WATER STORAGE Water security needs forward planning and

Advances in technology in the water storage and water security space have provided urban planners, municipal and civil engineers, as well as professionals in the sector with innovative solutions that address the urgent need for water infrastructure development.

Considering turnaround times, cost, maintenance, upgrades and the prevention of water loss to secure this precious resource, there is a need to look to alternate solutions that tick all of the boxes and are less waterintensive in their construction process than concrete reservoirs.

“Africa is a water-scarce region, and we have witnessed how the urban centres in South Africa have been impacted by droughts and water service delivery challenges,” says Chester Foster, business sales director: SBS Tanks. “Businesses, urban and rural areas all require water storage solutions that are versatile, technologically advanced and deliver water fast. Professionals in the water space need to look for quicker and more cost-effective alternatives to concrete reservoirs for their water storage projects. Modular, bolted-steel-panel water tanks, which can be commissioned immediately and do not need road infrastructure in advance of their installation, are an ideal alternative.”

SBS Tanks recently completed the installation of five bulk water storage tanks at KwaGuqa township for eMalahleni Local Municipality, in the Nkangala District of Mpumalanga. Situated west of eMalahleni, the project involved meeting the immediate need to increase bulk water storage between the existing 10 Mℓ concrete reservoir and a 400 000 ℓ elevated tank that gravity feeds to the community. As part of the first phase, SBS Tanks installed two bulk water tanks, with a combined storage capacity of over 6 Mℓ. This stage has been running effectively and SBS Tanks recently completed the next step – the installation of an additional 9 Mℓ storage capacity. Due to age and decay, the existing water treatment plant will be decommissioned and the three newly installed bulk water tanks, which store over 3 Mℓ each, will be fed from a new water treatment plant. Once this plant comes online, the SBS ‘tank farm’, where five blue SBS Tanks stand within a securely fenced plot, will come into play and feed into the existing supply network via the elevated tank to the community.

Along with the short installation time, the reduced cost and immediate commissioning on-site, as well as the potable water liners that maintain the quality of the water stored within, the tank farm also offers the municipal team the benefit of not having to subject the community to water cuts during maintenance. Each tank in the project can be isolated independently for routine maintenance, resulting in a continuous water supply to the community.

For the past 25 years, SBS Tanks has delivered water storage tanks to the South African and global market, working continuously to keep abreast of technological advancements and adapt solutions to the needs of the various sectors served. SBS Tanks can assist its clients with their next backup, process, rainwater harvesting, bulk water, municipal or mine water storage project. Visit the SBS website for more information: www.thesbsgroup.com.