ 3VUKVU " .HIHYVUL NHIVYVUL'IPNLUHMYPJH JVT" 2\Y\THU " 4HĂ&#x201E;RLUN " 4[OH[OH " 5LSZWY\P[ " 7VSVR^HUL " 9PJOHYKZ )H` " 9\Z[LUI\YN " <T[H[H " >PUKOVLR

PANEL DISCUSSION

Mias van der Walt: Q. Is Bigen Africa involved in any major water and sanitation projects for municipalities within South Africa?

A. Yes, Bigen Africa (in some cases in joint venture with other consultants) is currently involved in a number of water and sanitation projects in Southern Africa. Some of the projects include the upgrading of the Roodeplaat WWTW, Zeekoegat WWTW, Inyaka WWTW and pumping station, as well as the North South Carrier 2 in Botswana.

Q. As professional consultants, does Bigen Africa advise municipalities to opt for better quality rather than the cheaper options?

A. Bigen Africa believes that water infrastructure should be developed in a sustainable manner and this necessarily implies that a balance has to be achieved between a number of factors affecting sustainability, such as affordability and appropriateness. The cost of infrastructure is only one of many aspects that should be considered.

Q. In terms of ageing water infrastructure, what have been the worst cases that Bigen Africa has witnessed in the last two years?

A. We have experienced in most cases that infrastructure is neglected due to insufficient experience, knowledge and training of planning, operation and maintenance personnel. The neglected asset management leads to reduced performance of infrastructure and, combined with the continuous population increase, has seen many water and sanitation systems failing and not able to meet basic water service requirements. The recent Blue and Green Drop assessments have exposed many of these cases.

Q. What has been the effect on that particular community/ area/municipality in terms of economies of scale?

A. This varies considerably and depends on the scope of work involved.

In the case of a simple refurbishment project in a rural borehole water supply system, it can be as little as R50 000, and in the case of a regional water supply system, such as the North South Carrier 2, it can be as much as R5 billion. The time frame for implementation also varies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; emergency work can be conducted within days, whereas large and complex systems require significant planning and construction time and can take as long as 10 years.

Q. Could these situations be avoided and, if so, how?

A. In most cases, poor water and sanitation infrastructure performance can be prevented by proper planning and asset management.

Bigen Africa

Q. Is there anything else you wish to add regarding the state of water infrastructure in the country and best practice going forward?

A. The state of municipal water and wastewater infrastructure has been an area of concern for a number of years.

The current Blue and Green Drop assessments provide a high level indication of the performance of water service authorities. From these reports it is clear Mias van der Walt that most existing water and wastewater works do not comply with national standards, and that a significant will is required to turn around this status. In addition, coordinated national, provincial and regional planning is required to address the current and future water infrastructure needs for the next generation. Contracting modalities between the state and private sector is critical if budgets are to be spent wisely.

Q. On what types of infrastructure do you feel the bulk of the budget should be allocated â&#x20AC;&#x201C; roads, water, electricity, housing, or a combination of all?

A. This is a balancing act that will require input and decision making from many spheres of government, but our infrastructure should be developed in such a way that it provides access to basic services like water and sanitation. We also need infrastructure development that will stimulate economic growth and provide much-needed jobs.

Q. Presently, are there provinces/municipalities which are in dire need of water and sanitation infrastructure upgrades?

A. In our view, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo are perhaps experiencing the lowest levels of service.

Q. What solution would Bigen Africa propose to be best in the long term?

A. Government on its own will not be able to deliver the much-needed infrastructure development. Innovative ways in which the private sector can partner with the public sector have been explored in the past, with limited success. A point in case is the success story of the Rustenburg Water Services Trust, where both the public and private sector were able to turn around the water service challenges in Rustenburg.

BELOW New activated sludge reactor at Zeegoekat WWTW

Q. What technology does Bigen Africa offer with regard to water and sanitation applications?

A. A variety of technology are in, depending on the particular application. The refurbishment, for instance, of old steel pipelines can be done with in situ cement mortar lining. Aerial lidar topographical surveys using a laser scanner and digital camera are used for accurate positioning of terrain. Ground penetrating radar detection is used to identify existing services and leaks. CCTV camera inspections are used to asses existing pipelines. Pipe drilling or jacking is implemented on cross roads, railway lines and other services.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 73

PIPES, PUMPS AND VALVES

Water supply for expanding northern regions The rapid expansion of residential, commercial and industrial developments in the northern regions of Durban has prompted eThekwini Water and Sanitation to initiate the Northern Aqueduct Augmentation Project.

“I

T IS EXPECTED that the Northern Aqueduct Augmentation (NAA) Project will inject in the order of 150 million litres of water per day into the northern regions of Durban. The supply area will include the north-eastern regions of Durban: north of the Umgeni River, south of the Tongaat River and east of Ntuzuma.

Urban developments planned for Cornubia, King Shaka Airport, Dube Trade Port and surrounding regions will also benefit,” says Monty Montemarano, project manager of the NAA Project.

According to Montemarano, eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) appointed the joint venture of Knight Piésold Consulting and Naidu Consulting (KP/NC JV) in 2009 for the consulting engineering services and construction management of this project. Their role is to investigate the most viable engineering option of supplementing the current capacity of the existing pipelines of the NA system from the Western Aqueduct (WA) project (currently under

The NAA Project is one of the largest capital projects in water supply for Durban construction to bring potable water into Ntuzuma in bulk in 2015).

The KP/NC JV proposed that water from the WA project be injected into the NA system via a pipeline linking Emachobeni to Umhlanga Rocks. The project will pick up some of the reservoirs in Ntuzuma and Phoenix and the Blackburn Reservoir in Cornubia. EWS has accepted this proposal as the most viable solution for strengthening the capacity of the bulk water supply systems of the northern regions of Durban.

With an estimated cost of R860 million, the NAA Project is one of the largest capital projects in water supply for Durban. It will comprise three engineering phases spanning 55 km.

“For Phase I, steel pipes in lengths of 18 m and in diameters ranging from 1 200 mm to 700 mm will be laid to link two existing reservoirs in Phoenix to the proposed Blackburn Reservoir in

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 75

PIPES, PUMPS AND VALVES generating hydro power at the existing Ntuzuma 7 Reservoir which will serve electricity to the residents of Lindelani and adjacent areas of Ntuzuma.

of securing the necessary finance for this phase of the project,” says Montemarano.

As an off-shoot to the NAA project, EWS is currently investigating the feasibility of

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF NORTHERN AQUEDUCT AUGMENTATION uMshwathi

KwaDukuza

Dudley Pringle Dam

Ndwedwe

N2

Tongaat

We-We Dam Westbrook Hazelmere

USHAKA AIRPORT

Ogunjini

NAGLE DAM

a R

HAZELMERE DAM

La Mercy

Mkhambathini Verulam Um ng

Waterloo

Umdloti

Cornubia en

iR

ive r

Blackburn Inanda Mzinyathi Phoenix

INCHANGA STATION

eThekwini Metropolitan

INANDA DAM

Ngcolosi Ntuzuma

Umhlanga Rocks

Kwa-Mashu

INDIAN OCEAN

Durban North Hillcrest

N3

Um ng

Kloof

en

iR

ive r

N2

Cato Ridge

New Germany

N3

Westville

Legend

N3 Tshelimnyama

Pinetown

PROPOSED NAA

Durban CBD

FUTURE NAA EXTENSION PROPOSED WA

N2

Cornubia. The steel pipeline will continue onwards to connect to the existing reservoir in Umhlanga Ridge. Construction of phase I is being treated as a top priority to bring a basic supply of water to support the first stages of development of the Cornubia housing and commercial development project. Without the NAA project, new developments such as the Cornubia residential and commercial development may not be approved due to the shortage of water supply to the northern regions of eThekwini.

“Phase II will see the construction of the 1 200 mm-diameter pipeline between Emachobeni and Phoenix 4 Reservoir. It will close the link between the WA project and the northernmost portions of the eThekwini water supply network. This section of work will be constructed simultaneously with the construction of phase I.” “Phase III of this project will run from Ntuzuma to Ogunjini, comprising the laying of 22 km of 600 mm and 300 mm pipelines and the construction of a 10 million litre capacity reservoir and a booster pump station in the Ntanda region. EWS is in the process

Durban Harbour

NATIONAL ROADS METRODAMS DURBAN BAY MUNICIPALITY

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 77

If you are serious about Quality, insist on the SAPPMA mark www.sappma.co.za Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association

Save up to 85% of electricity

Presto Instant Water Heater Prest water heater supplies unlimited hot water to any Presto point of use you may need - sink, shower or bath. p It can be b used in households, cafeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, bathrooms, toilets, pools, restaurants, offices, bars, hotels, exhibition and shopping centers, restauran gas stations, and anywhere else hot water is needed. water heater is the most efficient, most Presto instantaneous i economical and most convenient way to heat water. eco A averag An average 120 â&#x201E;&#x201C; (31 gal.) storage water heater can waste as much as 1,000 kWh k per year as water in the tank is continuously heated (standby heat loss).

Presto g P generates no standby losses, saves your money as it conserves the environment.

9 99% energy efficient 9 Saves up to 85% of electricity 9 Instant Performance 9 Unlimited hot water 9 Swiss reliability 9 Water savings 9 100% recyclable

Hydrodifusion Fittings (Pty) Ltd Tel: +27 (0)11 477 8332 Fax: +27 (0)11 477 9050 E-mail: shawn.pretorius@stp-sa.com michael.pretorius@stp-sa.com

www.kgwh.co.za

Kilimanjaro Granite and Water Heaters Francois De jager Cell: +27 (0)83 257 4815 E-mail: fdejager@crown.org.za Fax: +27 (0)51 444 0888

PIPES, PUMPS AND VALVES

World-class equipment for municipal engineering Exceptional machines from United States-based Astec Industries, Trencor and American Augers are now being supplied into the South African market

by Osborn Engineered Products.

M

ACHINES LIKE auger borers, horizontal directional drills and trenchers are perfectly suited to applications in municipal engineering. Applications include utilities, water, gas, sewerage, communications and drainage.

These top quality machines are now offered in South Africa by Johannesburg-based Osborn, through its parent company, Astec Industries.

Osborn offers its seamless, 24/7 aftersales support, back-up services and spares to local customers.

The company engineers dedicated to these machines, who assemble and commission a customer’s machine, offer operator training, services and back-up. The company will also

be stocking spares in order to minimise downtime and ensure that customers are ‘back in business’ as quickly as possible. In addition, Osborn engineers are able to undertake on-site repairs.

Astec’s horizontal directional drills are perfectly suited to applications like drilling underneath roads, highways, rivers and buildings.

“With the efficiency and accuracy of these drills, there is no need to dig up roads or pavements. The horizontal directional drill can be driven from one point to another. It is steered with exceptional accuracy and its direction and depth can easily be altered by the operator. Astec’s hard rock drilling systems deliver a considerable increase in rock

penetration when compared to competitor systems,” he notes.

American Augers’ Auger Boring Machines are designed for the fast and efficient installation of wider diameter pipes, from 450 mm to 3 500 mm. They eliminate the safety risks associated with traditional tunnelling methods like pipe jacking and are more efficient as they utilise the quick tram mode, witch is unique to American Augers.

Astec’s heavy-duty ride-on trenchers and Trencor’s mechanical drive trenchers are additional ground-breaking solutions that Osborn is now offering in South Africa. Clean, precise trenches are produced by the rugged Trencor range.

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 79

PIPES, PUMPS AND VALVES

Rainwater harvesting solutions Rocla Southern Africa, in collaboration with Rocla Australia, has launched the Rocla ecoRain® and ecoRain® plus water harvesting systems in a bid to encourage rainwater harvesting, retention and re-use.

S

OUTH AFRICA is one of the many countries today faced with water problems, including the high cost of potable water for consumers.

In Australia, there has been a shift towards water-sustainable cities and integrated water cycle management.

“These systems aim to conserve potable supply by implementing the rainwater capture and re-use aspects of water sensitive urban design,” says Justin Kretzmar, sales engineer at Rocla.

According to authorities and research organisations in Australia, by using rainwater tanks for non-potable applications, the need for expensive systems such as desalination and recycled wastewater can be delayed. In leveraging this, many developers and municipalities are changing legislation and developing codes which require the installation of rainwater tanks for toilet flushing, irrigation and laundry uses.

“With South Africa facing sanitation and water challenges, the ecoRain® systems, which are designed to capture clean rainwater that is then stored underground for further use, could be an answer. As the source and quality of any captured water cannot be assured, the ecoRain® system is intended to deliver stored rainwater for non-potable applications, thereby saving costs and addressing certain sanitation

challenges, whilst conser ving potable water,” adds Kretzmar.

“The captured water is conveyed through numerous roof gutter down-pipes to the ecoRain® filter, which removes all debris and waste greater than 0.5 mm diameter in particle size. Only clean water is then transferred to the ecoRain® concrete tank, whilst the coarse litter is continuously removed from the filter and discharged through the overflow to the storm water drainage system,” continues Kretzmar.

The Rocla concrete tank is strong and durable, with a very long lifespan. As the tank is installed underground, it will not take up valuable land and the load-bearing capacity allows it to be located almost anywhere on site.

“Underground concrete tanks are an ideal method of storing water, proving an almost germ-free environment away from light and heat. Concrete cisterns are strong, durable, last indefinitely and help to neutralise rainwater,” says Kretzmar.

Sustainability of scarce resources is a global imperative and with Rocla concrete tanks, the capability of existing water supply systems will extend to keep pace with population growth. Harvested water can be used for toilets, laundry, car washing, irrigation, etc.

Common rainwater harvesting systems

come in plastic form and are traditionally placed above ground, exposing the tank to heat and sunlight, which are detrimental to water quality. Heat and UV rays from the sun can cause these tanks to have a limited life span, which means replacing tanks and increased costs. This type of ‘smaller’ tank is traditionally positioned directly below one down-pipe and collects water from this source only.

BELOW The tanks have capacities ranging from 3 000 litres to over 1 000 000 litres

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 81

Increase your reliability and reduce your costs

Designed and Engineered for Water, Sewage and Waste Water Treatment All water and waste treatment works must meet increasingly stringent levels of discharge consent, while reducing operating costs.

Critical processes such as primary sludge transfer and digester feed must be carried out reliably.

Watson-Marlow Bredel pumps meet these demanding performance levels.

JOHANNESBURG: Tel: +27 11 796-2960 RUSTENBURG: Tel: +27 14 596-6695 DURBAN: Tel: + 27 31 512 5122 E-mail: info@wmbpumps.co.za Website: www.watson-marlow.com group2media

• • • • • • • •

Lime, Ferric and Polyelectrolyte dosing Auto desludging of primary tanks Digester, centrifuge, filter press and belt press feed Imported sludge transfer Humus tank desludging Raw sewerage transfer Sampling duties Five-year warranty on Watson-Marlow 520/620/720 case drives

Watson-Marlow \ Bredel \ Alitea \ Flexicon \ MasoSine

PIPES, PUMPS AND VALVES

Peristaltic pumping solutions in processing Watson-Marlow Bredel solves fluid handling problems with peristaltic tube, hose pump and sinusoidal technology across a wide range of processing sectors.

T

HE COMPANY PROVIDES pumping solutions in applications such as chemical metering, dosing, slurry, sump, ink transfer, acid and adhesives, as well as difficult pumping solutions for shear-sensitive, abrasive, corrosive and particle-laden fluids.

“Peristaltic pumps have no valves, seals or glands to leak, clog or replace,” explains Watson-Marlow Bredel SA general manager, Nico van Schalkwyk.

“The fluid only touches a flexible tube or hose and does not come into contact with the pump itself. Maintenance is confined to a tube or hose change, which takes minutes, and the pumps are reversible, self-priming and dry-running.”

Watson-Marlow peristaltic pumps offer significant advantages over other pump types, such as gear pumps and diaphragm pumps, because there are no impellers, vanes, lobes or valves to damage the product. This separation of fluid from the pump action ensures contamination-free pumping, which is ideal for shear-sensitive fluids, viscous sludges or slurries, as well as aggressive acids and caustics.

“You’ll find our pumps across many industries, such as brewing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, print and packaging, science and research, water and waste and other application areas,” adds van Schalkwyk.

“Our 100 to 800 series metering pumps and dosing pumps have flow rates from as

An exploded view of the MasoSine sinusoidal pump

small as 1 microlitre/minute to 4 000 litres/ hour. Each series type is very flexible, with a choice of pumphead characteristics, different control options, including PROFIBUS capability, and, as we are a silicone tubing supplier, we also have a variety of tubing types available.

The company delivers the highest quality, high-pressure hose pumping capacity.

No other industrial pumps offer the same IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 83

• GRUNDOMAT soil displacement hammers for pipes up to ND 150 - extremely precise due reciprocating chisel head.

• GRUNDODRILL HDD systems for steerable bores up to ND 600 - with percussive hammer for stony soils.

• GRUNDORAM ramming machines for steel pipes up to ND 4000 - also applicable vertically for ramming sheet piles.

• FÖCKERSPERGER PIPE AND CABLE PLOWS for trenchlessly plowing in pipes up to OD 225 and cables in open terrain.

• GRUNDOBURST static pipe bursting systems for the replacement of pipes up to ND 1000

• PRIME DRILLING - Midi & Maxi HDD rigs for pipes up to 1400 mm.

ALL THIS AND MORE ONLY FROM TT. TT sales partner in South Africa:

Reef Trenchless Technology SA (Pty) Ltd

· 19 Shamrock Road, Primrose, P. O. Box 2168 · Primrose 1416 · South Africa Phone: +27 (0)11 828 2397 · 828 5782 · Fax +27 (0)11 828 7981 · E-Mail: reefpneu@mweb.co.za · www.reeftrenchless.com

PIPES, PUMPS AND VALVES

Your Pipeline Systems Solutions Supplier Performance, versatility, sustainability.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t compromise on quality; choose the best solution for your pipe systems.

As the leader in manufacturing and supplying plastic pipe systems, Marley Infrastructure is committed to offering the Civil, Irrigation, Mining and Industrial markets with economic value and uncompromising service that goes above and beyond to meet your needs.

Marley is home to a comprehensive range of products that have been endorsed by SAPPMA and bear various SABS marks for superior, tried-and-tested quality that you can trust. +'3( 3UHVVXUH 3LSH Â&#x2021; 39& 3UHVVXUH 3LSH X39& 6HZHU 3LSH Â&#x2021; 3HWURSODV )LWWLQJV $FFHVVRULHV 0DUOH\ 3LSH 6\VWHPV DOVR SURYLGHV VROXWLRQV IRU VSHFLILF LQGXVWULHV DQG DSSOLFDWLRQV 0LQH :DOO and 0HWUR :DOO represent a superior high impact mPVC pressure pipe range that is designed specifically for underground applications in mining and for water-reticulation in municipalities. 0LQH :DOO and 0HWUR :DOO adhere to best practice and stringent safety standards and carry the SABS mark for SANS 1283. Â&#x2021; 4XLFN DQG (DV\ 0DLQWHQDQFH - No need for thrust blocks Â&#x2021; 1R &RUURVLRQ - Unaffected by acidic or alkali water Â&#x2021; /RZ 0DVV - Lightweight for quick and easy handling Â&#x2021; )ODPPDELOLW\ - Flame ceases when heat source is removed Â&#x2021; 6PRRWK %RUH - Ensure high flow rates at low friction levels Â&#x2021; )OH[LELOLW\ - Enables the pipe to follow curves Â&#x2021; ,PSDFW 5HVLVWDQFH - High resistance to impact damage

)RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ RQ WKH ODWHVW SURGXFW RIIHULQJV IURP 0DUOH\ 3LSH 6\VWHPV FRQWDFW 0$5/(< RU YLVLW ZZZ PDUOH\SLSHV\VWHPV FR ]D

ABOVE Watson-Marlow Bredel SPX hose pumps

simplicity, reliability and low maintenance features as Bredel hose pumps.

With operating pressures to 16 bar and flow rates to 80 cubic metres per hour, Bredel pumps successfully handle the toughest applications, such as chemical metering, transfer of slurries and sludge, and abrasives such as ceramics and mine tailings, as well as corrosive media. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Customers gain the advantage of more consistent hose pump performance and can benefit from up to 30 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; service from their Bredel hose pump, providing an almost unbeatable low life cost of the pump,â&#x20AC;? van Schalkwyk points out.

The Bredel pump hose is the only element that comes into contact with the fluid. There are no seals, ball-checks, diaphragms, glands, immersed rotors, stators or pistons to leak, clog, corrode or replace, lowering the cost of replacement components and reducing maintenance downtime.

Bredel also manufactures its own hoses to ensure perfect compression and consistent, reliable performance. The hoses are made from high-quality compounded rubbers, reinforced with four layers of braided nylon and finished by high-precision machining to ensure even occlusion for life.

Flexicon offers aseptic filling machines and capping systems for pharmaceutical, biotech and diagnostic applications. Designed for use in sterile environments, Flexicon aseptic filling machines offer a high degree of accuracy with documented precision.

The peristaltic principle used in Flexicon aseptic filling machines means that, when the process is complete, the tubing can be easily cleaned or disposed of, eliminating the possibility of contamination and ensuring a fast and efficient validation process.

Flexicon offers a range of products that can be adapted and expanded to accommodate growth, from stand-alone units for manual filling, through semi-automatic systems, to fully automated filling, stoppering and capping machines. The fully automated systems are customised to fit any glass vial, plastic bottle, test tube, eye dropper or non-self-standing microtube. Filling volumes range from 0.1 mâ&#x201E;&#x201C; to more than one litre.

Watson-Marlowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MasoSine sinusoidal pumping technology is ideally suited to applications where extremely viscous or shearsensitive fluids are to be pumped and the quality and consistency of the end-product is paramount.

MasoSine pumps benefit from extremely powerful suction capabilities and an exclusive single rotor design, which provides a smooth and consistent flow of product through the pump.

84 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Do not slip up!

Water and wastewater treatment plants are inherently prone to the presence of moisture. This creates safety hazards in the form of slips and falls, requiring appropriate measures to be taken.

P

REVENTING THESE SLIPS and falls is a constant challenge and one that is highlighted as being of major concern and importance to risk and safety officers.

This is the view of Dodds Pringle, managing director of Vital Engineering, which is a manufacturer of high-quality gratings, stair treads, pressed floors and safety handrails for the local and overseas market. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tackling the risk surrounding working in wet and corrosive environments is best approached with a three-pronged attack. Firstly, anyone walking around the plant should be informed through an education and awareness programme about the on-site risks and how to alleviate or eliminate them. Secondly, suitable safety equipment, such as non-slip footwear, should be provided to employees and visitors moving around the site. Finally, suitable measures should be taken to install adequate and OHSAS-compliant walkways, stairs and handrails,â&#x20AC;? advises Pringle.

Fur thermore, he points out that as exposure to OHSAS regulations has become more pronounced, the company has seen an increased call for high-quality products that are engineered to suit the arduous conditions at desalination plants, municipal sewerage plants, water purification plants, water treatment plants in paper and packaging industries, mine washing plants, power station cooling towers, dams and pumping stations.

ABOVE A hand railing along a seaside promenade

IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 85

Subscriber contact details Surname:

SUBSCRIBE

Name: Designation: Company: Type of business:

• TRADE & TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS SA

SADC

Int.

480

110

120

Ra n d

U S$

Address:

US$

Code: Fax:

Tel: Cell: E-mail:

Subscriber VAT Reg. No:

AFRICA

270

60

80

September/October Septembe September/ October tober ober 2010 2 2010

Order #:

Payment options

Water& Sanitation Africa

270

60

80

195

40

60

q EFT Deposit: Bank details

Nedbank Branch code: 128405 Acc. number: 1284129934 Acc. type: current Acc. name: 3S MEDIA

Please use Ref: #:

q Mastercard q Visa Expiry date:

ining

/

480

110

120

Credit Card Number

270

60

80

Last 3 digits on back of card:

q Debit order – Please contact Accounts on 011 233 2600 to organise I have read the terms and conditions below and I agree to abide by them

• BUSINESS & CONFERENCING PUBLICATIONS SA

SA

SACONFERENCE

Ra n d

SADC U S$

Int. US$

270

60

80

170

35

55

directory

SUBSCRIPTION SALES t+27 (0)11 233 2600 • f+27 (0)11 234 7275 subs@3smedia.co.za

Authorizing signature: Date: Contact person for payments: E-mail: Terms & Conditions • All rates include postage and VAT. • Foreign subscriptions include airmail rates • The subscription will be activated when we receive receipt of payment.

• The subscription form can serve as a pro-forma invoice with a tax invoice to follow.

• Proof of payment to be sent with signed copy of the subscription form.

• Unpaid invoices will be cancelled after 3 months, thus cancelling the subscriptions.

• Renewal subscriptions are automatically renewed on payment of invoice and cancelled if not paid by the date.

• Electronic return of this form is deemed as an authorized purchase Fax or e-mail proof of payment to activate your subscription.

No.4 5th Avenue, Rivonia 2191 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117

Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 Share Call: 086 003 3300 Fax: +27 (0)11 234-7274/5 www.3smedia.co.za

MEDIA

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

New technology for clay bricks South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first operational brick and mortar, energy-efficient Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln (VSBK) has been commissioned at Langkloof Bricks, under the auspices of the SA-VSBK project.

T

HE CLAY BRICK sector in South Africa is a modern, state-of-the-art industry as far as mining and green brick production is concerned (green being unfired). However, faced with new environmental regulations, increasing coal costs and shrinking profits, South African brick entrepreneurs, especially those making use of more traditional brick firing techniques, will in the very near future be motivated to source alternative, financially viable, energy-efficient brick firing methods in an effort to contribute towards a significantly cleaner environment.

The VSBK technology contributes towards a significant reduction in energy consumption during the brick firing process, by as much as 50%, if not more, thereby reducing carbon emissions, fuel consumption and manufacturing costs. This open source technology has been made available in South Africa through the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and implemented by the consortium Swisscontact (Swiss Foundation for Technical Co-operation) and Skat (Swiss Resource Centre and Consultancies for Development).

The VSBK is a continuous updraught kiln that comprises a vertical shaft, with an unloading tunnel running through the centre

of each kiln allowing for access to both sides of the shaft. The bricks are loaded by batch at the top of the shaft. Measured amounts of coal are spread evenly between layers of the stacked bricks to control the firing temperature. The position of the fire in each shaft in relation to the updraught is determined by the rate the bricks are removed and loaded into the shaft, thereby reusing the rising heat and making the VSBK extremely fuel efficient.

The firing shaft is well insulated on all four sides, so heat loss is minimised. Once the kiln reaches the specified temperature, the heat from the coal pieces ignites the internal coal of the bricks, resulting in very little heat being lost through exhaust gases or the construction of the kiln.

The VSBK affords the benefits of simplicity in operation, low cost updraught firing, with very good fuel economy through the benefits

of continuous operation. Brick wastage is also very low due to the fact that the bricks are fired under controlled conditions, resulting in reduced over- or under-fired wastage.

ABOVE Pieter Blake, production director (Langkloof Bricks); Heinrich Maurer, acting ambassador, Switzerland; Una Blake, co-founder: Langkloof Bricks; Pelelani Ncguka, vice-president: ClayBrick Association and Nico Blake, executive director: Langkloof Bricks, at the official opening of the kiln RIGHT A view of the Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln IMIESA JANUARY 2012 - 87

sales@thebrickcentre.co.za

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Power transformers for all types of power plants After its successful design, manufacture and supply of four 60 MVA 12/132 kV power transformers in the City of Cape Town’s 180 MW Steenbras pumped-storage power station, ACTOM Power Transformers is well-placed to provide power transformers for power generation of all kinds.

T

HE COMPANY’S EXPERIENCE with designing and producing the replacement power transformers for Steenbras, as well as the 110/55/55 MVA unit transformers it has recently been contracted to produce for Eskom’s new Kusile coal-fired power station in Mpumalanga, places it in a strong position to provide power transformers for the full range of power generation applications, including the substantial wind farm project that Eskom plans to embark upon in the near future.

This is the view of Ronnie Russell, ACTOM Power Transformer’s general manager.

The last two of the four replacement power transformers for Steenbras power station were delivered to site in April last year, following deliver y of the first two in July 2010 and Februar y 2011 respectively.

RIGHT One of the 60 MVA power transformers is seen here on a lowbed trailer at ACTOM Power Transformers’ Wadeville plant ready for delivery to Cape Town’s 180 MW Steenbras pumpedstorage power station

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS 600SA Group African Utility Week AOC Aquadam Manufacturing Aurecon Aveng Grinaker -LTA Aveng Manufacturing Infraset Barloworld Equipment Bell Equipment Bergstan South Africa Bigen Africa Blue Plant South Africa Dynamic Fluid Control Eazi Sales and Service Echochem Pumps EFTEC ELB Equipment ERWAT Fiberpipe

88 - IMIESA JANUARY 2012

59 2 45 66 20 OFC 40 10 35 49 73 46 75 37 81 62 14 12 64

Goba Group Five Group Five Pipe Hall Longmore Hydrodifusion Fittings Incledon Jetvac South Africa KROHNE South Africa Langkloof Bricks Marley Pipe Systems Martin & East National Asphalt Power and Electricity World Africa 2012 Osborn Rainbow Reservoirs Reef Trenchless Technology SA Robor SAPPMA

22 23 74 76 78 38 41 36 87 84 21 24 52 79 33 83 80 77

SBS Water Systems Sembcorp SRK Consulting SSI Structa Technology Talbot & Talbot Tecroveer Thusanang Gast Transtech Turf Ag University of Cape Town Vital Engineering Wasteman Sight Lines Water & Sanitation Services South Africa Watson Marlow Worley Parsons WRP Consulting Engineers

30 32 13 34 43 26 70 16 IFC 58 55 85 69 OBC 82 56 IBC

Water Demand Management Training A Mi Miya iya Group Gr Grou ou up Company Compaany

WRP Consulting Engineers offers a wide variety of accredited water demand management training modules that have been developed to client’s requirements. Course modules focus not only on technical aspects, but also provide hands-on experience through practical examples, case studies and exercises.

Modules include: • The Importance of Water Demand Management and Water Conservation • Data Logging of Pressure and Flow (3 day Practical) • Interpretation and Understanding Logging Results • Leak Detection (3 day Practical) • Operation and Maintenance of Control Valves (3 day Practical) • Meter Reading and Domestic Audits • Installation of Domestic Meters • Industrial & Commercial Meter Audits • Public Participation and Social Awareness • Pipe and Service Locating Training WRP offers highly experienced course presenters who have been involved in training and technical support to many client bodies throughout South Africa as well as in Australia, Botswana, Ethiopia, Europe, Ghana, India, Lesotho, Namibia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UK, USA and Zambia.

For further details contact Tel:+27(12) 346 3496, Fax: +27(12) 346 9956, Email: wrp@wrp.co.za Internet: www.wrp.co.za www.miya-water.com