Issuu

Promoting professional excellence in the water sector

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

Complete water resource and wastewater management

Africa

AN UPDATE WITH

PHINEAS LEGODI Acting Chief Executive

Lepelle Northern Water Streamlining Limpopo's bulk water services delivery

REGIONAL FOCUS Creating employment through infrastructure

IN THE HOT SEAT July

“

MICROENTERPRISE THROUGH BIOLOGY Wastewater microalgae’s biofuel potential

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY Langa sliplining sewer rehabilitation

“In our environment, people don’t always see service and maintenance as a science but, when it’s approached in this way, it’s possible to be profitable, even in tough times.” Pierre Fourie, Xylem South Africa’s new MD

P10

July/August 2015 • ISSN 1990-8857 • Cover price R50.00 • Vol. 10 No. 4

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CONTENTS

Vol. 10 No. 4 Promoting professional excellence in the water sector

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

Complete water resource and wastewater management

Africa

AN UPDATE WITH

PHINEAS LEGODI Acting Chief Executive

Lepelle Northern Water Streamlining Limpopo's bulk water services delivery

ON THE COVER

WASTEWATER

REGULARS Editor’s comment

COVER STORY Streamlining Limpopo’s bulk water services delivery

WISA CEO’s letter

Working without borders

Phineas Legodi, acting chief executive at LNW, talks about how good planning at Lepelle Northern Water has resulted in the utility becoming the implementing agent for a number of new plans and projects in Limpopo. P4

REGIONAL FOCUS Creating employment through infrastructure

IN THE HOT SEAT July

“

MICROENTERPRISE THROUGH BIOLOGY Wastewater microalgae’s biofuel potential

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY Langa sliplining sewer rehabilitation

“In our environment, people don’t always see service and maintenance as a science but, when it’s approached in this way, it’s possible to be proﬁtable, even in tough times.” Pierre Fourie, Xylem South Africa’s new MD

P10

July/August 2015 • ISSN 1990-8857 • Cover price R50.00 • Vol. 10 No. 4

HOT SEAT

Galvanising the talent pool

REGIONAL FOCUS Creating employment through infrastructure

WASTEWATER Newcastle’s world-leading steel solution

Microenterprise through biology

Clean engines for reliable power

28 MINE WATER

ODOUR CONTROL Scent control that counts

MINE WATER Time to act on AMD

PANEL DISCUSSION Enbitec Environmental Solutions

Total Water Solutions

Ozone Services Industries

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY Park Station’s sewer sensation

Trenchless wins the day

Digging No Dig in SA

41 TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

PIPES, PUMPS & VALVES Fast retrofitting wins

METERS Encouraging citizen conservation

Making the smart choice

TRAINING Learning versus training

COMPETITION WINNERS WISA stars shine

PROCESS CONTROL Level monitoring made easy

50 PIPES, PUMPS & VALVES JULY/AUGUST 2015

SALD

SA Leak Detection Distributors

Tracing services at Kelvin Power Station Located in Kempton Park, the Kelvin Power Station is one of South Africaâ€™s coal fired power generation plants. System: This project required technicians to locate the 600mm Diepsloot Pipeline that supplies water for cooling at the power station. Problem: The Dipesloot Pipeline supplying the power station runs through an area earmarked for development. Kelvin Power Station management are concerned about the possible interruption of their water supply during the development project that could be caused by excavation and construction activities. Without locating the pipeline the potential pipe damage could have a knock on effect causing interruption of the plantâ€™s electricity generation and supply to our already overburdened national power grid. Solution: Using the Sewerin UtiliTrac R130 with its companion G100 signal generator, technicians were able to trace and mark the route of the pipeline from within the Kelvin Power site toward the Gautrain railway line on the northern side of the property. Having accurately marked the pipe location dramatically reduces the risk of damage to the pipeline during the construction process. How it works: The Sewerin G100 signal generator energises the metallic pipe line or tracer reel with a frequency. The UtiliTrac R130 is set to trace the generated frequency. By tracing the frequency running through the pipe or tracer reel the user is able to pinpoint exactly where the underground pipe is running. The UtiliTrac R130 shows a two-dimentional visual of the line been traced on the units screen and a three-dimentional visual of sondes. UtiliTrac R130 also gives a depth reading to the centre of the pipe or cable been traced.

www.saleak.co.za Ground Penetrating Radar

Correlators

(+27) 87 160 0330 Acoustic Devices

Crawlers

enquiries@saleak.co.za Push Rod Cameras

Pipe relining

Publisher Elizabeth Shorten

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Associate publisher Nicholas McDiarmid

Water’s weakest link

Editor Frances Ringwood Head of design Beren Bauermeister Chief sub-editor Tristan Snijders Sub-editor Morgan Carter Contributors Lester Goldman, Dr Jo Burgess, Suvritha Ramphal, Nora Hanke, Jason Germanis, Prudence Mambo, Carla Kampman, Gareth Jones, Hein van Niekerk, Carl van Heerden, Herman Smal, Meghan Brinkley and Chris Gimson.

Digital & marketing manager Esther Le Roux

E’RE PAST THE year’s halfway mark, and all of the South African heads of department have delivered their annual budget votes. The private sector has waited to see which parts of their businesses to bolster, and for which areas their research and development spend is destined. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has traditionally been known for sticking to its budget promises and talking frankly about challenges and areas for improvement. This level of transparency has certainly been a factor in the DWS’s continued success in increasing water and sanitation services, over the last 21 years. Looking at the facts and figures, the public and private sectors’ stance on conserving water is clear – but what about domestic users? In a recent interview with The Star newspaper, Minister Mokonyane of the DWS made it plain that wealthy South Africans, who waste water on luxurious baths and thirsty ornamental gardens, are the weakest link in the water value chain. I agree with this sentiment 100%; historical use patterns show that the rich have undervalued clean water for too long. By the same token, many of the country’s poor resort to illegal connections to access potable water. This is also wrong, but more understandable than abject wastefulness. However, focusing on who has what is not going to solve South Africa’s water woes. Water sector professionals need to take a step back, look at the bigger picture when it comes to supply shortfalls, and then start working on area-specific interventions. Water scarcity and climate-related availability shifts are a global problem. A recent Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development study shows that

Marketing specialist Philip Rosenberg Client services & production manager Antois-Leigh Botma Production coordinator Jacqueline Modise Distribution manager Nomsa Masina Distribution coordinator Asha Pursotham Financial manager Andrew Lobban Administration Tonya Hebenton Printers United Litho Johannesburg t +27 (0)11 402 0571 Advertising sales Avé Delport t +27 (0)11 467 6224 • Cell: +27 (0)83 302 1342 f 086 502 1216 • avedel@lantic.net Publisher MEDIA Physical address: No 9, 3rd Avenue Rivonia 2191

Postal address: PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117, South Africa t +27 (0)11 233 2600 • f +27 (0)11 234 7274/5 frances@3smedia.co.za ISSN: 1990 - 8857 Annual subscription: R300 (SA rate) subs@3smedia.co.za Copyright 2015. All rights reserved.

All articles in Water&Sanitation Africa are copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publishers. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the Water Institute of Southern Africa or the publishers.

WISA CONTACTS: HEAD OFFICE Tel: +27 (0)11 805 3537 Fax: +27 (0)11 315 1258 Physical address: 1st Floor, Building 5, Constantia Park, 546 16th Road, Randjiespark Ext 7, Midrand BRANCHES Eastern Cape Chairman: Hennie Greeff t +27 (0)41 453 3102 Secretary/Treasurer: Chris Dickson t +27 (0)41 507 8200

www.ewisa.co.za

Free State Chairperson: D.R. Tlhomelang t +27 (0)51 403 0800 Secretary/Treasurer: Riana Wessels t +27 (0)56 515 0375 KwaZulu-Natal Chairman: Chris Fennemore t +27 (0)31 311 8734 Secretary/Treasurer: Stephanie Walsh t +27 (0)31 302 4077 Western Cape Chairman: Gareth McConkey t +27 (0)21 712 4260 Secretary/Treasurer: Eleonore Bondesio t+27 (0)21 872 0322

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

Endorsed by

FOCUS REGIONAL loyment Creating emp structure through infra

IN THE HOT SEAT July

“

RISE MICROENTERP BIOLOGY THROUGH microalgae’s Wastewater ntial biofuel pote

worldwide demand for water will increase by 55%, by 2050. Add to this the locally specific factors of low rainfall, regional variables, and population growth and this future picture looks stark. South Africa is going to experience extreme water stress in the near future. Experts’ opinions are that cooperation from all citizens and sectors will be the only way to overcome looming scarcity. The message of cooperation was echoed in Minister Mokonyane’s recent budget vote speech, when she said: “We shall work with all stakeholders to implement water conservation measures to effect a paradigm shift in the way society treats this scarce resource. We shall seek to move our sanitation systems from highly wasteful, waterborne sewerage to low- and no-water solutions.” Yes, the changes the department is asking for will be uncomfortable. Businesses will struggle to implement water saving measures in times of austerity. The increased use of grey water in toilets, and for gardens, does require some forward planning. Also, using waterless sanitation is going to be a blow for many, especially those who see flush toilets as being aspirational. But, the time has come to get serious about saving water. Because, when it comes to water, personal agendas need to be put aside and we need to work together to survive and thrive in the times of water scarcity that likely lie ahead.

TRENCHLESS GY TECHNOLO ning Langa slipli bilitation sewer reha

e as a and maintenanc s see service table, e don’t alway le to be proﬁ nment, peopl way, it’s possib “In our enviro ached in this ’s new MD P10 when it’s appro South Africa 4 science but, • Vol. 10 No. Fourie, Xylem price R50.00 times.” Pierre 7 • Cover tough 1990-885 in ISSN • even ust 2015 July/Aug

COVER OPPORTUNITY In each issue, Water&Sanitation Africa offers companies the opportunity to get to the front of the line by placing a company, product or service on the front cover of the magazine. Buying this position will afford the advertiser the cover story and maximum exposure. For more information on cover bookings contact Avé Delport on +27 (0)83 302 1342 or email avedel@lantic.net. JULY/AUGUST 2015

FEATURE COVER STORY

Streamlining Limpopo's bulk water services delivery Efficient planning at Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) has resulted in the utility becoming the implementing agent for a number of new plans and projects in Limpopo. Phineas Legodi, acting chief executive at LNW, talks about his team’s efforts towards attaining accelerated bulk water services delivery in the province.

OUTH AFRICA’S THIRTEEN water boards have undergone an institutional realignment in order to reduce the number of national water boards to nine. The implication is that some water boards have been disestablished and the footprint of others, like LNW, have been expanded to streamline service delivery. “For LNW, this means we will be responsible for bulk water service provision for Vhembe District Municipality and some other parts of the Waterberg, as well as the Mopani and Capricorn district municipalities. This means we will have greater responsibility to ensure sufficient water for a number of economically important industrial areas, particularly at the level of infrastructure operations and maintenance,” explains Legodi. “Regarding the current status of the realignment, we are doing due diligence assessments of the infrastructure within the new areas under our jurisdiction. This allows us to determine the lifespan of those assets, the cost of revitalisation (if needed), and what human capital will be required,” he adds. The report is now ready and LNW has recently handed it over to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). “From here, the department will facilitate financial provisions to bring those plans to life,” says Legodi.

Giyani revitalisation

During this year’s DWS budget vote speech, it was announced that LNW would become the Implementing Agent for the Mopani District Municipality Revitalisation Programme.

This programme is about assisting Mopani to restore water and sanitation services to areas in dire need. “We have already started work in Giyani by restoring water and sanitation services to about 55 villages. Before this, it had been a very long time since communities residing in those villages received a drop of water from a tap. “The situation had deteriorated to a point where the Nkhensani Hospital in Giyani was suffering from chronic water shortages to the extent that patients’ families had to bring along buckets of water when they visited. We have now turned the situation around and there is an uninterrupted water and sanitation supply at the hospital,” says Legodi. More work is still needed to ensure that services reach the furthest outposts of all 55 villages, but it has come a long way considering the original state of disrepair of Giyani’s infrastructure. “For the most part, we have had to replace components throughout the system, as the lapse was too severe. This included bulk water distribution lines and reticulation services. “To this end, we finished drilling more than 400 boreholes by the end of June this year. Additionally, we have already extended the wastewater treatment works that is responsible for the area’s sewage and sludge. Work is still in JULY/AUGUST 2015

Acting chief executive Phineas Legodi

progress on four bulk lines that draw water from the Nsami water treatment works (WTW). “We will also implement a new bulk line from the Nandoni Dam to the Nsami WTW. This augmentation will ensure there is always sufficient supply, in Giyani, to meet domestic consumption needs, especially in winter when there is little rain,” explains Legodi.

Improved efficiencies

In the past, LNW struggled to secure water sales revenues from a number of municipalities – this jeopardised the water board’s ability to invest in urgently needed capital and operational expenditure. “Today, almost all of these municipalities are servicing their accounts, with the exception of Mopani, which still owes

COVER STORY Strategy

Officials, staff, and learners were all present at the handover ceremony of a donation of toilet facilities, made by LNW, to Khogonyane Primary School in the Vhembe District Municipality

“Our strategy is to position ourselves as Limpopo’s one-stop solution to water and sanitation challenges. We already have a diagnostic report that tells us the extent of challenges in respect of both water and sanitation. These have been costed and are ready for implementation as soon as funding is granted,” says Legodi. Financial resources come from revenue collection, the DWS, and provincial government; however, the utility has also invited the private sector to propose innovative funding solutions to implement LNW’s long-term projects and strategies. “We are currently in talks with one of the mines in Polokwane to explore how it will assist us in augmenting the local wastewater treatment plant, in exchange for using treated effluent from its day-today processes. “As government says, ‘We can’t do it alone’; we appreciate opportunities to share ideas and explore synergies with businesses,” says Legodi.

Dignified sanitation

the water board R318 million. We have worked together with Mopani’s officials to establish a realistic payment plan and, if the municipality does not default on any of its payments, this debt will be paid back by 2018,” says Legodi. These measures have freed up cash flow for infrastructure development.

Municipal engagement

“We work in harmony with our municipalities and there is a clear understanding of their responsibility and ours. Our mandate is to provide bulk water supply to municipalities. They are then responsible for their own reticulation. “LNW is also available to assist municipalities struggling to maintain their own reticulation networks, should they require support,” he adds.

Upon cabinet’s announcement that the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs would become the Department of Water and Sanitation, sanitation gained greater prominence across all water utilities. “In line with this change, we amended our focus to include sanitation to bulk water as part of our primary service mandate, as the DWS is our main shareholder,” says Legodi. “Even before this change, LNW already played an important role in sanitation provision to complement our municipalities as part of our secondary mandate. Over the past two years, we have run rural dry sanitation programmes, building 13 800 units in no less than four municipalities within the province,” he adds.

board’s engagements with the CSIR, toilet facilities were designed in such a way that groundwater is protected from contamination, as part of sanitation solutions. “We’re also looking into urine diversion technologies: the advantage of these types of technologies is that units are much easier to clean, which gives them longer life cycles. A delegation recently visited South Korea to learn about the use of faecal pellets in agriculture and energy production,” explains Legodi. On the bulk water front, LNW is also researching leak detection technologies for the prevention of non-revenue water losses, as well as investigating the development of alternate energy from sewage.

Local, national, and provincial alignment

As a result of the coherence of LNW’s strategy, decision-makers find that aligning their plans with the other tiers of government is a proactive, enriching, consultative process, which facilitates the synchronisation of planning, where clear operational boundaries are defined and each entity complements the activities of the others. “Each time we revise our business plans, policies, and strategies, we do so in consultation with our municipalities. They hold Integrated Development Plan forums, where we discuss their plans so that we can meet their needs as a partner. Then the same arrangement is replicated up to provincial and national level,” says Legodi. He adds that, in doing this, LNW integrates its plans with the Limpopo Growth and Development Plan and, ultimately, the National Development Plan.

Summing up

Through proper planning, regular consultative engagements, and targeted research into locally appropriate technologies, LNW is well on track to meet its objectives, as implied in its vision statement: “Provide excellent regional water and sanitation services solutions.”

Technology development

LNW constantly researches better methods. For example, through the water

www.lepelle.co.za

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

JULY/AUGUST 2015

WISA CEO

AGM retrospective WISA CEO LESTER GOLDMAN reports back from this year’s annual general meeting, informing members of the past year’s highlights, as well as upcoming challenges and opportunities.

Lester Goldman, WISA CEO

HIS YEAR’S WISA AGM was held on 21 May, and the institute thanks the attending members for providing input and feedback. I encourage more members to contact us with any compliments, complaints, or comments. WISA membership net growth between May 2014 and May 2015 was 178 people, which is a 5.5% increase. This year, we will strive to retain our current members and, of course, add new ones. To this end, WISA is developing a growth strategy and is finalising valueadded products and services for this purpose.

Highlights and challenges

We’ve achieved a number of other successes in the last year and these include the completion of WISA’s 2020 strategy, which is all the more relevant because of the many contributions it was built upon. We have also been able to develop and review the institute’s operational and strategic policies and processes. Additionally, we have seen an improvement of WISA’s BEE-accreditation status. Last, but not least, we achieved an unqualified audit report. However, we also have a number of challenges ahead. These include growing our recognition among certain stakeholders and achieving more diverse revenue streams. Also, it was disappointing that income was lower than what was forecast for the 2014 WISA Conference. All challenges have

been addressed in WISA’s 2020 strategic plan, with aligned key performance areas to mitigate their effects.

Professionalisation

In the coming years, our organisation strives to be more widely recognised and utilised through cementing its identity as a professional body. This begs the question: what constitutes a professional body? According to academic researchers Lee Harvey and Selena Mason, professional bodies fulfil three roles, namely: •T hey are set up to safeguard the public interest – this is what gives them their legitimacy. • They also represent the interest of the professional practitioner, and here they act as a professional association or trade union (including legitimating restrictive practices), or as a learned society contributing to continuous professional development. •T hey represent own selfinterests; that is, organisations act to maintain their own privileged and powerful position as a controlling body. WISA’s current 2020 strategy does indeed address all these roles; however, progress has been slower than desired, but this is justified ,considering sectoral maturity and associated challenges.

Lending a hand

Our greatest asset is our members, and this year we will be working JULY/AUGUST 2015

with our branches and divisions to ensure that we make a difference in the sector. WISA is a very special organisation, having many passionate and competent members. It also has a dedicated volunteer base, which is essential to an organisation’s success.

Word of thanks

I want to thank the WISA Board for its untold support over the last year that I have been at the helm, and especially the support of our chairperson, Dr Jo Burgess. I also extend my thanks to the WISA Council. Let’s raise more concerns and resolve more questions together. Thank you to our patrons for their continued support, as well as our company members, who make a difference in the sector. To our various individual members, thank you for your ever-present patience and courtesy. We pledge to improve the experience you encounter with our head office, and we appreciate all your interactions with us. To the WISA staff, thank you for all your hard work and commitment. Change is not always easy, but I am proud of the way that all of you have embraced it. I am proud to be part of such a strong team. We also acknowledge and thank Dot Zandberg – who left the organisation in August 2014 – for all she has done for WISA and the sector. We wish Dot well in her future semi-retirement.

Y WP

VERY THREE YEARS, stakeholders from the global water sector meet at the World Water Forum to address water challenges through a multi-stakeholder platform. The 7th World Water Forum (WWF7), for 2015, was held in the South Korean cities of Gyeongju and Daegu from 12 to 17 April this year. WWF is a space where decision- and policymakers, private and public institutions, as well as community and youth all come together to advance the cause of water. In 2012, for the very first time, a youth programme was incorporated into the World Water Forum. Yet, the place and role of youth in the water sector were still unclear. In three years, this situation has progressed dramatically. A significant milestone was achieved at this year’s forum, as various international young water professional organisations, for the first time, united under one umbrella and formed the International Youth Steering Committee (IYSC), tasked specifically with coordinating youth activities for the WWF7. Nora Hanke, the national vice-chairperson for the South African Young Water Professionals (YWP-ZA) and interim regional coordinator for EWSETA, sat on the IYSC and attended the forum, alongside Suvritha Ramphal, the regional chairperson for the KwaZulu-Natal YWP-ZA and water governance and planning analyst for Jeffares & Green. Both received partial funding from the WWF7 secretariat. To highlight youth perspectives on a number of water-related challenges facing our generation, a whole range of youth activities took place during the forum.

Youth Booth

The Youth Booth was an initiative coordinated by the YWP-ZA, the Woman for Water Partnership, and the Water Youth Parliament, under the umbrella of the IYSC. It served as an interface between civil society, including youth and the World Water Forum participants, fostering intergenerational communication and offering a space of expression for youth. It was utilised as a venue for young specialist events, and offered professionals the opportunity to identify with the work conducted by

Working without

borders Jeffares & Green’s Suvritha Ramphal and Energy and the Water Sector Education and Training Authority’s (EWSETA’s) Nora Hanke discuss how a united South African youth put their foot proudly forward at an annual, global event for cross-border cooperation.

TOP TO BOTTOM Nora Hanke, EWSETA and YWP-ZA vice-chair, and Suvritha Ramphal, Jeffares & Green and KZN-YWP chair, in attendance at the 7th World Water Forum in South Korea The Youth Booth at the Citizens Forum in Gyeongju, South Korea Two international Water Youth Network Members network with fellow young professionals in front of the South African Young Water Professionals Organisation Poster, which was made especially for the Forum Youth Booth Nora Hanke and Suvritha Ramphal having their say at the Future Water Leaders Forum Session

various international young professionals organisations.

Future leaders

water

The Future Water Leaders Forum was targeted towards all interested in intergenerational cooperation, especially those who believe youth and young professionals can play a larger role in addressing current and future challenges. The first of two sessions on sharing innovative practices for securing water for all, by connecting international water platforms and local initiatives, gave many young professionals the JULY/AUGUST 2015

chance to ask established professionals honest questions about their careers in the water sector. This was followed by young people from around the world inspiring the audience with their local projects, which ranged from sanitation provision in West Africa to disaster relief. The second session, which was chaired by YWP-ZA vice chairperson Nora Hanke, focused on creating an intergenerational and intersectorial space to create greater coherence among international frameworks, such as Water Resources Development, Sustainable Development

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Y WP

Goals, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Climate Change Adaptation. The intergenerational panel discussed how to best engage with people in the other sectors and shared personal experiences with the 60 attendees. The session was wrapped up with an interactive game for everyone, highlighting the difficulties of cooperation.

miniSASS

While being relatively well known in South Africa, the miniSASS method – an easy-to-learn river health bio-monitoring tool, which is ideal as an environmental education tool for learners – was brought to the World Water Forum by the South Africa-based environmental consultancy GroundTruth. The YWP-ZA and other IYSC members assisted GroundTruth in carrying out an analysis with some local children – language is hardly a barrier when everyone gets really excited about a jumping shrimp!

Panel participation

Over the last few years, the standing of youth at international institutions and governments has dramatically changed and young people are gaining ground as valuable partners. Large international conferences include dedicated sessions driven by youth, for youth; young people are invited to participate and coordinate preparatory and consultative processes; institutes and international networks have developed water and sanitation youth strategies. A growing number of youth networks communicate, meet, organise, and develop joint initiatives – the IYSC being only one of these initiatives. This session assessed the achievements accomplished by youth for the water cause in the past three years. One part of the session saw high-ranking officials share their experience on youth water initiatives at local and international levels. Another part facilitated global youth networks’ world presentations on their work and its challenges. For this portion of the discussion, the Butterfly Effect, an international network of non-government organisations, asked YWP-ZA to present its approach, and Hanke took the opportunity to highlight some of YWP-ZA’s recent successes, whether it be competition with school children, or a movie night. She also explained the reason for our local success, despite having few resources: working together and being motivated to become involved in our environment. JULY/AUGUST 2015

HOT SEAT XYLEM SOUTH AFRICA

Galvanising the

talent pool After an intense local and international search, you have been selected as Xylem South Africa’s new managing director. What are some of the career milestones that led you to this prestigious position?

PF I grew up in the Northern Cape, then worked in the North West, and eventually moved to Johannesburg for further opportunities. Some of my initial experience was at engineering and water treatment firms, after which, I went on to start my own business. After six years working for myself, my wife asked me to pack that in, because I was hardly ever at home – which is an experience I’m sure many small business owners can relate to. From there, I was involved in dewatering and process equipment, turnkey plants, smelters, and capital equipment for mines. In that role, I was asked, by an international venture capital company, to set up a manufacturing facility in Africa. I established the business and

its sales channels, agents, and factories. Those products are now distributed worldwide. After being successful in that role, Xylem offered me the MD position, which I have been filling for over six weeks now.

How would you describe your management style and how does this align with Xylem’s corporate culture?

Xylem South Africa employs just over 160 people and we are currently looking to add more talented members to the team. I believe that having skilled staff is the key to success. By letting people do what they know best, we will have the opportunity to leverage that talent and foster team cohesion. Also, what with having offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Rustenburg, and Steelpoort, and a new rental facility in Johannseburg and new offices opening in Port Elizabeth, we’re geared for growth.

Pierre Fourie, Xylem South Africa’s new managing director

Xylem South Africa, a division of global giant Xylem Inc., has announced the appointment of its new managing director, Pierre Fourie. In this environment of expansion, I believe in empowering people by pushing down decision-making to the lower levels in the business. Yes, there will be times when employees stub their toes (within limits) but, ultimately, this strategy will speed up decision-making and contribute to Xylem’s deeply entrenched culture of customer satisfaction.

JULY/AUGUST 2015

Will there be any internal changes geared towards greater client buy-in?

We want to bring the diversity of our global brand into Africa, while being conscientious about local market conditions and needs. When new products and innovations are launched on the continent – as is planned for the second half of this year – we need

HOT SEAT OPPOSITE PAGE Xylem is bringing its Essence of Life programme to Africa, distributing the Saajhi treadle (stepping) pump to help alleviate poverty

to ensure that the products we supply to clients can be properly supported and maintained. For that reason, further developing proper support and maintenance technical skills are a high priority for Xylem. As new products are added to our range, we will ensure they are properly supported throughout the supply chain, including serviceability and training for staff and customers. To this end, we’ll be holding open days, where vertical market players will be brought together to view our total product offering.

In water industry circles, Xylem is best known for its market-leading pumping innovations; what other products, product ranges, or services do you offer in the fluid management industry?

Beside our high-performance pump products, we offer various treatment products, such as our Wedeco ozone and ultraviolet disinfection solutions. Also available are our Leopold filtration and Sanitaire ranges of aeration products for biological treatment.

Energy and resource conservation is a hot topic in water management the world over, but particularly in Africa. How are Xylem’s product offerings geared to meet this powerful new trend?

Most of our pumps are extremely highly specified for energy saving – almost over-specified for Africa. As you know, the continent is starved for electricity and that stifles growth, so power is not

a commodity to waste. By the same token, it isn’t viable to import heavily over-specified equipment that isn’t costeffective. The products we supply need to be sustainable, while adhering to the highest possible standards. Also, our life cycles are much higher than average, which drives uptime and reliability, resulting in business efficiencies. When companies start running more efficiently, they start recording profits. It’s not the capital cost that kills companies, but rather the lack of operational efficiency. In our environment, people don’t always see service and maintenance as a science but, when it’s approached in this way, it’s possible to be profitable, even in tough times. Pumps are one of the primary areas to improve these efficiencies.

Can you reveal some of the latest innovations clients can look forward to in the African market?

Xylem is bringing its Essence of Life programme to Africa, and we’re looking to appoint someone who is dedicated to excellence in corporate social responsibility to oversee this programme. The programme will bring the Saajhi treadle (stepping) pump to Africa, to help alleviate poverty. We won’t be giving these pumps away in a wasteful manner, but we will rather be identifying recipients who can be trained to use the pumps efficiently to increase crop irrigation, which will, in turn, promote food sustainability and community upliftment. The idea behind this initiative stems from the fact that 6 of the 15 surveyed African countries have the fastest-growing youthful populations among developing economies. Even if these African countries are coming

Xylem South Africa’s new rental hub in Pomona, Boksburg, will be the largest in Africa, providing round-the-clock access to the company’s Godwin and Flygt ranges and other accessories necessary for fast installation

off a low baseline, the fact of the matter is they are going to grow, and this solution has the power to ensure that whole communities are uplifted together, rather than just a few individuals.

What about this new pump rental hub that the company is rolling out? Where will it be established? What’s the stock holding going to be like? What makes it unique? And, how does it respond to market needs?

Our current facilities for rental pump storage were becoming cramped, so we built a new purpose-specific warehouse and service facility in Pomona, Boksburg, on the R21 highway. We’ll be moving a large number of our products there and the business will be managed and operated from that site. The idea is to move into the different regions of Africa – West, East, and Central. Without giving away too much, we want to use the new rental hub as the main distribution point and we plan to grow our rental fleet by 25% year-on-year for at least the next two years. After this, we will set up relationships and contracts with outside entities to manage the marketing aspects of the business in those areas.

JULY/AUGUST 2015

This will be the largest rental pump hub in Africa; it will run 24/7 and have the capacity to respond, timeously, to emergency requests. The fleet consists of Flygt submersibles – for the dewatering and sewage applications – and Godwin diesel units – which are used more frequently at mines and industrial sites. We’ll source special vehicles for the transport and delivery of the bigger products and we also want to provide a one-stop shop. So, the hub will not only supply pumps, but also the pipes, cables, connections, and valves. We’ll be able to package total rental solutions for any size pumps, for both short- and longterm rentals.

What is the larger purpose of the above strategies and innovations?

They fall in well with Xylem’s vision as a company, which is to continually enhance the way we operate and, ultimately, align what we do with the company’s global slogan – ‘Let’s solve water’.

www.xylemwatersolutions.com

REGIONAL FOCUS GAUTENG

Creating employment through infrastructure

On 12 May, Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane visited the townsfolk of Sebokeng, near the Vaal River, to discuss the Sedibeng Regional Sewer Scheme (SRSS). Her message was clear: project completion will create more jobs than extending existing projects through counterproductive interference. BY FRANCES RINGWOOD

T’S A GROWING phenomenon in South Africa that infrastructure projects nearing completion are being delayed by either strike action or community protests. This is, in part, due to participants’ understanding that jobs created by projects cease on completion. The national utility’s Medupi coal-fired power station is one example. The R4.1 billion SRSS is another. Minister Nomvula Mokonyane recently visited community members to broker cooperation between the Sebokeng community, implementing agents, and the project team working on-site. Phase II of the SRSS has been delayed by more than four years, owing to violent community protests. The latest of these saw the whole project completely halted from December 2014 until April 2015. Some of the community’s concerns related to the 30% ceiling for employing local contractors, labour employment processes, paying SMMEs on time, a general lack of information, and political instability.

Background

To put the SRSS into context, its massive three-phase scope must first be outlined. The first phase, which has been completed, entailed the assurance that effluent being discharged into the Vaal River achieved legally required discharge standards. The second phase, which is currently underway, entails upgrading the Sebokeng wastewater treatment works (WWTW) by 200 Mℓ/d. In addition, the Meyerton WWTW will be upgraded by 15 Mℓ/d and the project team will be conducting a feasibility study on upgrading the Leeuwkuil and Rietspruit WWTW. The third phase of the project will see the

construction of an outfall sewer, a new WWTW, and a pump station. Contractor Aurecon’s on-site technical director, Teboho Mofokeng, spoke frankly to Minister Mokonyane, during her site visit, concerning the delays. “We have a responsibility to create jobs. And, at the moment, that process of sharing knowledge about how infrastructure creates jobs isn’t adequately filtering through to the community. Everyone wants to be employed on the project but not everyone has the skills. We need the people belonging to the local community to understand that, even if they are not employed on this project, the project will catalyse numerous development opportunities, all of which will have a positive impact on local residents’ overall quality of life.” Cost overruns from project delays have been exorbitant. Sebokeng WWTW stoppages had resulted in R22 million being wasted as at 28 February this year. The full extent of the financial impact to date – including knock-on effects impacting the SRSS as a whole – is yet to be calculated.

Construction details

Recapping some of the project details for Water&Sanitation Africa, Mofokeng explained: “Sebokeng is probably the biggest wastewater project we’re undertaking in the south of Johannesburg. The 200 Mℓ upgrade is also broken into phases and we are currently working on the R1 billion, 100 Mℓ portion of the upgrade. The additional capacity this JULY/AUGUST 2015

LEFT Aurecon technical director Teboho Mofokeng addressing the minister in an official plea to get the local community on board with the Sebokeng WWTW upgrade

upgrade brings will ensure adequate sewerage service is provided to the Johannesburg South area, including Ennerdale and most of Sebokeng itself.“ Within the next 10 years, there is much development earmarked for both areas and this could potentially mean the addition of an extra 1.25 million people requiring services in the West Rand. “What’s pertinent about the area is that we experience high volumes of water ingress. I think that, through educating the community, this problem can be overcome. We need to get across that taps and manholes need to be closed, and stormwater systems must not be abused. That would drastically improve the quality of wastewater being treated here at Sebokeng. When wastewater is too dilute for the bacteria in the activated sludge to multiply and act optimally, volumes that can be treated reduce. “The treatment process is power intensive. To help with this, we hope to achieve a better quality of sewage, which may enable methane generation, so that part of this plant can power itself (as is the case at the Northern Works),” adds Mofokeng.

Minister’s message

Following her site visit, the minister held an extended meeting with the

REGIONAL FOCUS community in the nearby Saul Tsotetsi Hall. She began her address by saying, “[This project began when I was still working as the Gauteng Housing MEC. Since then, I have been the province’s premier and now I am at the helm of the DWS. In all that time, I have not seen this project come to completion. Now, I am taking personal responsibility in ensuring this is achieved]. “[The SRSS was identified by the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Council in 2005 and approved as a Strategic Infrastructure Projects 18 catalytic project that should bring solutions to raw sewage spillage, unlock job opportunities, and improve service delivery in the Sedibeng District Municipality. What I want you to understand is that this project will only create a few jobs. That means that it will not employ everyone. But what it will do is create the economic development needed to deliver on government’s promise of a better life for all]. “[I take responsibility for the project, even though I wasn’t here throughout its full duration. I apologise if communication has not been clear enough. The Political Project Steering Committee meetings regarding the SRSS have been too infrequent – we’ve agreed we will meet here every two months to get community feedback. We will also be speaking to the wider community affected by the project. We will also be setting up a project office here within the community, because this structure needs to be rooted in the community it serves.]” Estimates from the implementing agent indicate job creation projections of more than 2 500 people by December 2015. Of these, the majority of these positions will be filled by people employed by 12 local subcontractors.

Community response

Sebokeng residents responded to the minister by making allegations of corruption and nepotism against local community heads who they believe are guilty of misconduct. One resident, claiming to have been employed by one of the chemicals subcontractors, said, “[We need to stop local councillors from interfering in these projects. Community liaison officers hire people in a corrupt manner. You’ll often see five unskilled people from one house employed, while those who have skills sit at home.]” Another resident alleged that certain community leaders were actively stirring up sentiment against the project in order to consolidate their influence.

Clear message

While the Sedibeng situation appears complicated, a simple message is evident in spite of disputes: everyone involved in the delivery of infrastructure needs to be able to put their individual agendas aside and strive for delivery.

IMPLEMENTING AGENT

• Emfuleni Local Municipality was managing the project until the appointment of Rand Water as the implementation agents by the DWS. • An implementation protocol agreement was then signed by the multiple par ties, including Rand Water, the DWS, and the Emfuleni and Midvaal municipalities. • The project is now fully managed by Rand Water and service providers appointed by the municipalities, after being subjected to due diligence by Rand Water, were ceded to Rand Water for implementation and management.

JULY/AUGUST 2015

PROJECT SUMMARY

The Sedibeng Regional Sanitation Scheme (SRSS) is a mega sanitation project that is scoped to: • upgrade Sebokeng WWTW to 200 Mℓ/d • upgrade Meyer ton WWTW by 15 Mℓ/d • upgrade Leeuwkuil and Rietspruit WWTW (feasibility instructions) • construct a mega pump station • construct an outfall sewer network linking the existing WWTWs • construct a new 147 Mℓ/d WWTW • be rolled out in three phases.

To this end, a new communication strategy is being devised by the DWS, Rand Water, and other affected local government authorities, including Emfuleni Local Municipality and Midvaal Local Municipality. Their strategy, over the coming months, will involve better contract management as well as bringing the message concerning the positive economic impacts of infrastructure across. This will hopefully speed up development in the West Rand. *Square-bracketed quotations are from the English portions of a multilingual debate. For the full discussion, contact frances@3smedia.co.za.

WASTEWATER

Newcastle’s world-leading

steel solution

Water is at the top of the global business risk agenda. Companies planning for sustainable business in the future will need to lead the way in implementing advanced wastewater treatment technologies. South Africa’s steel industry has invested in becoming a global leader. BY FRANCES RINGWOOD

HE PRODUCTION OF steel is not environmentally friendly by its nature. It releases toxins into the air and contaminates water and the environment. That is why these environmental impacts need to be managed. The benefits the steel industry brings to South Africa are undeniable: ArcelorMittal South Africa’s Newcastle Works provides 1 547 permanent jobs, and employs 3 800 people in total. The entire company contributed a total of 1% to the national GDP in 2014,” says Paul O’Flaherty, CEO and executive director of ArcelorMittal South Africa (formally Iscor). As the largest steel producer on the African continent, ArcelorMittal South Africa has decided that it wants to lead global steel wastewater treatment by building a one-of-a-kind industrial wastewater treatment system to the tune of R428.83 million. That is the value of just one environmental sustainability project the Newcastle Works has invested in. An additional R427.17 million has been spent on other environmental initiatives, over the last 14 years, including the rehabilitation of historical dumps and air quality projects. These figures have been invested in the Newcastle Works alone. ArcelorMittal has another three operations in South Africa – located in Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging, and Saldanha – each with their own environmental sustainability programmes and projects.

ABOVE Reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration plant infrastructure is housed on the same portion of the Newcastle Works’ site LEFT Prakesh Krishanlall, the works manager for engineering and projects at the Newcastle Works, stands in front of the evaporator crystalliser plant – this plant is set to come online in September 2015

Newcastle achievement

“When we started our zero effluent discharge (ZED) mission here at the Newcastle Works, we researched and benchmarked against other steel operations around the world. In South Africa, we tend to think of ourselves as being behind the times, compared to the Europeans and Americans, but this is not the case in steel effluent treatment. “Since no other plant in the world was capable of meeting the ZED goal, we began working with German water treatment companies WABE Wasseraubereitung and Mutag to develop a unique treatment system for coke ovens and steel plant effluent that will allow us to recycle 100% of the industrial process effluent and use it for cooling. This will also reduce our raw water extraction from the local Ncandu River,” explains Gerald Gadd, general manager at ArcelorMittal South Africa’s Newcastle Works. JULY/AUGUST 2015

Long view

ArcelorMittal South Africa’s Newcastle facility has been using irrigation to dispose of its effluent since it began operation in 1973. Back then, the site had been selected by the National Party to leverage labour from those living in the surrounding homelands. Today, the plant continues to provide jobs for the people living in the nearby township of Madadeni. This proximity to the community is another reason ArcelorMittal South Africa needs to be constantly vigilant concerning the environmental impacts of its day-to-day operations. In 1998, when the then new National Water Act was passed, the Newcastle Works decided to phase out the practice of irrigation. To meet the stipulations of the Act, the plant may not release any effluent into a river. For steel production, this, in effect, requires continuous reuse and recycling – this is why the company adopted its ZED goal.

WASTEWATER FAR LEFT Koch membranes are used for the reverse osmosis of the Newcastle Works’ industrial wastewater treatment LEFT Samples of wastewater, which have gone through the various stages of treatment. The final result exceeds the safety standards required for potable water

In order to meet the goal, ArcelorMittal South Africa has constructed four separate treatment plants, between 2001 and 2014. They are: • a cold lime softening plant to remove the hardness ions from a cleaner stream of recoverable effluent, with the capacity to recover 200 m3/h • a biological treatment plant where bacterial digestion of organic pollutants found in coke ovens takes place • a reverse osmosis (RO) plant that removes leftover salts from the biologically treated effluent, at a recovery rate of 240 m3/h, and uses membranes manufactured by Koch, which require replacement at intervals of approximately four years • an evaporator crystalliser plant for salt removal from the RO brine, with the capacity to recover 60 m3/h, which will be the last phase of the system to come on line. It is scheduled for commissioning in September this year. The total ZED solution will have a number of benefits, including the phasing out of effluent irrigation, treating and reusing all process effluent – reducing water extraction by 40%, and the facilitation of legal compliance.

Current status

According to Prakesh Krishanlall, works manager for engineering and projects at the Newcastle Works, “Achieving optimal energy efficiency is of critical importance throughout the entire plant, including the water treatment plants. ArcelorMittal South Africa is a member of South Africa’s Intensive Energy Users Group and, as such, we have a responsibility to manage our energy use wisely. Last year, the Newcastle Works produced 609 000 tonnes of liquid steel. In order to do this, we used 688 kWh per tonne of liquid steel produced and consumed 9.3 m3 of water per tonne of liquid steel. From those figures, you can see that we use a vast amount of water. The new plant will reduce that figure by 40% and we will no longer have any discharge getting into the Buffalo River. “ArcelorMittal South Africa has a policy of 100% transparent business practices and we believe that investing heavily in better resource management shows our commitment to being leaders in implementing environmental best practices,” adds Krishanlall. Some of the pollutants that enter cooling water as a result of converting iron ore and coke into steel include ammonia, phenols, JULY/AUGUST 2015

cyanide, and other organic contaminants. When these are filtered out, some hazardous solids and salts are left. These substances will be disposed of responsibly at the Newcastle Works’ registered hazardous waste facility, in keeping with all local waste disposal legislation. Comments wastewater treatment project manager Lukas Steenkamp: “One of the most important things to understand about the construction of these plants is that our wastewater is being treated to standards that are higher than any similar site in the world; this shows the company’s commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen, especially given the massive capital expenditure it’s taken to reach legal compliance.” As water use increases, producers of industrial effluent are going to be held to a higher standard, when it comes to legal compliance and corporate social responsibility. ArcelorMittal South Africa has put itself at the forefront of global steel production by prioritising its environmental compliance and water conservation. This is especially noteworthy in that these projects were carried out in spite of global economic pressures, when many other companies effectively cut sustainability spending.

WASTEWATER

Sludge combustion breakthrough eThekwini Water & Sanitation (EWS) needed a solution to treat increasing wastewater volumes from Phoenix in a cost-effective manner. What the utility received was incredible incineration-based energy producing technology. BY JASON GERMANIS*

USTAINABLE AND environmentally friendly alternatives, in all waste sectors, have become an international priority. Developed countries continue to research and explore alternatives in wastewater treatment. South Africa compares favourably, with effective technology, when it comes to wastewater and sewage treatment. This all started when eThekwini EWS had a vision to develop a cost-effective, engineered solution to address the shortcomings of hazardous sludge disposal. Sewage contains a mixture of industrial and domestic wastewaters. Treatment works can receive varying concentrations of polluted industrial effluent, which affects the treatment process and results in sludge capturing excessive concentrations of heavy metals. In addition, upset conditions within the treatment works can produce sludge with microbial concentrations above the legal limit, which is another hazard for receiving farmlands. High levels of heavy metals and pathogens can result in sludge classification requiring advanced treatment, which is provided only by engineered incineration processes. A business relationship was formed between EWS and Coal & Waste Utilisation (CWU), a private technology consulting company founded by the late Dr Christos Eleftheriades, a well-known authority in hazardous waste treatment, who developed thermal treatment technologies while working at the CSIR. The result was that KwaMashu WWTW and surrounding residents both benefited from the on-site incineration of sewage sludge. Incredible, incineration-based technology, designed by Energy Engineering International and capable of complete sludge destruction, was

implemented and has been operating successfully for the past five years, under the management of CWU. Hygiene, odour control, and emissions that meet the highest international standards, and cost-effective and responsible sludge disposal are top priorities that make this project a competitive solution. Not only were these criteria met, but expectations were far exceeded. In 2011, CWU started with further development of the system by exploring possible retrofitting of the existing fluidised bed reactor (FBR) plant with heat recovery and a power generation unit. Electricity generated by the plant can be reused by the treatment works or up to 2 MW can be fed back into the national grid. The production of electricity also meets the requirements from national government, who support the generation of electricity from independent power producers. In addition, CWU demonstrated the possibility of using biomass as a supplementary fuel that replaces coal as a more affordable and renewable fuel.

Cascading returns

The FBR facility offers employment opportunities for 30 skilled workers and 15 unskilled workers. Since the FBR facility’s by-products are sterile ash and hot gas, there are a number of other possible benefits. The hot gas can be converted into renewable electricity, and bricks can be produced locally for houses using the ash. Therefore, the FBR technology ensures the sludge disposal process is a true zero-waste technology.

TOP CWU’s technology ensures the total destruction of heavy metals, viruses, and pathogens for the protection of those living near plants, as well as beachgoers downstream ABOVE Jason Germanis, Coal and Waste Utilisation project manager

sustainable, and responsible manner that adheres to legal permit requirements. The use of FBR technology is not only good for the environment, but also for South Africa’s tourism industry and, ultimately, the economy. The contamination of rivers, due to sludge discharges, can be prevented, thereby protecting drinking water quality. Finally, our coastlines can still be used safely for recreational purposes and fishing without being contaminated by heavy metals and pathogens. Ultimately, this is the best engineered solution for sludge disposal at large-scale wastewater treatment works. For questions or comments contact CWU project manager Jason Germanis on +27 (0)11 316 1800 or +27 (0)72 656 8041. He can also be reached via email at Jason@cwut.co.za. Find out more on www.cwut.co.za. *Jason Germanis the project manager at Coal & Waste Utilisation.

Environmentally responsible outcome

The FBR technology guarantees that sludge is treated on-site in a feasible, JULY/AUGUST 2015

www.cwut.co.za

WASTEWATER

Casablanca welcomes upgrade Recently completed construction started on the Sidi Bernoussi wastewater pretreatment plant in Casablanca, Morocco, in 2013. The project will see a reduction in coastal pollution to create a cleaner environment.

ASABLANCA’S SIDI BERNOUSSI wastewater pretreatment plant was officially commissioned on 31 March this year. Built by Suez Environnement and Sogea-Maroc, the facility has been receiving 100% of the effluent it was originally designed to handle, since 20 April this year.

Inauguration ceremony

Inaugurated by King Mohammed VI on 13 May this year, the plant is part of the Anti-Pollution Project launched by the city of Casablanca and its utility, Lyonnaise des Eaux de Casablanca, in order to contribute to urban development and improve the Casablanca-Mohammedia coastline.

RIGHT The Sidi Bernoussi wastewater pretreatment plant in Casablanca will assist in preserving over 22 km of beach

Environmental advantage

The contract, signed in May 2013, included the completion of the pretreatment plant, and building the lifting and delivery stations for environmentally sustainable marine outfall. The wastewater from Casablanca’s east coast now undergoes a coarse and fine screening before being discharged more than 2 km offshore, helping to preserve over 22 km of beach. Grit and oil will also be removed soon.

PROJECT SUMMARY

•W ith a peak flow of 7.2 m3/s, at the commissioning, the plant will soon have a maximum capacity of 11 m3/s • The Sidi Bernoussi plant treats 55% of Casablanca’s wastewater (from 2.5 million inhabitants) • The Suez Environnement SogeaMaroc contract is valued at €42 million • 160 000 m3 of ear th was excavated • 16 000 m3 of concrete was used • The project was carried out in barely two years, thanks to the contractors’ exper tise and innovative technology.

JULY/AUGUST 2015

Degrémont is the world specialist in the design and construction of water treatment plants and an important contributor towards sustainable development. Degrémont South Africa has the ability to propose various technologies to suit the clients’ requirements and site constraints.

DEGRÉMONT AND ALL COMPANIES OF THE GROUP OPERATE UNDER THE BRAND SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT

Its teams design, build and commission facilities for: • Potable water production • Desalination • Wastewater treatment & recycling • Sludge treatment • Industrial process water and wastewater treatment • Water treatment for the mining industry Degrémont also specialises in: • the supply of package pre-assembled and skid-mounted potable water and wastewater treatment plants, • the refurbishment of old plants to their original design capacities and/or upgrading of old plants to produce higher quantities of water. The latter is achieved by installing additional high-performance equipment to existing concrete structures. Degrémont also provides the following additional services to its clients: • Execution supervision • Installation & Commissioning • Plant operation • Technical assessment • Spare parts

Remy Jaﬀray General Manager remy.JAFFRAY@suez-env.com Tel: +27 (0)11 807 1983

Fax: +27 (0)10 591 5095

www.degremont.com

WASTEWATER

Microenterprise through biology Postdoctoral scientists are carrying out research on work originating from Rhodes University, and furthered at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, on producing microalgae for biofuels to stimulate microeconomies. BY CARLA KAMPMAN AND PRUDENCE MAMBO

ASTEWATER beneficiation through the commercial-scale production of microalgae has far-reaching positive implications. Offering just one example, it can be used as bioethanol in fossil fuel blends. Since government-mandated bioethanol percentages are due to increase, this creates significant economic opportunities for commercial-scale production. However, this is not the only possible commercial application and there are wide-ranging microeconomic opportunities, feeding into a raft of ecological and social advantages. Microalgae comprise proteins, vitamins, and polysaccharides. Some species contain elevated quantities of lipids, which makes these microscopic plants ideal for use in the formulation of a number of

biofuels, e.g. bioethanol, biodiesel, biomethane, biobutanol, and biohydrogen. Downstream products include docosahexaenoic acid and carotenoids, which are industrially lucrative. Co-firing of biomass from microalgae with coal has also proven commercially viable for the conversion of biomass to a cleaner, renewable energy. Relative to palm oil â€“ the crop with the highest known oil content â€“ microalgae have the potential to produce between 7% and 31% more oil per unit area. The significantly higher biomass-generating efficiency of microalgae, relative to conventional crops, has been ascribed to a multitude of factors, including short generation times, simple structures, and improved carbon dioxide mitigation and adaptability. Furthermore, the higher chlorophyll content in JULY/AUGUST 2015

TOP Algae oxidation pond ABOVE Postdoctoral researchers Prudence Mambo and Carla Kampman, based at the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan University

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGE

A due diligence analysis by the US Environmental Protection Agency found a 30% cost reduction when comparing biofuel production to petroleum. Additionally, a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions was obser ved. The upshot is that the biofuel industr y is energy-positive, where 1.3 units of energy are generated for each unit of fuel consumed.

WASTEWATER fossil fuels to be blended with at least 2% bioethanol. Also, if the plan is successful, it will ensure a better quality of life for all local community members.

Job creation

Microalgae under the microscope

microalgae translates into higher light harvesting efficiencies, which positively impacts productivity.

Challenges and solutions

However, the capital and operational costs associated with microalgae production plants are prohibitive, when technology choices are inappropriate relative to resource availability. A viable technology choice, with the potential to mitigate these concerns, would be the implementation of highrate algae oxidation ponds, conceived by the late Professor William J Oswald of the University of California, Berkeley, whose system was originally developed for the final scrubbing of domestic wastewater. A by-product of the scrubbing process was copious quantities of microalgae. Modifications to these ponds have been made to encourage the large-scale generation of microalgae biomass. Photosynthetic oxygenation occurring in the adapted pond renders this system ideal for the passive perpetual production of a disinfected mixed-microalgae biomass, with the potential to prompt a sustainable eco-friendly microeconomy. An added benefit is the treatment of wastewater. Another potential initiative is already being explored in South Africa’s Free State, where cooperative energy company Mabele Fuels in Bothaville is developing a biofuel project using sorghum. Mabele Fuels already boasts established relationships with commercial and subsistence farmers in the area, which will be an essential component to the project’s success. A strong indicator for the project’s commercial viability is the South African government’s mandate requiring all

Just a single Mabele Fuels plant has the ability to create a conservatively estimated 16 000 green jobs. Additionally, it is likely that, once operational, Mabele Fuels will advertise for skilled workers currently available in South Africa; workers from existing plants may be absorbed into the company’s biorefinery. Unemployed youth will be trained in order to be assimilated into the plant and may eventually supply services as independent contractors. This environment has the potential to motivate youth to start small businesses that contribute to day-to-day plant operations while positively impacting their communities. Sasolburg and Secunda are two towns where similar ventures, albeit in fossil fuel endeavours, have successfully encouraged local entrepreneurs. Moreover, mass migration –to Bothaville, in this case – has the potential to sustain the emerging local economy. Also, women may be empowered through the system, and will be able to farm and generate sorghum substrate for the production plant. Mabele Fuels will also comply with national equity goals for women as per government targets. This is of vital importance, as female-headed cooperatives are, broadly, more likely to control salaries fairly and be more aware of women’s employment needs, in terms of childcare and paid maternity leave.

Growth opportunities

Furthermore, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a by-product of ethanol fermentation from the Mabele plant (containing elevated protein and fibre levels), may potentially be sold to the American, European, and Chinese markets. South Africa currently imports about 150 tonnes of high-protein feed for animals per year. Although the DDGS is not as high in value nor in feed potential as soya meal, Mabele Fuels may still be able to infiltrate this market simply due to the decreasing transportation costs. With so much investment having gone into planning and relationship building, and with such a vast potential for the South African economy, the short-term goals for Mabele Fuels is simply to get up JULY/AUGUST 2015

RESEARCH CONTEXT: CREATING JOBS FOR EASTERN CAPE WOMEN

While the use of sorghum for biofuels is gaining traction in the Free State, there are compelling reasons to believe that the Eastern Cape would offer an equally compelling base for a microalgae project. The Eastern Cape is home to about 13% of South Africa’s population, with 1.3 million employed in community ser vices, trade, and manufacturing. Some 78% of households remain plagued by lack of food and the region experiences elevated HIV prevalence, decreased life expectancy, and reduced fer tility. Pre-ter tiar y academic per formance also remains notoriously low. The province’s population is dominated by women, which is attributed to mass male migration owing to greater employment oppor tunities in adjacent provinces. Consequently, rural, female-headed, impoverished households dominate the landscape. Economically, the province is faced with challenges concerning pover ty, inequality, and unemployment – problems intrinsic to structural inequalities. Employment must be urgently accelerated in order to mitigate the effects of growing inequality. These are inadver tently prime conditions for investment into sustainable, eco-friendly, easily deployed technologies for the empowerment of the economically disadvantaged, predominantly female, majority.

and running. However, once government raises mandated biofuel additives from 2% to 5%, the company will have to expand and build another facility, possibly elsewhere in the country. A possible challenge is that, although markets for ethanol are currently well supplied, this is not the case with respect to fuel blending.

Summing up

There is vast potential for a sustainable economy that is not only driven by biosciences and simple to operate, but also environmentally sustainable, while economically empowering previously disadvantaged and resource-strained groups in South Africa. Governmental mandates that stimulate cooperative entrepreneurship will force cultural integration, understanding, and overall empowerment.

Afrox solutions are crystal clear

‘Green’ solutions for water treatment Water is vital for life. Afrox provides one-stop complete solutions that optimise the quality of water to meet the highest quality requirements. The Solvox® process economically introduces oxygen into water to remove contaminants, improve raw water quality and taste, and prevent corrosion in metallic water pipes. Solvocarb® regulates the pH balance of water by effectively injecting carbon dioxide into alkaline water for ideal water hardness, improved taste and limited scaling.

AFROX Customer Service Centre: 0860 020202

Email: customer.service@afrox.linde.com

www.afrox.com

WASTEWATER

HE SYSTEMATIC introduction of pure oxygen at critical points along the wastewater process chain can help solve purification and odour issues more effectively than industry-standard aeration alone, ensuring greater process efficiency and operational flexibility. Sub-Saharan gas market leader Afrox boasts a range of trademarked SOLVOX solutions that improve wastewater treatment plant performance without the need for costly construction or restructuring work. Often, these solutions can be implemented without reducing plant capacity during the installation phase. The SOLVOX system has been designed to transfer oxygen and disperse dissolved oxygen to all areas of worksâ€™ aeration basins or tanks. This results in a vastly improved performance at overloaded activated sludge plants, as more wastewater throughput can be treated. This effect is supported by the decreased sludge load, as oxygenation allows the plant to support more biomass per unit volume of treatment. As a result, the final effluent from the wastewater treatment plant has lower and more consistent biological oxygen demands and associated suspended solids.

Breathing life

into aeration

Wastewater treatment plants that make use of aeration processes commonly experience challenges such as inadequate purification and rancid odours caused by anaerobic decomposition â€“ this is a direct result of insufficient dissolved oxygen levels in the water. BY GARETH JONES*

Oxygen advantage

Oxygen is often overlooked as a wastewater treatment solution because it is perceived to be more costly than air. However, lower capital investments, reduced energy consumption, and higher oxygen transfer efficiency can be more cost-effective than traditional air-based systems. Many local municipalities are unaware that SOLVOX can be retrofitted to any existing system, to be used as a backup during peak demand, for example. In effect, this means that SOLVOX serves as a complementary support system to existing aeration systems. Efficient control of supplementary oxygen can, therefore, be a cost-effective solution for overloaded activated sludge plants and allow them to cope with an increase in pollution loads. Moreover, transferring pure oxygen with SOLVOX processes covers peak demands more efficiently and economically, as it eliminates the need for the expansion of existing aeration systems. It also eliminates the high investment costs for larger surface aerators, additional compressors, and other associated aeration equipment.

The use of pure oxygen can also reduce the production of foaming and volatile organic compound emissions caused by excess off-gas from traditional air-based systems. In certain situations, SOLVOX solutions require no additional energy source to transfer oxygen into activated sludge tanks or lagoons, as there is sufficient agitation provided by the existing aeration equipment. With improved treatment performance, operators will find that wastewater levies can be reduced and wastewater can be purified without odours.

Proven performance

SOLVOX pure oxygen systems have been used to upgrade and retrofit existing aeration-based activated sludge plants treating industrial and municipal wastewater, for over 30 years. This is a tried and tested method to improve final effluent quality, without requiring a large upfront investment in capital or the acquisition of development land for costly plant expansion programmes. JULY/AUGUST 2015

TOP Gareth Jones, Afrox applications engineer ABOVE Oxygen is the perfect gas for treating large quantities of wastewater, and municipalities can ensure long-term cost savings by implementing SOLVOX D (injection device pictured) as a peak demand add-on to existing aeration systems

As wastewater treatment quality regulations continue to tighten and public attitudes toward pollution by poorly performing wastewater treatment facilities hardens, SOLVOX is set to add substantial value to municipal wastewater projects in the future. SOLVOX is a registered trademark of The Linde Group. *Gareth Jones is an applications engineer at Afrox.

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WASTEWATER

Clean engines

for reliable power

Without a proper gas treatment, sewage plant operators are seeing an increase in the frequency of repair and maintenance requirements on combined heat and power (CHP) engines. FRANCES RINGWOOD investigates how to reduce operational costs.

HE MAIN REASON for frequent servicing is impurities and trace contaminants in fermentation gas (e.g. sewage gas and landfill gas), which causes massive problems in modern gas engines. In particular, organic silicon compounds (siloxanes) in the gas cause compounded wear in the combustion chamber. Long downtimes and cases where engines are damaged beyond repair reduce efficiencies and jeopardise CHP and cogeneration cost-efficiency. Knock-on effects include: • logistics costs for repair work • increased consumption of oil and spare parts • motivation loss of operating staff due to troubleshooting outside regular business hours • increasing insurance premiums for machinery breakdown • loss of production time. These factors have driven the adoption of cutting-edge engine cleaning technologies. In particular, a combination of gas drying and gas cleaning with activated carbon, or in combination with further cleaning processes, achieves results that generate a sustainable decrease in overall operating costs.

Sewage gas components

“In wastewater sludge digester systems, biogas is generated during anaerobic stabilisation of sewage sludge in digestion tanks or towers. The biogas (sewage gas), which is usually used for internal energy purposes of the fermentation process and the wastewater treatment works, contains approximately 6 kWh thermal energy per m3 sewage gas. One m3 sewage gas can

typically be converted to approximately 2.4 kWh electricity and approximately 3 kWh usuable heating energy,” explains Tarik Höppener, managing director of re-energise Africa, the local agent for Siloxa Engineering – a leading German technology manufacturer and supplier for biogas, sewage gas, landfill gas, and mining gas treatment systems. “Sewage and landfill gas generally carries a contaminant load from the wastewater or the landfilled solid waste respectively, consisting of volatile organic silicon, sulfur, and halogen compounds. These compounds have a degrading effect on gas utilisation applications and lead to serious wear, affecting engines and turbines. This equally applies to vehicle engines in an even more sensitive matter when biogas is upgraded to CNG quality with the purpose of being used in vehicles as CNG, or substitutes natural gas in pipelines. If the aim is feeding it into a natural gas pipeline, these aspects are also critical to get permission from the gas grid operator,” he explains.

Increased silicone presence

Silicones and siloxanes are largely non-hazardous with regard to their toxicity and environmental damage potential. Over the past two decades, the use of organosilicon substances has risen sharply due to their chemical and physical properties, which make them suitable for a wide range of applications. Siloxanes are water-resistant and, therefore, suitable as water-repellent agents for fabrics, paper, inks and coatings, and as additives for construction materials. Short-chain siloxanes are gentle on the skin, so they are used instead of petroleum jelly in cosmetics. Silicones have the JULY/AUGUST 2015

LEFT White-greyish encrustation mainly from silicon. Burned outlet valve of cylinder head of gas engine (Source: Siloxa Engineering AG) RIGHT Engine piston with encrustation and deposits (Source: Siloxa Engineering AG)

greatest insulating properties of all synthetic materials and are largely temperature-independent. This also makes them ideal for high-voltage current insulation. “The daily and widespread use of polysiloxanes leads to their presence in wastewater as well as solid waste and, therefore, in the waste cycle – in landfill sites, sewage plants and, occasionally, in biogas plants. Here, the siloxanes are transformed into a gaseous state during the microbiologic degradation process,” explains Höppener. “During the thermal utilisation of these gases in combustion applications, organosilicon compounds are oxidised into microcrystalline silicon dioxide (quartz). This acts as an abrasive, causing abrasion to cylinder bore surfaces and engines,” he adds. The past two decades have seen a huge increase in the worldwide production of a wide range of different types of silicone. The industry reports annual growth of 7%; as a result, this problem is evolving further, triggered by the continually increasing commercial use of siloxane and its associated introduction into the environment.

Requirements

The prevention of damage to gas engines and lasting improvements in machine availability and efficiency can only be addressed by using upstream gas cleaning

WASTEWATER systems. Today, effective and efficient gas treatment technology is always integrated in international state-of-theart sewage gas, landfill gas, and biogas operations, demonstrating technical and economic benefits. “In the international biogas industry, a process technique for the separation of organic silicon compounds and the removal of hydrogen sulfide – based on activated carbon adsorption combined with upstream gas drying – has become a highly successful, established method. For the use of gas cleaning systems to be worthwhile, the process and system must be cost-effective and must solve the actual problem reliably. In other words, the operating costs for gas cleaning must be lower than the additional costs for maintenance, servicing, machinery breakdown, or loss of production caused by the silicon or the hydrogen sulfides,” says Höppener.

Proven process for cleaning

“One of the properties of activated carbon is that it adsorbs organic compounds.

With plants run according to the activated carbon adsorption principle, gas qualities of <1 mg siloxanes/m³ sewage gas and of <1ppm hydrogen sulfide/m3 sewage gas are achieved,” explains Höppener. Adsorption in a packed bed with activated carbon replacement is a straightforward, effective, and safe process. With optimal gas conditioning and suitable plant design, the specific costs of activated carbon replacement can be reduced. Hence, investigating and understanding the overall system process is critical. “When the filter material reaches its maximum uptake capacity, the activated carbon bed gets replaced by new material and the old material can be regenerated by the manufacturer; it is, however, usually safely disposed of by the service provider. The consumption of operating resources and, therefore, the costs are largely determined by the gas quality and volume, which determines the contaminant load,” says Höppener. The adsorption properties of activated carbon can be optimised by various JULY/AUGUST 2015

Activated carbon filter FAKA 3000 K1 (Source: Siloxa Engineering AG)

physical parameters including humidity and moisture. The technical process should, therefore, be configured to ensure the minimum amount of moisture throughout the adsorber. This requires the gas to be systematically dried prior to the activated carbon adsorption process. To find out more about optimising CHP and cogeneration plants for maximum cost recovery, talk to an experienced and trusted fermentation gas technology specialist.

WASTEWATER

Treatment

without wastage A prominent supplier of industrial gear for sewage treatment plants explains how its extended bearings distance (EBD) aerator drives are setting new standards in wastewater agitation, destroying more harmful gasses and microorganisms.

NE OF THE initial and most critical stages of water treatment is to aerate large volumes of wastewater in treatment plants. Aeration is the process where water is enriched with oxygen through continuous rotating and churning processes. This enables the release of toxic fumes from the water and kills certain bacteria. It also hastens the breakdown of organic matter. The South African branch of internationally recognised drive specialist SEW-Eurodrive continues to gain market share in the local wastewater treatment industry, by providing plants with innovative solutions that reduce long-term operating and maintenance costs. Although relatively new to the local market, SEW-Eurodrive engineering manager Greg Perry insists that the company draws from an international pool of tried and trusted expertise. “The Nelspruit branch is SEWEurodrive’s hub for industrial gear (IG) assembly in South Africa, as the facility boasts comprehensive stockholding to ensure cost savings and minimal turnaround times. What’s more, product experts have been trained to international standards, ensuring greater peace of mind with regards to after-sales service and technical support,” he explains.

Nelspruit works

SEW-Eurodrive recently supplied a local sewage works in Nelspruit with a 55 kW EBD aerator drive. Perry highlights the EBD’s add-on components, such as stronger bearings, as well as a

larger-diameter output shaft and an extended bottom bearing housing. These effectively increase the distance between the top and bottom bearings – adding strength and rigidity to the unit as a whole. “In wastewater treatment, aeration is usually achieved by rotating a large propeller through the water volume, mixing air into the water. This propeller is exposed to intense radial and axial forces; incorrect installation of the drive gear can lead to failure and damage to the propeller and its gearbox. Traditional designs address this issue with separate external bearings that take on the function of the agitator shaft bearings, which is capital-intensive,” he says. The EBD concept extends the bearing span across the low-speed shaft and offers stronger bearings within the gear unit itself, which eliminates the need for separate bearings in the agitator, while avoiding oversizing of the gear unit. The EBD solution can be supplemented by an optional drywell seal that prevents oil leakage in the output shaft, together with standardised mounting flanges. This serves to offer a powerful solution that has output bearings with high load-bearing capacity and a reinforced shaft output. The EBD configuration and drywell bearing housing are ideally suited for the aeration process, which allows for much higher radial and axial forces to be absorbed by the gearbox, while the drywell bearing housing JULY/AUGUST 2015

SEW-Eurodrive’s Nelspruit hub offers impressive stockholding of industrial gear, including these EBD aerator drives

ensures no oil can leak into the sensitive water treatment process.

Stellenbosch case

The aeration process at the Stellenbosch municipal water treatment plant was also dramatically improved after 10 SEW-Eurodrive modular, compact, and IG units were installed. Here, the EBD configuration and drywell bearing housing were also selected to withstand the strenuous aeration process. The installation was carried out by water project specialist Inenzo Water. Project manager Chris Erasmus indicates that, in a highly demanding industry, the company strives to offer clients top solutions at competitive prices. “Pricing, quality, and service levels offered by SEWEurodrive over the years played a decisive role in our procurement for this project.”

Our biofilters and other systems are guaranteed to remove odours from wastewater treatments plants, sewage pump stations and solid waste processing facilities. With more than 10 years of experience in commissioning odour control systems throughout Southern Africa and with representation in Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban and Port Elizabeth we are ready to assist you with solving your odour problems.

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ODOUR CONTROL

Scent control that counts

Most wastewater treatment plants, and many pump stations, generate fugitive odours, making them unpleasant work areas and antisocial neighbours. However, three recent odour control interventions buck this trend by creating facilities that exist in harmony with the folks living and working nearby. BY FRANCES RINGWOOD

VEN THE MOST well-run sewage treatment plant or lifting station will release some hydrogen sulfide (H2S) during normal operations, which can result in a ‘rotten egg’ scent hanging in the air – this is a particularly potent gas that can be detected by human olfactory receptors at five parts per billion. Other stink causing compounds include organic sulfide, ammonia, and nitrogen, as well as an array of other volatile organic compounds, to name just a few. The Odour Control Group, incorporating Odour Control Solutions (in the Western Cape), OdorCure (in Gauteng) and Odour Engineering Systems (in KwaZulu-Natal) has completed two recent projects, where smells have been managed to such an extent that there have been no complaints from nearby residents and businesses. There is also a third such project underway. The new project is for the City of Cape Town and requires odour control at sludge dewatering plants at the Mitchell’s Plain and Borcherds Quarry wastewater treatment works. What makes the Borcherds portion of the project unique is that it’s located adjacent to a golf course, less than 2 km away from the Cape Town International Airport. As travellers’ first entry point into South Africa’s premier tourism destination, it’s vital that smells at the site are managed in the best way possible.

Borcherds Quarry

“Odour Control Solutions has recently been awarded the contract for Mitchell’s Plain and Borcherds Quarry. Both facilities use belt presses for the dewatering process and, for each, foul air is extracted via a hood installed above the belt presses. This

transports hydrogen sulfide molecules, via ducts, to a biotrickling filter (BTF)/biofilter combination, to remove soluble and insoluble compounds. These systems rely on permanent inorganic media to treat airflows with variable loading consistently,” explains Hennie Smal of the Odour Control Group. “In biological systems such as these, gasses are treated by bacteria that occur naturally in the media. These are capable of removing 99% of the H2S being drawn into the system. A biofilter doesn’t necessarily need to be added, unless we have to treat insoluble compounds, in which case moist air is the medium that conveys gasses for treatment, as opposed to water, which gives the BTF its name,” Smal adds.

Mahatma Ghandi Pump Station

Sewage lines are usually gravity fed but, as cities have become more populous, there has been an increasing need to build pump stations – also called lifting stations – to give sewage lines the requisite height and pressure for adequate flow. The Mahatma Ghandi Pump Station was recently relocated 250 m, to its current position, and was nominated for the CESA-IMIESA biennial awards in the water and wastewater category. “Since the Mahatma Ghandi pumps station is located in a busy suburban area, with limited space, Odour Engineering Solutions supplied a highly effective, efficient electrochemical solution – developed by German company Neutralox. The process uses photoionisation, combined with a catalyst media bed, to oxidise odorous compounds. One of the advantages of this set-up is that it can be switched on and off, unlike biological systems, which also require more space.” JULY/AUGUST 2015

As the gateway to Africa’s most popular tourist hub, it’s essential that odour is effectively managed in areas around Cape Town International Airport

“The system has proven highly effective and we have received no complaints from residents living in the nearby beachfront developments,” says Smal.

Zeekoegat

At the Zeekoegat wastewater treatment works, north east of Pretoria, OdorCure supplied two separate odour control systems – one for a new plant built at the site and the second was part of an upgrade of the existing works. “The first of these systems has parallels with the upcoming Cape Town project, as it also called for a combination of a dual-stage system incorporating a BTF, followed by a biofilter. “One solution treats H2S from the primary sedimentation tanks and the other is part of the works’ sludge processing operations. A BTF is used for the former, handling sulfurous odours on the dam’s perimeter, caused by movement of the water over the outlet weirs. The perimeter is covered with structured glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) covers connected to the odour treatment system via a balanced ducting system. We also installed GRP covers over sludge storage and processing structures,” explains Smal. Since 1999, the Odour Control Group has built a solid reputation by consistently completing odour control projects successfully.

MINE WATER

Time to act on AMD! The issue of mine water treatment and management has become urgent for South Africa. It has always been important, but now we have run out of time for debate, and we must act! BY JO BURGESS, PRESIDENT OF WISA

OUTH AFRICA’S MINING history has generated vast economic benefit and still plays an important role in ensuring the country’s position in the global market. Despite great benefit, large-scale closure of mining operations, since the 1970s, within the Witwatersrand mining regions or basins and the subsequent termination of the extraction of underground water from mines have become important national concerns. As elsewhere in the world, the activities of the mining sector have resulted in serious environmental consequences, notably in respect of poor environmental and water management, and, in the case of the gold mines of the Witwatersrand, acid mine drainage (AMD). Given the magnitude and dynamics of the South African mining industry, it must be accepted that the challenges of mine water management cannot be administered by either government or the private sector alone.

environment. The impacts of the uncontrolled release (emergence in subsurface and surface environments) of some types of mining-impacted waters (MIWs) are severe. Many types of waters exiting mine workings are not acidic; neutral mine water can be almost harmless (depending on what has dissolved in the water). However, sites

where acidic MIW (with a pH below 6; mine water with pH of 6 to 8 is classified as neutral mine drainage) has been escaping into the environment without control suffer severe damage when acid, dissolved metals, and salts get into rivers or lakes or re-enter downstream aquifers. The salts and metals can be toxic to plants, animals, and people.

What can we do?

Treatment already takes place at several sites. However, every site is unique; the amount of water that needs to be treated, the characteristics of the water to be treated, and the characteristics of the desired resulting water all influence what treatment is needed. For example, saline drainage needs a

LEFT Working together, South Africa can solve AMD – but we need to act now

Mining-impacted waters

BELOW This GARD Guide diagram shows that membrane processes are but a single one of a range of available treatment methods

The cessation of underground mine water extraction leads to the mine voids becoming flooded. This phenomenon was highlighted in September 2002, when AMD started flowing from an abandoned shaft in the Mogale City/ Randfontein area of the Western Basin, as a result of the flooding of the mines in this basin to a level where water could flow out on to the surface. This surface flow of mine water (often called decant in South Africa) is of concern to the environment as the water – in accordance with well-known and researched chemical and geochemical reactions between the mine rock strata, wastes and oxygen – readily becomes acidic, characterised by elevated concentrations of salts, metals, and radionuclides. Ownerless mines that have become wards of the state are vulnerable to releasing untreated water into the

ABOVE As well as heading up the WRC’s research into mine water, Dr Jo Burgess is also the president of WISA

JULY/AUGUST 2015

MINE WATER completely different treatment process to acid drainage. Mine sites that are still active include mine water treatment plants, run by the mine owners, like the eMalahleni Water Reclamation Plant and Optimum Water Reclamation Plant in Mpumalanga. These two plants both utilise membrane processes – specifically ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis – but membrane technology is not the only option. Over 20 different methods for treating all the types of mine waters have been developed worldwide, so the issue isn’t that people do not know how to treat the water. The de facto international guide for those dealing with MIW issues is the Global Acid Rock Drainage Guide, or GARD Guide, which is freely available online at www.gardguide.com. The GARD Guide diagram shows us that membrane processes are but a single one of a range of available treatment methods. The way in which treatment of MIW must be done is selected on the basis of the quality and quantity of untreated water and the desired treated water quality. This means that we need to decide what we want to do with this wonderful resource, and align the regulatory functions of the departments of Water and Sanitation, Environmental Affairs, and Mineral Resources that relate to mine water, and create a regulatory environment that enables the private and public stakeholders to work together in implementing the treatment methods that we already know about.

WATER Water Supply | Water Treatment | Industrial Water Management Minesite Water Management | Water Reuse & Recycling Chemistry and Geochemistry | Numerical Modelling

Water management for sustainable business

Challenges

In South Africa, we have, so far, only used membrane processes for MIW treatment at full scale. Why? Some of the factors come from problems identifying who should be responsible for paying for, or effecting, the treatment, and deciding what type of water we want to produce by treating MIW. For example, it is possible to treat water to varying extents so that it is suitable for industrial use, irrigation of certain crops, release into rivers, or for drinking. The other issue is where the treated water and the by-products of treatment will be sent. The by-products are created because MIW is basically water with things dissolved in it; when you take those things out to create clean water, you are left with the same things, and you have to do something with them. Mitigation by pumping and treating is the most common reaction to an existing MIW problem. This initial pump and treat approach can be pursued in parallel with, or followed by, preventative measures to minimise future MIW generation, and thus reduce the ongoing need for active treatment. Mine water prevention is an active, adaptive strategy that removes the need for the reactive mitigation approach of pumping and treating MIW. The two mechanisms by which MIW may be prevented are the exclusion of oxygen or water. This leads to two apparently opposite actions having the same result: dewatering the void, or flooding the void. Both can minimise, and in some cases eliminate, MIW. South Africa does not lack knowledge, since methods of dealing with MIW here do not differ from those used in other parts of the world, except in matters of scale. It is high time that we allow partnerships to be created: no single stakeholder has all the answers and resources needed for a complete solution to this complex social, economic and, above all, environmental problem. JULY/AUGUST 2015

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MINE WATER

Increased efficiency

at Evander

Improved day-to-day chemical supply and services of on-site water treatment for Evander Gold Mining, in Mpumalanga, have resulted in considerable improvements. Veolia Water Technologies South Africa’s Hydrex and operation general manager Hein van Niekerk and Hydrex industrial manager Carl van Heerden share their story.

RECENT REVIEW REPORT conducted at Evander Gold Mining, four months into the mine’s three-year agreement with Veolia, shows that water treatment and management has already improved substantially on past practices. This has resulted in increased efficiency, while reducing overall chemical and dosing costs for the mine. Veolia embarked on this total water management agreement in November last year, following a full-site survey on Pan African Resources, Evander Gold Mining’s MET Plant, as well as shafts seven and eight. The survey revealed that large parts of the water circuits involved were not being treated by any chemicals, due to faulty dosing stations, while other parts of the circuits were facing dangerous chemical spillages, where dosing station pumps had broken. As a result, corrosive water and scale were flowing through the above and below ground water circuits, decreasing the mine’s cooling and ventilation efficiency, while damaging its equipment. In response, the Veolia team opted for a full operation and maintenance agreement with Evander Gold Mine, where they will manage the entire water treatment system. As part of the agreement, a Veolia specialist will remain on-site for the duration of the contract, providing 24/7 technical direction, support, and consultancy. As part of this agreement, Veolia supplied 12 new treatment solutions to address the water treatment problems, including: new chemical dosing stations; flocculants, coagulants, anti-scalant, and micro-biocide chemical treatment; a semi-automated duplex flocculent plant; and coagulant plants. Veolia also supplied

its range of trademarked Hydrex chemicals at a variable fee, after a weekly stocktake – meaning the mine will ultimately only pay for chemicals it has used.

Fast results

Since the revised treatment plan was implemented, junior sales consultant Pieter Jacobs, together with Carl van Heerden, has managed and monitored the mine’s water treatment progress, through weekly water analyses and reports. Recent results, in the four-month review programme, reveal that the new treatment regime is not only out-performing compared to specification forecasts, but it is also saving the mine money through a much more efficient operation. Due to the bad state of the circuit’s settlers at shaft eight, Veolia commenced treatment using gel blocks and added a Hydrex 3936 coagulant. This dual treatment programme saw immediate positive results, in that the turbidity and total suspended solids (TSS) levels were reduced by 45% on settler one and 37% on settler two. Furthermore, the duplex flocculent and coagulant plants have resulted in a further turbidity reduction of 27% on settler one and 48% on settler two. This has allowed for proper dosing control, while optimising the treatment programme. In addition, all old, non-functional dosing stations at the fridge plant were replaced with new dosing stations, drastically improving iron and total dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations.

Improved efficiency

At shaft seven, Veolia installed a new coagulant dosing station that employs a custom-designed chemical treatment programme consisting of Hydrex 6611 JULY/AUGUST 2015

TOP Spill-proof and accurate chemical dosing stations have been installed around the mine ABOVE 12 new treatment stations have been designed and installed above ground, and 1.8 km below ground, to increase the mine's overall efficiency

and Hydrex 3936. This new treatment programme has resulted in a reduction of turbidity levels of 32% and on overall settler efficiency improvement from 90% to 98%. Two new dosing stations were also installed along with the condenser, main compressor cooling tower, and spray pond. These stations use Hydrex 2204 and Hydrex 7761 chemicals, which have improved the overall iron and TDS concentrations, as well as a visible reduction of algae. The improvement of the water quality on the settlers benefits the entire water circuit. Overall TDS and iron concentrations are down, the circuits require fewer chemicals each month, and the equipment gets closer to the required specification. This, ultimately, results in greater efficiently and lowers overall maintenance costs. The team also worked around the clock, seven days a week to install new equipment in just 30 days – half the expected time – and installation was relatively seamless, considering Veolia was adding and removing equipment so far below ground.

Future

Owing to the early success of this agreement, Veolia is currently in negotiations with Evander Gold Mining to expand its outsourced agreements locally, as well as within Pan African Resources’ other mines throughout Southern Africa.

MINE WATER

Keeping up

with growth

HE TREATMENT AND recovery of mine water has, for many years, been the focus of countless discussions in the water treatment industry. The market ranges from the treatment of decanting AMD from old mining operations to dewatering existing mines, enabling further mining activity to take place. The treatment of mining-impacted water is often a last resort for mining companies.

Treatment challenges

As most mine waters contain different contaminants, depending on the region and mining activities, the treatment can vary quite widely. The main challenge is managing liquid wastes or brines, since most mine waters are found inland. The salt content of mining waters cannot be destroyed, only

Mine water treatment needs to keep up with mining dynamism, while also being cost-effective and environmentally sound. BY HERMAN SMIT

converted into different forms or concentrated into smaller volumes for disposal. There are technologies being developed to minimise the amount of liquid waste, with the ultimate goal being zero liquid discharge (ZLD). The traditional approach to ZLD is to employ thermal evaporation processes, which are expensive, when viewed over the life cycle of a mine water treatment system. Minimising the volume of brine for ZLD treatment is critical.

Technology options

Treatment typically includes precipitation of insoluble salts using physical-chemical processes, followed by membrane filtration and desalination. Even small changes in composition can have a dramatic impact on the choice of technology. In the near JULY/AUGUST 2015

Herman Smit is the managing director of QFS

term, mine water solutions will integrate precipitation and membrane technology, to reduce the volume of liquid brine and solid waste. New technologies, like vacuum membrane distillation, can be deployed to eliminate the final volumes of liquid waste. Water treatment specialist QFS provides advanced technologies from its global water technology partners. QFS’s local capabilities in design, manufacture, and implementation – combined with the technology advancements from Australia, Europe, and the USA – provide cost-effective solutions. With new additions to its portfolio, like tubular microfiltration and vacuum membrane distillation, QFS can provide unique process solutions.

MINE WATER

Smart engineering

beats slimes costs In Africa, slimes dam liners are often improperly specified or non-existent. As environmental enforcement becomes more stringent, the need for drainage and liner management has increased. But, methods can be costly or take up too much land; FRANCES RINGWOOD investigates a solution.

OCAL environmental management company I-Cat Environmental Solutions has come up with a cost-effective way to dry out slimes dams, so geosynthetic liners can be installed or replaced, without having to pay for expensive electromechanical filtration or find land for solar ponds. “This year, we’ve launched our own proprietary technology, the I-Vap series of water atomisation evaporators. These come in three standard sizes, the I-Vap 250, the I-Vap 500, and the I-Vap 1 000. The number after the series name stands for the amount of cubic litres of water that each unit can treat per day,” explains Morné Wyk, I-Cat technical manager. “The evaporation rate of the process is 14 times more effective than solar ponds,” he adds.

Case study

Prior to designing its own evaporators, I-Cat imported foreign units and found that the basic principles could be reengineered to better serve South African market conditions. “We launched our first I-Vap 500 earlier this year, at a gold mine on the East Rand.

Water at the site was found to be highly acidic and the client wanted a way to achieve greater environmental sustainability. That unit has exhibited excellent performance for several months, as a result of a number of technical innovations,” explains Wyk.

Built for Africa

“One of I-Vap’s significant design features is its bellmouth inlet and outlet cone being made from carbon composite materials, eliminating product fatigue and damage caused by aggressive effluent. Using composite materials is particularly important, as other evaporation units available on the market are manufactured using galvanised steel, which deteriorates rapidly in acidic fluid applications,” says Wyk. In addition, the unit is lightweight and wheel mounted, so it can be moved from one site to another. I-Vaps can also be linked to a mini weather station, via a programmable logic controller, so as to react to heat, humidity, and wind. This enables the unit to automatically switch off when it rains, saving electricity. Also, when wind speeds are high, the fan

Morné Wyk, I-Cat technical manager

housing automatically oscillates its spray away from set locations, preventing contamination of settlement areas and sensitive environments. Perhaps the most impressive design feature is the I-Vap’s dual-nose cone. Air is forced through the outer barrel, so water droplets propelled from the cannon are wrapped in an envelope of moving air. This means droplet dispersion retains the distance of similar products (up to 110 m) using about half the electricity. The unit can also be combined with a variable speed drive, which further reduces the I-Vap’s energy consumption. In addition, once an evaporation project has been completed, the unit can be repurposed for dust suppression. With all of these unique features, the question is not whether mine and environmental managers can afford to evaporate their slimes but, rather, whether they can afford not to?

JULY/AUGUST 2015

Change that

doesn’t cost the earth

ENVIRONMENTAL S

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18 Voortrekker Street eMalahleni South Africa info@enbitec.co.za

www.enbitec.co.za Enbitec is a South Africa-based company that has established itself in the Environmental Sector throughout Africa, specialising in Water Treatment Processes. Enbitec developed an Integrated Water Cycle Management Process that focuses on reusing and recycling water sources through its dedicated treatment systems, ranging from Mechanical Processes to Biological Processes. Regardless of the contamination source in water, Enbitec has the capability to treat and reuse the efﬂuent. Our in-house team of experts, with more than 45 years’ combined experience in water process engineering, offers the client a unique skill set to ensure a tailor-made solution that is both cost-effective and sustainable. Enbitec has successfully designed, manufactured, and installed various types of water treatment processes in more than 15 African countries.

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Wash Bays

Bioremediation

+27 (0)861 22 22 99 | +27 (0)13 656 4438

Containerised Wastewater Treatment Plant

PANEL DISCUSSION ENBITEC ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS

Lourens Redelinghuys Key Accounts Manager

Roland Du Plessis Technical Sales

What specific products and components does your company provide and what associations does the company boast?

LR & RP We specialise in various environmental solutions, with a specific focus on wastewater treatment processes such as sewage and wastewater treatment, water filtration and purification systems, effluent separation systems, and vehicle wash bay systems. With our wastewater treatment plants, we offer a range of systems suited to the client’s needs, budget, and preferences. Our offering includes above-ground plastic tanks, below-ground fibreglass tanks, and civil constructed and containerised systems. We also have a DIY range for small households and developments, which are supplied in a kit form, enabling easy client installation. We have installed numerous plants across South Africa and various African countries. We also have the capacity to perform solid waste management functions – including asbestos removal – as we are part of the Interwaste Group. Our asbestos removal services include assessments, management plans, safe removal and packaging, transportation, and safe disposal. We are accredited by the Department of Labour tor the removal of asbestos-containing materials. We are also accredited members of WISA and the Green Building Council of South Africa, and we are SADC export registered.

How does your organisation work with clients to ensure the best

solution is provided, at the right cost, for the correct application?

The process starts off with a consultation with the client or consulting firm – determining their exact requirements and the project parameters. Plant sizing and calculations will start the internal process, followed by a proposal and follow-up consultations, if needed. We also routinely consult with other professionals such as process, mechanical, and civil engineers. This ensures that we stay on the forefront of technological advances and assists with enhancing our product offering.

What systems or technologies does your company offer and how do the benefits translate to clients?

We have introduced microbubble diffusing in our wastewater treatment systems, which ensures a high transfer of dissolved oxygen, ensuring optimal biological action. Our systems have a shorter retention period, thus allowing for smaller plants, which reduces footprint and cost. We also use bacteria and enzymes that assist in the breakdown and digestion of sludge, ensuring optimal efficiency and virtually no sludge build-up. We offer various solutions for the treatment of water to reusable standards, whether for potable or process applications, through a wide spectrum of filtration and treatment processes. Our automated vehicle washing solutions offer some of the world’s best technology, and we offer a touchless wash system for mining, transit, and rail

transit systems. We also offer a full effluent separation and recycling system, which recovers 90% of wash water for reuse.

What are the advantages of your market offering over similar products?

Due to the fact that we offer a range of solutions tailored to clients’ needs, we can propose the most cost-effective solution. As we are an OEM (original equipment manufacturer), we control the quality of our systems and products, and even test all plants before shipment. Our wastewater treatment plants require minimal maintenance, saving clients money in the long run. The systems do not require fulltime staff and, in some of our high-end plants, we have installed remote monitoring systems. We are currently working on a web-based program to enable us to monitor any plant or system 24/7, either via a computer program or smartphone app. We have an extensive agent network in Africa and, due to our association with Interwaste, we also have local bases in many South African cities and in countries like Mozambique and Mauritius.

Transport can be one of the biggest cost drivers in the packaged treatment plant market; how do you assist in this area and what are some of your other valueadded services?

We have specifically designed the containerised plants with this in mind,

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as shipping containers is far more cost-effective than shipping tanks. The containerised plants suit African conditions, as they are robust, easy to load and offload, and can be moved to different sites. The system is based on a plug-and-play principal, where feedwater and electricity are easily connected and the system ready to go. On other systems, or smaller plants, we use either our own fleet or reputable transporters to transport our systems across Africa. We have experience throughout Africa and can offer turnkey solutions for any requirement.

How do you ensure that plants release effluent to the standards required by local legislation?

Particular care is taken when we design our plants to comply with South Africa’s legislated water standards. A safety factor is also allowed for, to ensure that legislative parameters are not exceeded at peak flow. We also incorporate measures to ensure that flow does not exceed safe plant design levels. High-quality mechanical components are used to ensure minimal operational failure. We recommend a maintenance contract to our clients, which includes sampling discharge effluent. The samples are analysed by an independent, accredited laboratory and made available to the client, which assists them with in water-use licensing and data. We also review the analysis and take corrective actions immediately, if required.

PANEL DISCUSSION

TOTAL WATER SOLUTIONS

Solving life-cycle aggravations A typical rotating biological contactor unit supplied by Total Water Solutions

What products do you offer to meet the needs of the sewage package treatment plant market? How do they work, and what are the quality indicators clients must know about?

JW Our RotoClear package plants use the rotating biological contactor (RBC) process that was recently selected as the preferred process by the Department of Public Works for small wastewater treatment works. These turnkey plants span personnel requirements ranging from 5 to 200 persons. The larger units can be provided to run in parallel, making capacities limitless. We also provide add-on package systems that can easily be installed to augment existing septic tanks or plants that do not meet required discharge standards.

Designed to overcome the challenges that crop up in the operating life of any wastewater treatment technology, Total Water Solutionsâ€™ RotoClear plants provide a simple purification method that is cost-effective and requires no special skills to operate and maintain. Managing member John Wellard discusses the company's offering.

What services does your company offer to support this product?

We offer a five-year maintenance plan and our systems are provided with smart communicators that can be linked to us and other interested parties for fault reporting.

What are some of the biggest challenges regarding the selection, delivery, and ongoing maintenance of appropriate solutions?

The lack of qualified operators and maintenance personnel across the Southern African region is well documented. Also, local government and private owners have little spare cash to operate and maintain wastewater treatment infrastructure. This makes the RBC process stand out for its long-term

operation and maintenance costs, which are estimated at 80% of that of activated sludge processes. One of the main factors influencing this saving is lower electricity costs.

suit the clientâ€™s needs and we provide a total package solution. TWS does not believe in pre-engineered products because they are not suitable for every application.

How does your product overcome these challenges?

Could you share any exceptional life-cycle or performance achievements of these units?

Our systems are simple, being low-tech, low-maintenance, and having low environmental impact, low power consumption, and needing low operator input and little space. They are also self-regulating and provide a consistently high quality of treated water that can be reused for irrigation, toilet flushing, and other non-potable purposes. Additionally, residuals, like sludge, are reduced. This makes RBC perfect for treating any domestic, municipal, or industrial wastewaters. Moreover, each and every plant is custom-designed to

Our installation at Pebble Rock Golf Estate is notable for its 11 years of unproblematic operation, yielding a consistent high standard of treated water. Similarly, our plant at the Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate has provided 10 years of consistently impressive results. In both cases, the whole life-cycle cost of the equipment can be easily calculated and is far less than other processes, including the removal and safe disposal of sludge and other by-products.

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www.totalwatersolutions.co.za

Sustainable solutions for a greener future t +27 (0)11 024 9327 f +27 (0)86 536 7205 info@totalwatersolutions.co.za

PANEL DISCUSSION OZONE SERVICES INDUSTRIES

Package treatment plants According to Ian Wright, managing director of Ozone Services Industries (OSI), product adaptability and versatility are essential when it comes to containerised water and wastewater treatment solutions. FRANCES RINGWOOD talks to Wright about what makes OSI’s offering stand out. What specific products and components does your company provide?

IW Ozone Services Industries offers quality and proven containerised water and sewage treatment plants, including professional installations and commissioning with outstanding backup and service. Appropriate SLAs ensure continuous operation and quality water. Components include: • 40 ft containerised septic tanks (45 000 ℓ capacity) • 40 ft containerised complete sewage treatment plants (capable of serving a 60-man camp) • 40 ft containerised bioreactors (45 000 ℓ capacity) to suit 100-man camps, when combined with an external clarifier and disinfection tanks • 20 ft containerised customised water treatment plants specified to rawwater analysis, supplied by the end user.

What types of water do your plants treat; are they adaptable, and how are they specialised?

Our systems can treat raw water and wastewater containing any organic waste – the design and sizing can be adapted to the characteristics and volume of the waste.

In the case of sewage treatment, our containerised plants use the proven submerged media concept, developed by Clearedge over the last 20 years. The system incorporates their patented Whale Tooth aeration system. Advantages of OSI’s system over other technologies such as activated sludge are: minimisation of sludge; rapid reseeding of bacteria after a plant has lain idle; massive electricity savings, due to the use of water pumps for aeration and not blowers; relatively quiet operation; very little odour; and ease of operation and maintenance. In the case of water treatment, every plant will be different. For this, it is essential to obtain a water analysis of the raw water, in order to design a suitable plant and to avoid uneccesary high costs and difficult maintenance. Design elements could include reverse osmosis (RO), and ultra-, sand-, or carbon filtration, combined with ultraviolet, chlorine, or ozone for disinfection.

What are the advantages of your offering over other similar products?

OSI’s containerised plants are easily transported and assembled on-site. Very little civil works are required, as

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the containers can be positioned on concrete blocks underneath each corner – this applies to our septic tank as well. In addition, all of OSI’s sewage treatment plants and water treatment plants can be remotely monitored

Every plant will be different and it is essential to obtain a water analysis of the raw water, in order to design a suitable plant

and controlled, to avoid mismangement and ensure continuous quality discharge where it’s needed.

www.ozonize.co.za

INTRODUCING BIOZONE PORTABLE SEWAGE AND WATER TREATMENT REVOLUTIONARY Fully integrated sewage treatment plant in 1 x 40 ft container and a 20 ft capable of treating sewage from a 200 man camp (40000 litres per day). Modular options for larger camps.

SUBMERGED MEDIA REACTORS USING PATENTED CLEAREDGE WHALE TOOTH TECHNOLOGY The STP (Sewage treatment plant) will take sewage from a septic tank (can also be supplied in a 40 ft container) and treat it through 3 X bioreactors, a clariﬁer and disinfection tank to General Limits standards suitable for irrigation or reintroducing to dams or rivers. Ozone or chlorine disinfection.

sales@ozonize.co.za • 0861GOZONE • + 27 791 4403

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

Park Station’s

sewer sensation

RASA CORPORATE REAL Estate Solutions (Prasa CRES) hired Trenchless Technologies (TT) on a contract to rehabilitate sewer and stormwater reticulation systems at Park Station in Johannesburg. After assessing leading market solutions, TT awarded SMEC South Africa the design consultant contract on this major project. The Park Station sewer network refurbishment showcased SMEC South Africa’s total solutions package – from initial investigation, preliminary design report, and construction drawings to overseeing the entire construction process.

Conventional trenching

Conventional trenching techniques were not an option, as the line that had to be replaced ran underneath the railway lines at Park Station. HDD has a minimal impact on the surrounding area, making it ideal for a range of applications and soil conditions. The HDD process involves three main stages: drilling a pilot hole, enlarging (pre-reaming) the pilot hole, and the pull-back installation of the carrier pipe. Uncontrolled or unguided drilling can result in damage or unforeseen complications, meaning it is vital to track the

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+27 (0)86 006 6344 info@trenchless.co.za www.trenchless.co.za

Industry leaders opted for horizontal directional drilling (HDD) for the refurbishment of the Park Station sewer network. This is a steerable trenchless method of installing underground pipes whenever trenching or excavating is not practical. BY MEGHAN BRINKLEY, SMEC SOUTH AFRICA

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

An overview of the railway platforms where the HDD process was carried out perpendicular to the tracks. The excavation on the upper left is the location of the connecting manhole

drilling head when drilling the pilot hole on the designed path.

Maintaining slopes

Another important consideration is to maintain the designed slopes along the drilled path. The borehole is supported by a bentonite drilling fluid that prevents it from collapsing. The iTrack system, from

Radiodetection, was used to locate the bore head and keep it on track, providing the operator with accurate data on tilt angle, roll position, depth, remote left/right steering, and alarm conditions. Soil conditions are critical, as voids or incomplete rock layers can render HDD impractical. It also affects the type of heads used in the pilot-hole process. A geotechnical investigation at Park Station using GPR (ground-penetrating radar) showed no anomalies along the designed path. The TT construction team used HDD to drill a new 160 mm Ă˜ HDPE pipeline diagonally underneath the train tracks at Park Station, in order to connect the existing manhole with the new main-line manhole constructed on platforms PF11 and PF12. A new 250 mm Ă˜ HDPE line was also drilled from the new manhole on PF11 to PF12, to the municipal connection manhole under Harrison Avenue bridge. JULY/AUGUST 2015

Wastewater flow rates

SMEC South Africa used sewer logging equipment to measure effluent flow over peak flow periods, readings of which were compared to typical wastewater flow rates from commercial sources as per the Guidelines for Human Settlement Planning and Design and correlated accordingly. It is also important for the sewer line to have sufficient slopes and pipe diameters for an acceptable flow velocity and maximum flow rate. If this is not taken into account, the sewer will not be self-cleaning and the entire system will fail. To simplify maintenance and construction, the pipe diameters were kept constant over considerable lengths, even though there were slope changes. This ensured that the pipe diameter remained adequate for the slope of each sewer section.

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY LEFT Construction of a new sewer manhole in-between the railway tracks at Park Station in the Johannesburg CBD BOTTOM LEFT Pulling the new HDPE pipe (for the HDD line perpendicular to the tracks) into the drilled hole RIGHT Manhole construction on the Park Station train platforms. A major constraint was that the railway lines had to remain operational at all times

HDPE pipe pressure

The original pipe specified for the sewer lines from MH8 to MH7 and MH7 to MH5 was a 250 mm Ø HDPE pipe with a pressure rating of PN6. This was increased to PN8 during implementation, which meant the inside diameter was reduced to allow for the increased wall thickness. The pipe specified originally would not withstand the tension while being pulled through the claying material during the HDD process.

Hence, the manhole first had to be cleaned out in order for a proper survey to be conducted. SMEC South Africa and Prasa CRES technicians found that the major problem with the sewer line was a severe blockage directly below an operational railway line. The blockage resulted in sewage overflowing out of the sewer line and into the stormwater line, resulting in an environmental and health hazard.

Initial investigation

Easy accessibility

The initial investigation was aided by a single-plan-view drawing from Prasa CRES indicating the known position and layout of the sewer reticulation at the station yard. The investigation comprised four components: • the outfall sewer line into which the reticulation of the station drains • known problem areas within the station yard, clarity on reticulation connectivity and current, and possible future connection points to the outfall sewer system • all service ducts for their current and possible future use to convey internal sewer and stormwater drainage • all known stormwater issues. The outfall sewer was identified as running along Harrison Avenue in the direction of the Johannesburg CBD. This was a 250 mm connection, with three manholes located along the line. Another such outfall manhole, under Harrison Avenue bridge near the signalling offices, was identified as a possible connecting point for the new sewer line at Park Station. However, years of blockage had resulted in the deposition of a sludge layer inside the manhole. This hampered the determination of crucial design data such as the true depth, flow rate, and size of the sewer line.

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In order to prioritise effective maintenance, the new reticulation network was structured for easy accessibility. Therefore, SMEC South Africa’s design consisted of the following elements: • repairs on existing sewer pipes inside sewer ducts; inspection-eye points were installed and joints adequately sealed • all sewerage flowing from the above shopping outlets and toilets between PF1 to PF10 is now collected by four 110 mm Ø uPVC pipelines, supported by a service tray for easy access and visible inspection – it is important that these pipelines run parallel to the train tracks and do not cross the train power lines at any point • four 110 mm Ø uPVC pipelines drop vertically and offload sewerage into platform manholes, as well as a new manhole constructed on PF9 to PF10.

Summing up

The project was completed within budget and by the due deadline. Commuters were not inconvenienced, due to the use of non-intrusive methods, and the Park Station sewer rehabilitation signals another win for successful trenchless technology projects completed in South Africa.

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY A glass-reinforced polyester (GRP) segmental sliplining sewer rehabilitation in Langa, Cape Town, has overcome numerous site challenges to finish ahead of schedule. FRANCES RINGWOOD finds out more about this incredible achievement.

N MARCH THIS year, at Johannesburg Water’s Zandfontein Depot, the winner of this year’s Joop van Wamelen Award of Excellence for 2014 was announced by the Southern African Society for Trenchless Technology (SASTT). The winners were the City of Cape Town, engineering firm Aecom, and contractor Mainline Civil Engineering for the rehabilitation of the egg-shaped Langa Interceptor Sewer using GRP segmental sliplining technology.

Project background

In the tendering phase of the project, both cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) sliplining and GRP segmental sliplining were initially considered, but this was amended to CIPP – allowing tenderers the option to submit alternative tenders based on the GRP segmental sliplining technology. During adjudication of the tenders by Aecom, the GRP segmental sliplining technology proved to be more cost-effective than CIPP. Henk Aartsma, water and wastewater lead at Aecom, was present at the award announcement to discuss the project

In the tendering phase of the project, both cured-in-place pipe sliplining and GRP segmental sliplining were initially considered. During adjudication of the tenders, the GRP segmental sliplining technology proved to be more cost-effective

Trenchless

wins the day

with industry leaders. “The award has been given for the second phase of the Langa Interceptor Sewer rehabilitation. One of the factors that made this portion of the project challenging was the fact that tight timelines had come into effect as a result of the sewer traversing a heritage site,” explains Aartsma. Above ground, ceremonial circumcision is performed at certain times of the year. Other constraints included excessive siltation from stormwater infiltration and surging, due to loadshedding and power outages.

Henk Aartsma, water and wastewater lead at Aecom

Background

Many of the obstacles that needed to be overcome in the course of the rehabilitation project were due to the fact that the sewer features an egg-shaped or ‘parabolic’ design – used in the Cape, about 75 years ago, for combined sewer and stormwater systems. Such designs are still popular in Europe today. However, due to the advanced age of the Langa sewer system, the project team could find no as-built plans for this sewer. Due to numerous collapses on a similar sewer, the city knew that rehabilitation was needed.

Phase II specifics

Located north of the N2 national highway and adjacent to Bhunga Avenue, the original egg-shaped sewer JULY/AUGUST 2015

was constructed as a cast in situ concrete conduit. After conducting a man-entry inspection and investigation, the sewer was found to be badly corroded, due to hydrogen sulfide gasses and associated sulfuric acid attack. “Since this was originally a combined sewer/stormwater system, separation of the two systems, in the 1940s, had resulted in ample capacity for sewage conveyance. The length of the particular portion for rehabilitation was about 390 m long, the dimensions vary slightly, but typically it was 1 350 mm high by 900 mm wide,” explains Aartsma. “The fact that the sewer was originally cast in situ concrete meant there wasn’t any formal steel reinforcement,

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TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM Coins taken out of the existing pipe The original concrete pipe showed high sediment loads and moderate encrustation Workers lowering the GRP on-site

apart from just a light mesh. Furthermore, during the investigation, high sediment loads and moderate encrustation was found.”

Construction method

Photos by Gustav Diedericks

According to Gideon Lesia, director of Mainline, “The team had to excavate next to the manholes, to create access pits, by removing a portion of the crown on the existing egg-shaped concrete pipe. Then the GRP egg-shaped segments needed to be trolleyed into place. These entered into the existing sewer pipe via the newly created access pit next to the manhole position and in some cases the breach between manholes was well in excess of 100 m. “From there, segments needed to be wedged inside and then joined using an epoxy. The segments required wedging to prevent buoyancy during grouting. Following that, the jointing for each panel had to be done and then the annulus between the old concrete pipe and the new GRP liner was grouted up using a highly specialised cementatious grout mix.”

Siltation

TYPE OF TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY DISCUSSED IN THIS STORY

• CIPP uses a resin-filled tube, which needs to be cured in place using ultraviolet light, steam, or ambient dr ying. • GRP segmental sliplining is a technique that pushes sections of pipe into place and, then, the space between new and old pipes is grouted with a binding material. The effect is that the new and old pipes’ structural integrity are mutually reinforcing.

Prior to the project’s commencement, the City of Cape Town had undertaken to clean the sewer using the constant bucketing method. However, this could not clear out all of the siltation that had built up. “What we already knew from our investigations, during the first phase of the project, is that a very high percentage of Langa’s stormwater is being channelled into the sewer. This results in windblown sand from above ground getting washed into the sewer system,” explains Aartsma. The project required over-pumping of the sewer during rehabilitation, and, for protection of the pumps, a screening system was JULY/AUGUST 2015

used inside the existing sandtrap. Just a few of the items discovered in the sandtrap were a computer screen, tyres, a handrail, a dust bin, a fan belt, and even a couple of old coins from the 1960s. For the GRP segmental sliplining technology, and based on the egg-shape profile of the sewer, the team couldn’t use the ASTM F1216 standard practice guidelines for rehabilitating pipelines; so, instead, they used the WRC's Sewerage Rehabilitation Manual – 4th Edition. “We are aware that the fifth edition has since been published but, at the design stage of the project, only the fourth edition was available,” says Aartsma.

Tight timelines

Due to above-ground cultural initiations on-site, the team could not could not work from 1 November to the end of February (four months). They also couldn’t work from 1 June to the end of August (another three months). In total, seven months of construction time were lost because access to the site was prohibited during those times. “So, we’ve had only five months to work: three months from in between February and June, and two months between August and November. “Now, obviously, to put out the tender and then plan the project, in terms of the municipal financial years, to procure the materials from overseas and ship it here was quite a challenge, in view of the limited accessibility to the site. What we needed to do was to coordinate implementation of the project – in terms of appointing the contractor, placing the order for materials, and then doing the actual work – in this window period,” explains Aartsma. Fortunately, there were no shipping delays or insurmountable contract difficulties, so the project was completed on 27 May last year, before the due completion date of 18 June. It cost just R10.1 million. This saw a neat conclusion to what had been an extremely challenging project.

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

Digging No Dig in SA Whether South Africa wins a bid to host the international version of No Dig 2018 will be a deciding factor in the South African Society of Trenchless Technology’s (SASTT) decision to host its regular local No Dig conference in either 2016 or 2017. BY FRANCES RINGWOOD

T THIS YEAR’S 24th annual general meeting of SASTT, its president, Sam Efrat, announced South Africa’s bid for the 2018 international No Dig conference, held by the International Society for Trenchless Technology (ISTT). “SASST will be represented at the international No Dig conference being hosted in Istanbul, Turkey, this September, where we would like to submit our bid to host the annual ISTT No Dig event for 2018,” said Efrat. If SASTT were to be successful in its attempt, South Africa’s local economy would benefit from an influx of international visitors, business networking opportunities, and also tourism awareness and spending.

Past experience “A highlight of 2014 was our No Dig South Africa, held at the CSIR International Convention Centre, on 29 to 30 July. There were 85 delegates registered, compared to 70 in 2011. Twenty companies exhibited and the standard of the local and international presentations was excellent. At the event, we had Dr Dec Downey and Dr Sam Ariaratnam, both past presidents of ISTT. Given the success of the event, SASST is considering holding another such event in 2016, although it may take place only in 2017, in order to accommodate key members’ existing commitments. SASTT members have also suggested that if No Dig were to be held in either 2016 or 2017, Cape Town would be an ideal venue, so that it could serve as a ‘dry run’ for the

Last year’s international No Dig in Madrid saw more than 1 000 visitors from 39 countries

potential international event – particularly given Cape Town’s attractiveness as a tourism destination. No Dig is an incredibly rich, informative event – it presents an educative opportunity for all involved in the dynamic and innovative discipline of trenchless technology. Last year’s ISTT No Dig in Madrid saw 325 delegates from 29 countries, as well as 1 000 visitors from more than 32 countries. In addition, there were 80 companies exhibiting. Hosting the event in South Africa would be a tremendous win for the local TT industry.

JULY/AUGUST 2015

Trenchless Technology Specialist

Our range of services include: • Pipe Bursting • Horizontal Directional Drilling • Pipe Rehabilitation

• Pipe Ramming • CCTV Inspection • Dewatering

• HDPE Welding • Deep Excavation and Shoring • Underground Service Detection

• Slip Lining

• Industrial Pipe Cleaning

• Close-fit lining: COMPACT PIPE

For more information you can contact us: +27 (0)21 761 3474 F +27 (0)21 797 1151 E info@tt-innovations.co.za www.tt-innovations.co.za

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

Brewing better

pipe replacement

When a Namibian beer house needed its drainage pipes replaced, with minimal disruption in the factory overhead and no downtime, the use of in-place pipelining provided a simple, cost-effective answer that kept the beer brewing. BY DAVID WADE*

RADITIONAL PIPE replacements result in business disruptions, drawn-out project schedules, messy construction sites, and escalating expenses. In order to prevent the loss of productive factory time, SABMiller selected trenchless technology as a long-term repair solution for failing underground drain pipes at its brewery in Okahandja, Namibia. Although the pipes are located beneath the brewing process plant’s heavy machinery, brewing tanks, and concrete floor, South African pipe repair company Nu Flow’s patented pull-in-place process – called Nu Drain – did not cause any business downtime and prevented loss of revenue.

Project background

About 100 m of 110 mm, 160 mm, 200 mm, and 250 mm polyvinyl chloride (PVC) drain pipes were required to repair. The pipes are located under epoxy-coated 30 megapascal concrete slab floors, beneath the plant’s heavy tanks and other machinery.

SIMPLE SOLUTION

In response to the customer’s need for no disruptions, fast rehabilitation, and ecological friendliness, Nu Flow used its innovative Nu Drain system for drainage pipes. Using this technology, the repair was completed within a fraction of the time that traditional pipe replacement projects take. Also, Nu Drain’s structural liner has a much longer life expectancy than brand new plastic pipes. The entire Nu Drain process was per formed using existing access points, so no proper ty destruction was caused.

The PVC piping could not withstand the flow of high volumes of hot and acidic water during brewing process discharges and had begun collapsing as a result. If the customer had chosen a traditional repair method, it would have caused a significant amount of damage and business downtime, which was unacceptable. In addition, SABMiller was looking for an eco-friendly solution that would create little to no waste.

Ease of installation

First, the underground drain pipes were inspected with a closed-circuit television camera to find cracks, shifted joints, blockages, and breaks. Next, the pipe was thoroughly cleaned using a micro cutter unit with special cleaning heads, ideal for removing scale build-up and blockages. Then, an epoxy-soaked liner was inserted into the pipes and inflated. Once Nu Flow’s high-temperature epoxy had cured, a protective and seamless structural liner was left inside the pipes – effectively reusing the host pipes and improving them to a better-than-new quality. JULY/AUGUST 2015

TOP SABMiller selected trenchless technology as a long-term repair solution for failing underground drain pipes at its brewery in Okahandja, Namibia ABOVE Before and after: epoxy coating pipes and curing them in place results in pipes that are stronger than new

The project was carried out at night, in between brewing process discharges, to prevent disruptions to the brewery’s operations. By working together, towards a common set of goals, both NuFlow and the client were able to complete the project within the exact confines of the brief. *David Wade is a product specialist at SA Leak Detection Distributions.

PIPES, PUMPS & VALVES

Fast retrofitting wins

T THIS YEAR’S Indutec Industrial Fair, which took place at the end of May at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Calcutta-based Pumpsense’s managing director, Himadri Sen, delivered an informative technical presentation on energy optimisation for pumping systems. The presentation detailed six specific areas for pump optimisation interventions, with the last section looking specifically at retrofitting and upgrading. While many of the other interventions are useful, Sen’s retrofitting and upgrading suggestions stand out for their potential to effect significant results with zero capital expenditure.

Background

Studies indicate that a significant portion of pumping systems run inefficiently, due to incorrect calculations of the pumps’ duties or selecting the incorrect pump. These studies also reveal that simple corrective measures can lead to energy savings of up to 30%. Energy optimisation in pumps, therefore, has a strong financial and environmental imperative. “We need to focus on pumps as a targeted area for energy interventions. Pump motors consume as much as 15% of the world’s electricity. Since pumps typically run between 15% and 40% below their best efficiency points (BEP), a significant portion of the world’s energy is being needlessly wasted. Pumps have to be highlighted for intervention because motor efficiency can only be improved by up to about 3%. The reason for there being so many poorly performing pumps in the field is that many pumping systems were designed in a time of energy abundance and can tolerate suboptimal parameters. However, energy is no longer as cheaply or widely available, and can account for as much as 90% of pumps’ total life-cycle costs,” said Sen. “There are 20 times more pumps in existing installations than are supplied new every year,” he highlighted. Upgrading and retrofitting are, therefore, the most productive areas of focus for achieving immediate and dramatic results.

RIGHT Calcutta-based Pumpsense’s MD, Himadri Sen, has more than 40 years’ experience in pumps

Upgrading and retrofitting

“A retrofit operation revives an old, worn pump, giving it new life through the identification and effective elimination of unnecessary losses,” explained Sen. As daily plant operations change, so too do pumping tasks. This means that systems will, at some point in their life cycles, generally need to have their pumps or controls optimised. “We also need to think about recycling components for overall resource efficiency. If you think about the casing on a large steel pump, for example, it takes a large amount of energy and water to create that steel component. Why replace a perfectly good casing after 40 years when that component can simply be retrofitted and reused, so as to be useful for another 40 years?” asked Sen. When is the right time to undertake a retrofit or upgrade? According to Sen, this is best done when suboptimal

BELOW Exhibitors gathered to discuss and share the latest innovation in pumps at this year’s Indutec trade fair

JULY/AUGUST 2015

Pumping systems account for 20% of the world’s electricity demand. In industrial plants, 25% to 50% of overall energy usage can be attributed to pumping systems. FRANCES RINGWOOD looks at some of the ‘quick wins’ for increasing efficiency, saving energy, and improving the bottom line.

PIPES, PUMPS & VALVES

New for old

performance is detected. There are a number of ways to identify this problem, including pumps making excessive noise and shaking, reduced bearing life and mechanical seal failure, high electric bills, cavitational damage, and shaft failure.

Quick wins

Some of the ways in which pump internals can be adapted to achieve more efficient performance include adjusting the volute throat, and under-filing or adjusting the impeller. “Adjusting the volute throat improves capacity above the original design point. Under-filing the impeller can result in a 5% increase in the head, near the best efficiency point. Adjusting the impeller width flattens the H-Q (head-to-capacity efficiency ratio) curve and improves capacity in the same manner as obtained through volute chipping,” said Sen. “Just by trimming the tip of the volute tongue, the total volute area would be increased, causing the pump’s BEP to shift to the right of BEP graphical representations,” explained Sen (see Figure 1: Volute tongue metal removal). Another effective retrofitting procedure is to perform impeller under-filing by removing metal from the underside of impeller vanes. “This increases the impeller discharge area, increases capacity proportional to the area and, again, shifts BEP to the right. Worth noting is that this intervention will have a more significant effect on pumps already at the BEP to the right.” There are a number of other impeller modifications that can be undertaken to improve performance. These include: cutting back vanes on the impeller inlet to improve the net positive suction head required to prevent cavitation; reducing impeller diameter; restoring the clearance of wear rings; cleaning, polishing, or coating vane passages; and increasing the impeller width to flatten its curve and increase capacity.

Impeller customisation

The procedure for retrofitting an impeller entails first carrying out condition monitoring, to establish the characteristics of a system and identify problem areas. An engineer or technician must then identify constraints – these include the pump’s prime mover rating, available net positive suction head, and range of operation. Measurements then

RETROFIT OBJECTIVES

Checklist for getting the most out of a retrofit project: • the achievement of energy efficiency • maintaining existing boundar y parameters (head and flow) with little or no alteration • using the maximum amount of original par ts to save time and money • r etaining existing drivers • little or no impact on the original footprint area • site inter faces, control instrumentation, pipework, and foundations • increasing the peak and off-design per formance; reducing blade-pass excitation at low flow rates, which reduces vibration • optimising inlet geometr y to achieve improved suction per formance.

JULY/AUGUST 2015

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PIPES, PUMPS & VALVES “We need to focus on pumps as a targeted area for energy interventions. Pump motors consume as much as 15% of the world’s electricity.”

FIGURE 1 Volute tongue metal removal

need to be carried out to determine the pump’s internal dimensions, the state of its internals, its design parameters, and materials selection. Next, the engineer or technician needs to calculate an estimation of the optimum performance of the new impeller and rotation element; this includes determining the H-Q characteristics of the pump, its energy consumption, suction behaviour, and off-peak behaviour. The final part of the process entails design, development, testing, and, finally, commissioning. “Some characteristics of custom-built impellers are that they embody the accumulated learning and experience of a particular pumping installation. Hence, this component is capable of delivering the most ideal solution in terms of operating efficiency. It will ensure hydraulic stability and mechanical reliability within the identified constraints,” explained Sen.

Summing up

The manifest benefits of retrofitting and upgrading include

FIGURE 2 Effects of volute chipping on pump performance curve

FIGURE 3 Impeller vane under-filing

JULY/AUGUST 2015

increasing pumps’ life cycles, optimising energy consumption, and reducing the chance of hydraulic and mechanical damages. This, in turn, results in an enhanced useful life for components, such as seal units and bearings, diminished chances of sudden pump failure, and better pump performance. “These end-user benefits are complemented by the fact that more-efficient pumps assist to conserve precious resources like water and electricity for the world’s environment and for our children’s future,” concluded Sen. For more information on how to make pumps more energy efficient, Pumpsense is holding a best practices seminar focusing on centrifugal pumps on 8 to 10 September 2015 at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg.

BELOW Bird’s-eye view of Pumps, Pipes & Valves Africa, one of 12 events that, together, made up Indutec 2015

PIPES, PUMPS & VALVES

OMPANIES LOOKING for vertical industrial turbine pumps need no longer search abroad for a supplier; these machines are being manufactured in South Africa. This reminder was issued recently by Gauteng-based APE Pumps, a leading supplier of this type of machine to the South and broader Southern African markets. Besides the convenience associated with dealing with a manufacturer in the same country, locally sourced pumps also carry the advantages of rapid response to service requests and a very short lead time on spare parts. Vertical industrial turbine pumps can be used in almost any municipal, industrial, or agricultural application.

Application-specific materials

Casings are generally made in high-quality, close-grained cast iron and have long radius water passages to give the best performance, in terms of efficiency and life. Casings in bronze and steel are also available.

Verticals made locally The impellers are of mixed flow design and can be either open-vane or shrouded, depending on the size. Shrouded impellers have long suction eye rings to deliver enhanced performance and longer life. They are usually fitted to the shaft by means of a taper sleeve, using a key, when the load requires it. Stainless steel shafts run in bearings that can be either product-lubricated or grease-lubricated under pressure, and column pipes are configured as either screwed or flanged steel – with suitable protection, according to the application. The discharge heads are rigid cast iron or fabricated steel bends, with spigotted seats for the thrust bearing and drive JULY/AUGUST 2015

motor stool, and contain the housing for the stuffing box. There is a choice of soft-packed glands, mechanical seals, or a glandless arrangement. APE Pumps designs its vertical turbine range for any type of drive, including electric motor, belt, gear and engine, or steam turbine.

Installation

The machines can be suspended in wet sumps, boreholes, rivers, steel tanks or dams, in dry pits – with a suction pipe connected to the bellmouth, or as a pot pump – with various positions of the inlet and outlet branches.

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PIPES, PUMPS & VALVES

Nerves of

steel

Does Group Five Pipe (G5P) manufacture most of its own pipe making, pipe handling and pipe testing equipment in house?

GB G5P manufactures spirally welded steel pipes, ranging from 610 mm to 3.5 m in diameter, using various steel grades up to 25 mm in thickness. Standard lengths are 12 m and 19.2 m, but any other length can be manufactured. We generally supply the larger-diameter pipes for bulk water reticulation, but another interesting application for these pipes is buildings piles. We recently supplied piles for the Ben Schoeman dock, built by Stefanutti Stocks, in Cape Town. In the process of making spiral-wound pipes, a spiral mill is used for welding a coil together until it forms a continuous tunnel. Our steel mills are made by Wilson Byard and imported from Scotland. All other machines used in the pipe manufacturing process are built locally in our factories; these include 30 tonne and 40 tonne gantries, machinery for shot blasting, spray booths for corrosion protection, and hydro-pressure testing equipment.

What do project managers or engineers need to know about the different ends available for your spiral-welded pipes?

Normally, a pipe is straight with a v-notched bevel end that prepares it for welding onsite, both externally and internally. However, on smaller-diameter pipes (~600 mm to 700 mm) it isn’t always safe for welders to go inside the pipe. In these cases, we recommend a bell-ended pipe with a spigot-and-socket joint. Contractors don’t need to get inside for welding, which is standard practice for largediameter pipe.

Is it possible to stiffen your pipes? How is this done, and what effect does it have on their performance?

G5P's involvement in pipe making extends beyond the manufacture of pipes to include a service for the design of the actual pipes needed for a specific project. It also proposes the best combination of steel thickness and grade, and selects the optimum design and stiffening-up of thin-walled pipes.

Steel pipes are used for high-pressure, bulk, and piling applications due to their impressive tensile strength and durability. FRANCES RINGWOOD spoke to Gerald Blackburn, Group Five Pipe general manager, about the piping giant’s recipe for success. G5P pioneered the inclusion of trapezoidal stiffeners used in thin-walled large-diameter pipes. For most low-pressure stormwater applications, concrete can be the best solution but in some cases, steel is the preferred option. For example, we’ve just completed a 8.6 km gravity-fed pipeline from the Vaal Dam to the Zuikerbosch pump station. That pipe didn’t need to have thicker walls, to resist water pressure but needed to be resistant to buckling in the event of a vacuum forming within the pipe. Our stiffeners increase the ratio of pipe diameter to wall thickness, ultimately reducing costs.

Corrosion will affect all pipes, of any material, under any situation. Can you tell us about the linings and coatings available to prevent pipe corrosion and which applications they are best suited for?

Our first pipes were bitumen-coated; bitumen is a by-product from the petroleum refining process and, so, it is not the core product of local suppliers. This meant that our plant was subjected to supplier shutdowns for planned maintenance at regular intervals. To overcome these conditions, we began importing Bituguard (polymer-modified bitumen), a Danish product that has far better performance properties than regular bitumen. Another coating we offer is polyurethane, which is applied to a thickness of 1.5 mm on JULY/AUGUST 2015

the outside of pipes. G5P introduced polyurethane coatings on an automated mass production scale for the interior and exterior of steel water pipes in Southern Africa. For the lining of smaller-diameter pipes, we apply a cement mortar lining. This is, again, because it isn’t safe for workers to go inside these pipes when doing field joints. However, the cement mortar lining is rigid, which is not ideal for larger-diameter pipes, which are more flexible. In these cases, we apply either polyurethane or solvent-free epoxy. In addition, higher-grade steels will generally have thinner walls, resulting in greater expansion and yield stress, again calling for an epoxy lining. Both epoxy and polyurethane linings can be 400 microns thick and designed to expand as needed.

How are your pipes certified and to what standards do they adhere?

All of our pipes are South African Bureau of Standards 719 certified and conform to American Petroleum Steel standards. However, most utilities in South Africa have their own standards and we can ensure that our products comply with any and all of these specifications. Over the years, G5P has developed a good reputation among its customers as a reliable manufacturer who offers consistent high-quality products, delivers products on agreed lead times, and whose products are easily accessible.

ME TERS

Encouraging citizen conservation With ‘water shedding’ looming over the South African service delivery landscape like a malevolent spectre, metropolitan municipalities and meter manufacturers have been forced to get smart, fast, when it comes to demand-side management. BY FRANCES RINGWOOD

OMMENTATORS ARE drawing parallels between the country’s recent energy supply disruptions and similar projected water shortages, which are likely to result from extended drought and lack of operations and maintenance spend. Government wants citizens to be involved in mitigation efforts but even those who want to be the ‘hero’ and save water are hamstrung by their inability to track and monitor household water usage.

Until now

A growing trend in utilities management has been the use of customer interface units (CIUs), which display domestic utilities data so that homeowners are empowered to manage their own volumes and spending. A further spin-off is that the system prevents water users from being hit with an alarming bill at the end of the month.

Local is lekker

Many such solutions have been rolled out overseas, but now they’ve come to South Africa – with the first pilot having been successful in Protea Glen, Soweto. Protea Glen’s system was rolled out by Johannesburg Water and developed by 100% black-owned local metering company Lesira-Teq, which is also notable for being the only company in the world to manufacture all smart components in-house. “It’s a real triumph for us; June marks a considerable milestone for the Lesira brand; it’s also our first anniversary as the Lesira Group of Companies – which includes the acquisition of the intelligent water metering system’s intellectual property,” says managing director Edwin Sibiya.

At the official launch of the new smart metering system, held at Lesira-Teq’s head offices in Pretoria, in June this year, Lesira-Manufacturing’s engineering manager, Leon de Beer, was on hand to explain its operation and benefits. “Meters are wirelessly connected to the CIU, which is a wall-mounted unit that makes it easy for property owners to monitor their water usage. Today, we are demonstrating our prepaid units, which show how much free basic water has been used, how much is still available, and displays usage in litres and cost. When free basic water runs out, credit can be purchased at all major retailers, fuel stations, ATMs, and online. We’ve also created a budgeting system, which allows users to pay off emergency water they might have used in a previous month as an adjustable deduction from newly bought water credit,” he explains.

Not just prepaid

Lesira-Teq’s Protea Glen pilot is notable for the fact that it integrates automated meter reading (AMR) technology, which is essentially a small, smart-enabled unit that can be affixed to meter readers’ vehicles so that they no longer have to go from door to door to read meter results. “You can imagine how much time this saves. The unit is capable of taking 1 000 readings per hour – the best rate for manual readings is about 150 per day,” says De Beer. It also addresses safety concerns because homeowners don’t have to let strangers on to their properties to read the meter. “The system is also hugely advantageous for personnel management, because we can map our results against JULY/AUGUST 2015

TOP Lesira Group of Companies MD Edwin Sibiya ABOVE Lesira-Manufacturing’s engineering manager Leon de Beer explains the CIUs’ operation and benefits to onlookers

a satellite image generated by the AMR’s GPS. This data makes it possible to track who was driving where and for how many hours. Additionally, the system highlights which houses in a given area have used low, medium, and high volumes, indicating who uses suspiciously little water (signifying possible theft) and who uses too much water, which might be the result of a leak or illegal business,” says De Beer.

Continuous R&D

Company chairman Baker Maseko credits the company’s continuous focus on R&D for its recent successes. “About 70% of our R&D budget is dedicated to innovation. We could not have created our CIU, AMR, and other impressive technologies without that continuous strategic focus.”

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ME TERS

Fast Low-Cost Meter Readings

Making the smart choice An Eastern Cape town has benefited from smart water metering technology, which has contributed to a reduction of water leaks and wastage, and ensured an increase in revenue for the municipality.

ANSENVILLE IS A town in Cacadu District Municipality, within the Ikwezi Local Municipality, that covers about 25 km2. The town has 1 600 residential units with approximately 6 000 residents. Early last year, Elster Kent Metering was approached by the Department of Water and Sanitation to provide a solution that would generate revenue from accurately recording the water used by residents and businesses in Jansenville.

Benefits of the technology

The solution presented was Elster Kent Metering’s complete automated meter reading (AMR) technology. The system is efficient, in that meter readers do not need access to a customer’s property in order to collect data. AMR technology offers a quick, efficient way to obtain meter readings without having to view the meter register, unless necessary. Mike Phillips, Elster Kent Metering’s Eastern Cape regional sales manager, explains: “Elster Kent Metering offers a broad range of intelligent metering solutions in the form of AMR systems. Our approach allows utilities to implement flexible, cost-effective reading systems that can be integrated into today's operations, with the added benefit of allowing the system to evolve as the utility grows, or as technology advances. “To read the 861 currently operational units in Jansenville now takes a total of 3.5 hours, with 100% accurate data being provided to the client,” says Phillips. ECNO, Elster Kent Metering’s AMR suppliers and installers for the Eastern Cape, installed 400 complete AMR units per month, using a team comprising four workers.

Accurate readings and revenue

Jansenville residents no longer have to rely on estimated water meter readings, as the readings now accurately reflect users’ actual consumption. Early leak detection, as a result of the installed meters, has helped to significantly curb water wastage. The project has also contributed to the upliftment of the community; ECNO has trained locals from Jansenville in the installation of the technology, and they now have the expertise to work on other such projects. From a municipal perspective, the project has improved revenue collection through accurate billing. Other benefits for the municipality include operating cost reduction, customer service enhancement and, most importantly, the conservation of precious water. The project has been completed in phases. According to Phillips, “Phase 1 included the town centre and business areas of Jansenville. Phase 2 included the rural and residential areas, and Phase 3 will comprise a continuation of these.” Commenting on future developments resulting from the Jansenville project, Phillips says, “We are busy with the completion of Jansenville and Klipplaat. Surrounding municipalities that have viewed Jansenville’s live system have seen its value and shown considerable interest.”

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The right team

Peter Artz, director of ECNO, adds, “We are very proud to be part of such a game-changing project. We have worked hand in hand with Elster Kent Metering, and have received incredible support from them.”

JULY/AUGUST 2015

Telephone: 011 470-4900 www.elstermetering.com

TRAINING

Learning versus training

OUTH AFRICA’S unemployment rate increased to 26.4% in the first three months of 2015, from 24.3%, in the preceding quarter. For the process automation sector, unemployment figures may not be as high, but this sector demands individuals with highly developed specialisations and superior technical competencies. For this sector, it is not only hard to get new, fully qualified staff, but the ones who are available are probably not the most experienced, having just completed their studies at the universities or technikons. Even in other parts of the world, where it is much easier to find new staff, the requisite qualification, combined with the necessary process experience, remains an issue.

Continuing career development

But, what happens to existing staff? The life cycle of technology is getting shorter and shorter. How does a technical person stay up to date? As for the process plants and factories, how can they be sure that they exploit today’s technology and field instruments? The modern cost-cutting efficiency requirements of plant availability, product quality, and safety are becoming key. Instrumentation technicians and engineers need to understand the complete life cycle of a plant, to ensure changes are introduced to maximise the sustainability of their process plant. Moreover, this change is no longer merely just a question of maintenance. Apart from hiring of new staff and acclimatising these members, another aspect needing attention is further education for staff. This raises the question of further training costs and tax incentives. How much does a company invest in further education and do they have any idea if the money is well invested? One can no longer ‘just attend’ training; one must learn

Process engineering isn’t simple, but the power of know-how can overcome all obstacles. CHRIS GIMSON* asks, ‘how can we impart information that is hard to digest in an easily accessible manner?’

and comprehend, while being able to use newly acquired skills the very next week in plant conditions.

Checks and balances

In the past, delivery of training meant companies made a check mark after a staff member attended a course and it was assumed that they had absorbed the knowledge and skills to perform better. In contrast, Endress+Hauser believes in a paradigm shift. Its focus is not on delivering a training course, but rather ensuring that learners really acquire new, applicable knowledge and skills. To ensure the success of such a programme, it uses an instructional system design model, which has been developed by the American Society for Training and Development (recently renamed to ATD, which stands for Association for Talent Development). The model is called ‘The Training Cycle’ and consists of five steps:

nalyse training needs: here we 1 A will do a gap analysis to clarify questions about the target group, necessary and existing preconditions, and other frame parameters. 2 Develop learning objectives: a learning objective is a specific performance statement about knowledge or skills that should be gained during the programme. These are essential because content-based learning objectives will be developed and the success of the programme will be assessed on these criteria. 3 Design the programme: in the past, most training courses were content-centric, with an ‘expert’ standing in front of the audience recounting everything they know, using 90 slides in a 60-minute presentation. I am actually reluctant to call something like this training, although it is not an unusual practice. In many of these cases, the question of whether the audience either needs or wants to hear this information is never asked. B 4+5 ased on a needs analysis, we develop only the necessary content, which will be transmitted in an interactive style, taking into consideration the latest findings about adult learning. These two final steps address implementation and final evaluation.

*Chris Gimson is the training manager at process automation firm Endress+Hauser. JULY/AUGUST 2015

TRAINING As well as ‘real life’ instrument and control operation, the Universal Training Rig also allows different field communication strategies to be presented via its use of a variety of different connections

Universal Training Rig

Endress+Hauser South Africa has addressed these needs and launched the Universal Training Rig (UTR) at the Africa Automation Fair, in May 2015. Purpose-built for Endress+Hauser South Africa at the company’s Application Training Centre in Reinach, Switzerland, the UTR uses 20 devices from the

(temperature changes), and injected compressed air (entrained gas) allow process conditions to be interrupted in a controlled manner, giving the trainee a practical perspective of the sensitivities of each instrument, operating under varying field conditions. All operational parameters, including instrument selection, are controlled via the integrated programmable logic controller and touchscreen display.

company’s extensive range of flow, level, pressure, and pH measuring instruments in a variety of flow and control loop configurations. The UTR’s integrated oil, water, acid, and alkaline reservoir tanks – combined with mixing and separation chambers – allow a huge range of flow, level, and pH conditions to be created through the different control loop strategies based on pressure, temperature, level, density, and pump speed primary values. While not emulating a production process of any specific industry, the UTR presents the application frame conditions in a way to offer a variety of training possibilities. An agitator (level disturbance), a heater element

Hands-on training

From June this year, Endress+Hauser has been offering two new, intensive, fiveday training courses targeted at technical plant personnel – from technician and engineer grades, right through to maintenance, engineering, and project management. The two courses cover all of the major process measurement classes – including level, flow, pressure, temperature, and analytical – starting from the principles of operation through to application topics such as meter selection, installation and application issues, and basic troubleshooting.

JULY/AUGUST 2015

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COMPE TITION WINNERS

WISA stars shine

ISA RECEIVED some impressive and inspiring responses to the competition. First place went to Keegan Coert, who made a great mural for his community; second place went to Jurien van der Westhuizen, who provided some great tips and ideas on how we can save water; and third place went to Dr Nelson Odume, who arranged a special event for the Eastern Cape Young Water Professionals (YWP) during Water Week.

First place: community mural

Coert’s contribution was a mural painted on a local park wall aimed at illustrating the difficulties women in rural communities face when collecting clean water for their families. “The mural shows two scenes: the first being the usual urban scenario where water moves through a typical municipal reticulation system to be directly and conveniently transmitted to private homes; the second scene depicts a rural scene where community members area forced to make the trip to the closest water source to collect meagre bucketfuls of water for all their essential needs. “The hope is that this mural will enlighten children visiting the park to the actual work that goes into collecting water and spark empathy for those less fortunate,” explains Coert. The park caretaker and local municipality assisted in fast-tracking the process, Plascon donated the paint, and Kantey & Templer Consulting Engineers sponsored the artist costs. “The most rewarding part of the process was seeing local children excitedly watching the mural being painted,” says Coert.

“We really love the effort she put into her model,” the judges commented.

Eastern Cape skills

The third prize winner was the YWP’s own Eastern Cape chairperson, Dr Nelson Odume, who worked with his committee to organise a one-day, action-packed Water Week event, including a panel discussion, leadership workshop, and a technical tour for YWPs in the province. Forty-five members attended the event, where Odume spoke about “the importance of World Water Day, in that it provides opportunities for young professionals to reflect on past and current developmental trajectories and to reimagine a better, secure, and sustainable alternative developmental path.” WISA and Water&Sanitation Africa congratulate all winners and thank them for raising awareness about key challenges faced in water management.

During National Water Week, WISA sent out a call for association members to send in a short submission about what they contributed towards Water Week 2015’s success. FRANCES RINGWOOD reports back on competition winners.

Modelling change

Van der Westhuizen is a young water professional. This grade seven pupil at Mount Richmore Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal not only provided a useful list of water saving tips, but also built a model for better domestic water management at home. Her plan includes grey water reuse and rainwater harvesting.

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM Jurien van der Westhuizen is a very young water professional, indeed, who was acknowledged for her domestic water saving project First place was won by Keegan Coert, for arranging this community mural that raises awareness about access inequality Members of the YWP-EC committee (from left to right): Mr Dan Abraham, Ms Louise Bryson, Dr Ntuthuko Masikane, Ms Prudence Mambo, Dr Nelson Odume, Mr Thato Mpholoane, and Dr Nosiphiwe Ngqwala JULY/AUGUST 2015

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September 15-18

PROCESS CONTROL

Level monitoring

made easy

Distributed level measurements using the GSM (Global System for Mobile) network give operators an accurate picture of contained liquids’ status at all times – allowing for total control and timely action.

new, universal, energy-optimised radio module with integrated data logger has become available to the Southern African market. The technology can be used to monitor groundwater levels, wastewater levels, and the filling levels of mobile tanks on vehicles. However, it also applies to completely different measurements from appropriate sensors with suitable output signals.

How it works

German measuring technology manufacturer Keller’s GSM-2 remote data transmission unit, with free PC software, allows users to conveniently observe levels, measurements and trends, and the capability to monitor limits from the comfort of their office. The cylindrical design of the GSM-2, with a diameter of just 48 mm, was

chosen so that the data logger, which ‘self-dials’ in accordance with user requirements, can be placed in the top of a normal two-inch-diameter sounding pipe used in groundwater measuring equipment. Installation takes mere seconds. The housing is designed to withstand condensation and being under water for short periods. In addition, the GSM antenna is covered with a lockable covering cap made from solid plastic. The data logger is therefore protected from theft and vandalism when level measurements are taken outdoors.

Energy efficient

Equipped with energy-efficient electronics and a robust lithium battery, the logger can send the results of 24 measurements to a PC or smart device for up to 10 years. The maximum

measuring speed is one measurement per minute. Two voltage inputs (0 V–2.5 V), two digital inputs, and a comprehensive interface for operating up to five level sensors – or, optionally, the SDI12 interface for water analysis units – make the GSM-2 data logger a universal data acquisition module for wide area networks.

Free software

The GSM2 DataManager, which is flexible, convenient and free, and takes over the key functions of a monitoring, acquisition, control, and organisation unit. By acquiring measurements, the GSM2 DataManager allocates them, displays them in graphical format, provides a signal when limits are exceeded, and then stores them in a mySQL database for which users do not require a licence.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS African Oxygen

Krohne

APE Pumps

Lepelle Northern Water

Coal & Waste Utilisation

Lesira Teq

Degremont

Mather + Platt

Elster Kent

MMI South Africa

Enbitech Environmental Solutions

NALCO

IFC

Ozone Services Indrustries

Pumpton

Quality Filtration Systems

Endress + Hauser Environmental Technology Forum Africa Gibb

8 54 9

47 OFC

SEW-Eurodrive SMEC South Africa

Total Water Solutions

Trenchless Technologies

TT Innovations

Veolia Water Solutions & Technology

Vermeer Equipment Suppliers

Vitacure

26 29

Group Five Pipes

Rainbow Resevoirs

WorleyParsons Water RSA

I-Cat Environmental Solutions

Re-Energise Africa

Water & Sanitation Services

Keller AG

SA Leak Detection Distributors JULY/AUGUST 2015

IBC

Xylem Water Solutions

OBC 10

We drive the water industry

SEW-EURODRIVE, a BEE company and one of the leaders in the field of geared motors, is now able to supply an Industrial Gear Unit that offers more efficiency for mixing and agitating applications with our MC range of Extended Bearing Distance (EBD) Industrial Gear Units. In process plants, large axial and radial forces occur at the agitator shaft during agitating processes. Traditional designs solve this problem with separate, external bearings that take on the function of the agitator shaft bearings, a solution that very often proves cost intensive. Our new EBD concept extends the bearing span across the low speed shaft and offers stronger bearings within the gear unit itself, which means that in many cases separate bearings are no longer required in the agitator or an over sizing of the gear unit can be avoided. These high torque MC Industrial Gear Units can be used for the reliable operation of mixers, mounting flanges, agitators and surface aerators.

SEW-EURODRIVE - Driving the world.

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

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Geared Motors \ Drive Electronics \ Drive Automation \ Industrial Gears \ Services

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