Water&Sanitation Africa November/December 2018

Inspiring passion for water!

The official magazine of

Water& Sanitation Complete water resource and wastewater management

Africa

Aveng Water

Desalination: affordable, reliable, sustainable

Sanitation

World Toilet Day

Trenchless Technology Unlocking economic growth

Wastewater

Optimising treatment November/December 2018 • ISSN 1990-8857 • R50.00 (incl. VAT) • Vol. 13 No. 6

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november/december 2018

CONTENTS Inspiring passion for water!

The official magazine of

Water& Sanitation Complete water resource and wastewater management

Africa

Aveng Water

Desalination: affordable, reliable, sustainable

SANITATION

World Toilet Day

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

WASTEWATER

Unlocking economic growth

Optimising treatment November/December 2018 • ISSN 1990-8857 • R50.00 (incl. VAT) • Vol. 13 No. 6

ON THE COVER Cape Town has put plans for a permanent desalination plant on hold following good rains and reports that the technology is simply too expensive.

However, there are feasible options for effectively bolstering water supplies. P6

Regulars

Editor’s comment Africa round-up

3 12

TRENCHLESS

Cover Story

Desalination: affordable, reliable, sustainable

4

pumps

WISA

NEWS

CEO’s comment 6 Chair’s comment 7 YWP 9

Sanitation

Ending the flush

18

www.sastt.org.za

42

SASTT Trenchless News

14

SASTT Trenchless News

CONTENTS

Trenchless technology builds capacity Pipes: purpose-engineered for trenchless Rapidly replacing Joburg’s sewers

18 21 23

Optimising Wastewater Treatment

An effective alternative for sludge removal Capacitating SA’s wastewater treatment plants Creating reliable wastewater systems

25 27 29

Innovative drainage solution Augmenting Makhanda’s water supply Operational simplicity with UF membranes

31 32 33

Water & Wastewater

Trenchless technology builds capacity

32

18

Pipes: purpose-engineered for trenchless

21

Rapidly replacing Joburg’s sewers

23

water & wastewater

Dams & Water Storage

The fight against invasive plants 35 Water: the Achilles heel of the municipal economy 36

Mine Water

A golden opportunity

38

Finance & Contracting

The answer to infrastructure delivery

40

Pumps

Using pumps to generate electricity Driving efficiency

42 44

Water Management

Planning and launching an integrated WSA WC/WDM project

45

14

40

sanitation infrastructure news

infrastructure4

financE & contracting

www.infrastructurene.ws

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NOV E MB E R /DE CEM BER 2018

Publisher Elizabeth Shorten Editor Danielle Petterson Managing editor Alastair Currie Head of design Beren Bauermeister Chief sub-editor Tristan Snijders Sub-editor Morgan Carter Contributors Lloyd Fisher-Jeffes, Lester Goldman, Derek G Hazelton, Valerie Naidoo, Herman Smit, Peter Townshend Client services & production manager Jayshree Maharaj Distribution manager Nomsa Masina Distribution coordinator Asha Pursotham Financial manager Andrew Lobban Printers United Litho Johannesburg t +27 (0)11 402 0571 Advertising sales Hanlie Fintelman t +27 (0)11 467 6223 | c +27 (0)82 338 2266 h.fintelman@telkomsa.net Publisher

Physical address: 150 Rivonia Road, Morningside, 2196 Postal address: PO Box 92026, Norwood, 2117, South Africa t +27 (0)11 233 2600 • f +27 (0)11 234 7274/5 alastair@3smedia.co.za ISSN: 1990 - 8857 Annual subscription: R330 (SA rate) subs@3smedia.co.za Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. All articles herein 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’s Vision

Inspiring passion for water

WISA Contacts: Head office Tel: 086 111 9472(WISA) Fax: +27 (0)11 315 1258 Physical address: 1st Floor, Building 5, Constantia Park, 546 16th Road, Randjiespark Ext 7, Midrand Website: www.wisa.org.za BRANCHES Central Branch (Free State, Northern Cape, North West) Chairperson: Dr Leana Esterhuizen Company: Central University of Technology Tel: +27 (0)51 507 3850 Email: lesterhu@cut.ac.za Eastern Cape: Chairperson: Christopher Maduma Company: Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Tel: +27 (0)41 506 7527 Cell: +27 (0)82 300 7044 Email: citm@live.com Gauteng Chairperson: Ashwin Seetal Company: CSIR Tel: +27 (0)12 841 3477 Cell: +27 (0)82 804 2852 Email: aseetal@csir.co.za KwaZulu-Natal Chairperson: Lindelani Sibiya Company: Umgeni Water Cell: +27 (0)82 928 1081 Email: lindelani.sibiya@umgeni.co.za Limpopo Chairperson: Mpho Chokolo Company: Lepelle Northern Water Cell: +27 (0)72 310 7576 Email: mphoc@lepelle.co.za Mpumalanga Chairperson: Lihle Mbatha (Acting) Company: Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency Tel: +27 (0)13 753 9000 Email: mbathat@iucma.co.za Western Cape Chairperson: Natasia van Binsbergen Company: AL Abbott & Associates Tel: +27 (0)21 448 6340 Cell: +27 (0)83 326 3887 Email: natasia@alabbott.co.za

editor’s COMMENT

Light at the end of the tunnel

W

hen government cut more than R1 billion in infrastructure spend from the budget in March, it seemed to plunge the already declining construction and civils sector into dire straits.

We have heard numerous reports of companies going into business rescue or liquidation, or undergoing largescale retrenchments. And while the construction sector did grow by 2.3% in Q2, this is coming off a low base following several quarters of negative growth.

This is largely tied to poor overall economic performance. I recently attended the SAFCEC Conference where economist David Metelerkamp stated that – based on income per capita – South Africa has essentially been in a recession since 2014, and the average South African has been getting poorer every year for the past five years.

Another alarming statistic was that South Africa’s listed contractors have lost more than 70% of their value over the last 10 years.

Given this, it comes as little surprise that construction sector confidence levels are at an all-time low. Almost 97% of respondents in the latest SAFCEC State of the Industry Survey were highly dissatisfied with conditions in the sector. CESA’s latest Bi-annual Economic and Capacity Survey also showed record lows in consulting sector confidence. This is the least confident consulting engineers have ever been since the survey began in the mid-90s.

Danielle

Transforming an industry Although large contractors have lost about 20% share of the industry ‘pie’, this gap has been filled by small and medium contractors, which fits in with government’s plans to grow SMEs. However, the SMEs, although not as badly affected, are now also feeling the pinch.

It is clear that a more diversified sector comprising companies of varying sizes is the future. It was therefore encouraging to see SASTT pushing for the creation of more SMEs in the trenchless sector at the recent No-Dig conference.

The keynote speaker, Neil van Rooyen, argued that by increasing the trenchless component of pipeline projects, more job opportunities would be created, the market would grow and new emerging contractors could be accommodated (read more about this on page 18).

If this can be successfully implemented and then replicated across industries, it could bring about some positive changes for the sector.

Government’s commitment And then there is the promise of the infrastructure fund. Presenting his stimulus package earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a R400 billion infrastructure fund to drive economic activity. “Infrastructure expansion and maintenance has the potential to create jobs on a large scale, attract investment and lay a foundation for sustainable economic expansion,” he said.

National Treasury has stated that the specifics of the infrastructure fund will be announced in the February 2019 Budget. This gives me hope for a more positive 2019, with a much-needed increase in government’s infrastructure spend.

On that note, I would like to thank all of you – our readers, contributors, advertisers and partners at WISA – for your ongoing support, and I wish you all an enjoyable holiday season and a happy new year.

Inspiring passion for water!

The official magazine of

Water& Sanitation Complete water resource and wastewater management

Africa

Aveng Water

Desalination: affordable, reliable, sustainable

Endorsed by SANITATION

World Toilet Day

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY Unlocking economic growth

WASTEWATER

Optimising treatment November/December 2018 • ISSN 1990-8857 • R50.00 (incl. VAT) • Vol. 13 No. 6

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, contact Hanlie Fintelman on +27 (0)11 467 6223, or email h.fintelman@telkomsa.net.

COVER STORY

Desalination

affordable, reliable, sustainable

Cape Town has put plans for a permanent desalination plant on hold following good rains and reports that the technology is simply too expensive.

However, there are feasible options for effectively bolstering water supplies.

Erongo Desalination Plant – Namibia

T

he capital and operational costs of desalination plants can often be seen as excessive when compared to increasing water storage capacity and waiting for rainy seasons. However, climate change means utilities can no longer be certain of the ‘normal’ rainfall patterns that have been experienced in the past.

This, coupled with global population growth and significant industrial development, means the availability of fresh water supplies is under great threat. Seawater desalination is, therefore, increasingly being considered a viable water resource for industrial and domestic consumption, ensuring that drinking water is available as and when required, explains Ashton Drummond, business development manager, Aveng Water.

Aveng Water offers desalination water treatment solutions to industrial, mining and municipal companies operating in coastal areas. According to Drummond, a model that has worked particularly well is for industry to utilise desalinated water, freeing up ‘traditional’ potable sources for the local communities.

It is around this concept that the company’s desalination plant in Namibia was developed. The 55 MLD Erongo Desalination Plant for Orano Mining Namibia is the largest of its kind in Southern Africa.

The plant was built to supply the Trekkopje Uranium Project, a low-grade, shallow uranium deposit that is mined

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NOV E MB E R /DE CEM BER 2018 November/December

by opencast methods. With the lack of ground- and surface-water resources as well as the associated water-intensive nature of mineral extraction, desalination was the only viable solution to support the development of Orano Mining Namibia uranium mine.

Aveng Water has invested in testing and implementing various cost-saving technologies to ensure that the life-cycle cost of any treatment plant is as low as possible, as well as bringing funding partners on board to remove the capital burden from the customer.

Located approximately 30 km north of Swakopmund, the Erongo seawater desalination plant began delivering water in May 2010. It is capable of delivering 54 000 million m3/year of treated water, which is pumped approximately 50 km through an overland pipeline to the Trekkopje mining site.

The Atlantic Ocean along the Namibian coastline is nutrient rich, contains plankton and other sea life, and is subject to incidents of red tide. The plant, therefore, uses 11 parallel ultrafiltration trains for pre-treatment, followed by nine parallel reverse osmosis trains.

Ensuring membrane longevity

Membranes are the largest consumable cost factor in a reverse osmosis desalination plant, and increasing their lifespan can significantly reduce operating costs. For this reason, membrane management is often a concern for the customer, explains Drummond.

“If the control and monitoring systems are not sufficient, the plant can very quickly get to a point where the required production is not possible; in extreme circumstances, membranes may become irrecoverable,” he says.

Aveng Water has many years of operational experience and currently operates four large-scale membrane plants, all of which have very different feedwaters. This has allowed the company to develop Sigma Ops, an in-house monitoring and control system with a track record that allows Aveng Water to offer five-year membrane warranties.

Middelburg Water Reclamation Plant – South Africa The MWRP was designed to be the world's first mine water treatment plant that produces zero brine, without the need for an energy-intensive brine treatment technology.

The project was completed in June 2015 and is designed to treat 20 000 m3/day, with a peak capacity of 25 000 m3/day.

The plant treats water with a 99.7% water recovery. Zero brine is achieved through expert membrane design, together with an exceptional operational team. Pure gypsum sludge from this plant is also available for sale as a building material.

COVER STORY

eMalahleni Water Reclamation Plant, Phases 1 & 2 – South Africa The eMalahleni plant was commissioned in 2007 to treat 20 000 m3/day of acidic mine water and has consistently produced high-quality potable water at a water recovery of 99% to 99.5%.

The plant has since been upgraded to treat a peak of 25 000 m3/day from Anglo American Thermal Coal's Greenside, Kleinkopje, South Witbank and Navigation collieries, with a further expansion recently commissioned in the form of EWRP Phase 2. This upgrade has allowed Aveng Water to showcase its operational expertise by managing two large AMD water treatment plants alongside each other, with vastly different feedwater qualities.

This flagship plant, which produces drinking-quality water for the local municipality, is the recipient of several industry awards.

Sigma Ops has been implemented as a continual improvement and optimisation tool, and can be linked to operator performance contracting to ensure that both operational excellence and continual improvement are not only ‘nice-to-have’ discussion topics, but become part of the operational team’s culture and DNA. This provides the plant owner with continual comfort that the membrane assets are being well maintained and continually monitored.

Effective operations and maintenance (O&M) is critical to a plant’s successful and long-term economical operations.

Aveng Water’s dedicated O&M Division specialises in the management and

operation of water treatment equipment to improve efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of water production.

O&M activities – which encompass not only technical issues but also managerial, social, financial, skills transfer, and training and development – are directed towards the elimination or reduction of the major constraints that prevent the achievement of sustainability.

Continual development

Research and development is critical for technology companies and Aveng Water approaches this from two angles.

The first is new product development and testing through the utilisation of a pilot plant with pre-treatment as well as membrane options. This approach is vital to testing new technologies before implementing them on larger plants and new designs.

In doing this, Aveng Water has been able to push the limits of its own technology, treating water that was originally thought untreatable, as well as proving in reality that a brine stream isn't always the result of complex water treatment. This has been implemented at the Middelburg Water Reclamation Plant, which was designed to be the world's first mine water treatment plant that produces zero brine, without the need for energy-intensive brine treatment technology.

The second angle is plant operations.

“The opportunity to innovate around how to improve controls for the pretreatment and membrane operation has often been missed, but Aveng Water is taking up this challenge,” says Drummond. Initial implementation of Sigma Ops shows how these new systems ensure a long lifespan for the membrane inventory, which ultimately

boils down to cost savings for the client and increased project feasibility.

The operational ecosystem that has been developed at Aveng Water provides immense value for every new plant that is added to the structure.

The operational expertise is transferred to each new plant through a core operational team, with the remaining personnel contingent being sourced from local communities.

Aveng Water then makes use of its internal training programmes to continually upskill new employees, and provides them with a well-defined career path through the organisation. Drummond explains that this aligns with the triple-bottom-line profit view that organisations of the future need to prescribe to.

Water treatment and desalination plants not only provide a sustainable source of water, but they allow organisations to provide social and environmental improvements through their business activities, which in turn can provide financial profits by developing sustainability and enabling economic growth.

www.avengwater.co.za N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

5

WISA • CEO’s Comment

When nature calls

In 2015, world leaders adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, pledging, among others, to ensure safe water and sanitation for all. As water professionals, we must work to be more inclusive of sanitation in our discussions, writes Dr Lester Goldman.

W

orld Toilet Day (WTD) is taking place on 19 November this year, under the theme ‘When Nature Calls’ – related to nature-based solutions.

The event was first established by the World Toilet Organization in 2001; 12 years later, it was declared an official UN day by the United Nations General Assembly. World Toilet Day is now an official United Nations international observance day to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.

Speaking during his keynote at the WISA 2018 Biennial Conference, Minister of Water and Sanitation Gugile Nkwinti specifically challenged the WISA community to address sanitation issues.

The sanitation situation

About 892 million people around the world practice open defecation. It is reported that, of those, 678 million live in just seven countries.

Access to a safe, functioning toilet has a positive impact on public health, human dignity and personal safety, especially for women. Sanitation systems that do not safely treat excreta allow for the spread of disease, including serious soil-transmitted and waterborne illnesses such as cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid, dysentery and schistosomiasis.

Half a million children under the age of five die from diarrhoea every year.

It is estimated that 58% of all cases of diarrhoea worldwide in 2015 were caused by unsafe water, poor sanitation and poor hygiene practices, such as inadequate

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NOV E MB E R /DE CEM BER 2018

handwashing.

Providing sanitation has been estimated to lower the odds of children suffering diarrhoea by 7% to 17%, and under-five mortality by 5% to 20%.

Progress to date

The United Nations recognised access to water and sanitation as a human right in 2010, and later called on world leaders to provide safe sanitation for all under Sustainable Development Goal 6.

However, progress on sanitation has been slow. It is reported that the total number of people in South Africa lacking access to ‘improved’ sanitation was 18 million in 2015. This means that only 66% of the total population had access to adequate sanitation in that year.

According to estimates by the global WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, the share of South Africans with access to improved sanitation increased slowly from 71% in 1990 to 75% in 2000, and 79% in 2010. In 2010, an estimated 11 million South Africans still did not have access to improved sanitation; instead, they used shared facilities (4 million), bucket toilets (3 million), or practised open defecation (4 million).

StatsSA reports that access is higher, partially because it includes shared facilities in its definition of sanitation.

According to the 2011 Census figures, access to sanitation increased from 83% in 2001 to 91% in 2011, including shared and individual pit latrines, as well as chemical toilets. The share of households

with access to flush toilets increased from 53% in 2001 to 60% in 2011. The health impacts of inadequate sanitation can be serious, as evidenced by the estimated 1.5 million cases of diarrhoea in children under five and the 2001 outbreak of cholera.

Sanitation is dignity. We need to ensure that we provide dignity to all our people.

We have a number of members who already do sterling work in this regard, but require more support. We sincerely thank these members, and while we prepare for the festive season, and indeed 2019, let us keep these statistics in mind.

We should strive to go into 2019 with a vision to discuss sanitation as part of our water discussions.

Looking forward to 2019

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all WISA members for their support throughout the year. The recently adopted required changes to our Memorandum of Incorporation allow us to build upon a sound governance framework, and grow WISA to become the voice it should be. We look forward to increasingly exercising this voice in 2019, to better represent you.

Please travel safely during the festive season, take care, and we wish you a blessed and prosperous 2019.

Dr Lester Goldman, CEO, WISA

WISA • Chair's comment

Agriculture water use in South Africa

Dr Valerie Naidoo, chair, WISA

The water conversation in South Africa can be difficult; however, innovation and science can provide many benefits and solutions to the current challenges, explains Dr Valerie Naidoo.

A

water-scarce country like South Africa – which is prone to drought; skills deficits; inadequate budgets for operations, maintenance and re-investment; and inequitable allocations – often sees the conversations around water use, especially during tough times, become emotional and messy. Add the context of equity, water licences and reallocation, and the conversation tends to take a turn towards blame,

politics and distrust, with each side protecting perceived rights and territory. Of course, once sides retreat to their corners, it is difficult to get to a fair and transparent resolution for the good of the whole country.

In such an atmosphere, the people who have money tend to resort to the courts and law and the people who don’t have money resort to protests and destruction.

Such was the case recently between West Coast farmers who are in the process of challenging the policy of the Western Cape Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) concerning transfer of water rights.

The farmers argue that this right should stay at the level of irrigation boards. The fact that the regional DWS office has now passed a circular delegating approval to the regional office and not the irrigation boards is discussed as being a change from practice and ‘law’. The reason for the recent circular, however, does not appear to have been put forward strongly. This kind of conflict will continue not only for agriculture but also for large industry and urban areas.

A losing blame game I have often found the recent conversations in the media and from special interest advocates worrying. If we continue to go down the road of protection of our own with no concern for others in the value chain, and only play the blame game and politics, we lose sight of finding innovative solutions and resolutions to our complex issues.

The reality is, in the interests of the food security, farmers in this country are very important to the economy, to jobs and to ensuring minimum price escalations.

Hence, let’s not make them enemies of the country.

The same can be said for large industry and large metros trying to ensure water supply security for people and businesses in the future. But, one cannot do this without also acknowledging that we also have an issue of water and service equity in this country. We don’t always have enough water or investment for communities (villages) in peri-urban and rural South Africa but have historically, and more recently, been more willing to build large supply systems that bypass entire low-income communities. Second, in South Africa, we often speak about the lack of equity for emerging black farmers and that both their growth and productivity are linked to inadequate allocation of water.

So, when one is facing such challenging constraints around water and growth, what does one do? A do-nothing scenario will just lead us to more distrust and legal battles. Everyone loses in such a scenario because tax money that could be used for solving real problems is lost in a system benefiting just a few. The erosion of institutions will continue. In such an atmosphere, it will only take one charismatic Trump-like politician to use it to create an ‘us vs them’ climate of fear and victimhood to gain power.

Future agricultural water usage So how does one change such a trajectory? According to Hoekstra and Mekonnen (2014), agriculture is the largest freshwater user, accounting for global consumptive use of 99%.

The agricultural water use (rainfed and irrigation) is predicted to increase by 0.7% per year, resulting in an increase of 6 400 billion m3/year in 2000 to 9 060 billion m3/year in 2050, which is estimated to feed a population of over

N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

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COVER STORY

9 billion people. This means that we have to find real solutions for more productive use of water in agriculture.

The real resolution may lie in science, modelling, decisionsupport tools, and innovation. For example, in the future, we should develop water allocation incentive-based schemes linked to benchmarking and best practice, where farmers in South Africa who own farms of a certain size and of a high economic viability have to invest in tools such as soil-water balances to increase their crop per drop, crop productivity evaluations (tonne/m3) and blue/green water footprint (m3/tonne). Grey water footprints could also change the way we manage non-point source pollution generated through farming. Such initiatives should elevate the discussions around water stewardship and improve distrust among water users and communities.

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Implementing WAS A Water Research Commission-funded, locally developed technology – called the Water Administration System (WAS) –should be rolled out at the cost of the irrigation boards and large commercial farmers. In a Water Wheel article published recently, it was reported that for the case of the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme, 11 580.4 m3/ha was released into the weir, instead of 12 064.8 m3/ha, to deliver the allocation of 9 140 m3/ha at the farm edge. This is a saving of 14.135 million m3 a year for the whole irrigation scheme, including for ecological needs.

Similar or higher savings are estimated to be achievable if implementation of WAS is expanded from the current 143 000 ha to the estimated 500 000 ha of irrigation schemes in South Africa. If we truly believe in moving closer to the real cost of water and holding viable businesses (of which many farms are) accountable to paying for the full cost of water, then – rather than placing the burden on the water sector institutions – these should be transferred using smarter PPP models that assist farmers towards more water-efficient management practices. Emerging farmers will require some support to move them closer to water-efficient practices.

Drip irrigation should spur on a new business and become compulsory in agriculture in South Africa. A combination of satellite imagery, remote sensing, field gauges and drone technology can also be used to improve decision-making around plant spacing, crop rotation, crop scheduling, rainfall harvesting, soil moisture, evapotranspiration and precision irrigation.

Future trends show climate change leading to higher temperatures and an increase in evapotranspiration, and this may require a different approach to canal design to reduce this.

But what are the options available for driving future farming practices and emerging framers in South Africa?

Urban agriculture and new techniques like permaculture, mushroom farming to increase soil moisture, and hydroponics within circular greenhouses smartly managing nitrogen phosphate, potassium, light and water. These are being tested at significant scale in several countries and are being implemented in countries that have water availability.

Innovation and smart thinking are the way of the future. This benefits all and takes away internal historical protectionism behaviours regarding the current challenges.

WISA • Y WP

World Water Congress & Exhibition 2018

A

n immediate observation of the water sector in Tokyo and Japan is that an emphasis is placed on the value of water resources and the enabling political environment that supports this. This observation reverberated throughout the six-day conference.

At the Cultural Evening, Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo, proudly announced that the fish dishes being served had been sourced from the Tokyo River – a testimony to both their vision and their commitment to clean rivers. This is a huge inspiration to other countries and something YWPs can surely include in their thinking of the future.

The desire to involve YWPs more proactively was a theme throughout the conference. This year’s World Water Congress included specific forums and sessions dedicated to YWPs – providing a platform for professionals to engage with their global peers on current water topics. YWPs organised sessions, served as panel members at various specialist workshops, and led discussions at the closing plenary, where an all-YWP panel discussed the major themes of the congress.

YWPs were also invited to a series of International Water Association

organisational meetings, including the Specialist Groups Leaders’ Forum. The forum focused specifically on member engagement, and how to increase activity among members and the number of YWPs in such structures.

Specialist groups or divisions are a fantastic opportunity for YWPs to both gain technical insights and develop global networks.

There were several important conversations that took place at the congress, including managing droughts, climate change and the circular economy.

However, a theme with particular relevance for the future water sector leaders was the disruptive influence of technology, whether it be digitalisation, big data or artificial intelligence.

Rebekah Edgars of IBM presented a thought-provoking plenary on what IBM titled ‘From Drips and Drops to Bits and Bytes’, which began by highlighting IBM’s Jefferson Project at Lake George in the USA. This was a digital and data-driven approach to studying and monitoring a freshwater lake to understand the impact of human activities and to learn how to mitigate these.

Digitalisation was evident not only in the plenary but throughout the sessions and in the exhibition halls. Digitalisation

The 2018 International Water Association’s World Water Congress took place in Tokyo, Japan, from 16 to 21 September 2018.

With over 9 000 global delegates in attendance, it was a melting pot of cultures, nationalities and expertise – from young academics to world leaders and innovators.

By Lloyd Fisher-Jeffes*

N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

9

MACSTEEL BERMAD GOES LOCAL Over the past 30 years, Macsteel and its partner Bermad have been major role players in the Southern African water industry, providing solutions in the municipal, irrigation, wastewater and firefighting industries.

initiative to introduce Bermad’s latest control valve design – the SIGMA range. This new design optimises and improves the leading flow characteristics already in use with added value to the end user.

The hydraulic control valve market has undergone many changes over the years, with perhaps the most radical change being the recent Department of Trade and Industry initiative around local content requirements.

The Bermad C70 air valve is also now locally manufactured and adds the powerful Bermad name to this market.

Our local manufacturing programme has resulted in Macsteel Fluid Control collaborating in partnership with local service providers. Stringent criteria were put in place such as BBBEE, local sourcing and ISO certification. In addition, emphasis was placed on partnering with small and emerging suppliers and embarking on enterprise and supplier development plans.

As a valve importer, Macsteel Fluid Control opted for a measured approach, to add true value to our suppliers and customers, all the while providing good-quality employment to our valuable staff members. As such, June 2018 will be a landmark point in our relationship with both Bermad and the local market, as we are proud to announce that Bermad is now local. Not only do we comply with the 70% local content regulation by weight, but we have taken the

+27 10

(0)11 383 4000

NOV E MB E R /DEC EM BER 2018

Both of these world-class products, combined with the Macsteel reputation for service and dependability, will add huge value to our clients.

www.macsteel.co.za

WISA • Y WP

As YWPs, we definitely need to integrate this into our thinking and future planning.

The congress repeatedly emphasised that everyone has a role to play, everyone can learn something from someone else, everyone can teach someone else, and investing in a future for all is vital. We may find solutions to our challenges from outside our city, province or country; while, at the same time, we may hold the solutions to challenges experienced elsewhere.

To truly add value to the water sector, YWPs need to build networks and exploit opportunities to share knowledge, experience and ideas. The entire water sector needs to continue the trend of the World Water Congress and intentionally support, invest in and learn from YWPs – the water sector’s current and future leaders.

A truly inspiring congress! is the future and provides YWPs with a unique opportunity to develop new and innovative approaches to designing, managing and monitoring the water cycle.

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were another key point of discussion, with several plenary speakers highlighting the amount of work required in order to achieve the goals.

A number of speakers emphasised that the SDGs are not about the developing world, but about the whole world.

Most importantly, a very strong

case was made that unless SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) was achieved, it would be very difficult to meet a number of the other SDGs. The water sector of the future requires everyone to embrace technology and innovation to find disruptive solutions to the wicked problems facing the water sector in South Africa and the world.

*Lloyd Fisher-Jeffes is South Africa’s YWP finance lead, a member of the International Water Association’s Emerging Water Leaders Steering Committee, and the Steering Committee’s specialist groups coordinator.

N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

11

Africa Round-up

Water and sanitation in Africa

Egypt could run out of water by 2025

Egypt Securing water resources According to a United Nations report, Egypt is facing an annual water deficit of roughly 7 billion m3 and could run out of water by 2025.

The country is currently below the UN's water poverty threshold, with a current water scarcity of 1 000 m3 per capita. Worse still, Egypt appears to be heading towards ‘absolute water scarcity’ of 500 m3 per capita.

This comes as residents of the country’s capital, Cairo, begin to voice concern and discontent as water scarcity reaches a critical point, with some areas reportedly being without water for large portions of the day.

President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi recently spoke at Cairo Water Week, saying the country was keen to organise the conference to raise awareness of water issues.

The president expressed willingness to exchange knowledge with the world to create projects to maximise the output of water resources.

12

NOV E MB E R /DEC EM BER 2018

Sisi also recently called on countries not to politicise water issues, arguing that cooperation among the Nile basin countries is a vital step towards mutual benefit. This follows years of dispute with Ethiopia and Sudan over Nile water shares, following Ethiopia’s announcement in 2011 that it would be building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Kenya Bleeding water A new report by the Nairobi County Assembly Public Investments Committee shows that the city loses KSh1 billion (R140 million) annually in non-revenue water (NRW).

This amounts to 38% of revenue, significantly above the 25% allowed by the Water Service Regulatory Board guidelines.

In addition, the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company also lost more than KSh152 million (R21.4 million) in 2017 due to billing errors, underpayment and meter tampering. According to the report, there was a shortfall of almost

68.6 million m3 of water that was not billed for in 2016/17.

“The company recognises that high levels of unaccounted-for water are detrimental to the financial viability of any water utility. The losses reported fluctuated between 38% and 40% in the last two years. We are, however, working to put in place measures to reduce unaccounted-for water,” says Nahashon Muguna, managing director, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company.

The committee has suggested that the company procure software to assist in its billing process, ensuring meter readings are posted on the system immediately, and any overpayments or underpayments are detected.

Tanzania To build or not to build?

Preparation has begun on Tanzania’s proposed Stiegler's Gorge Dam hydropower project.

Although a hydropower dam at Stiegler’s Gorge has been presented as an energy-generating option for Tanzania since the 1960s, no plans were ever made to build it, until the 2016 Tanzania Power System Master Plan

Nairobi, Kenya, loses KSh1 billion annually in non-revenue water

called for its construction by 2035.

The Stiegler's Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station is a planned 2 100 MW hydroelectric dam expected to produce 5 920 GWh of power annually. Once built, the multimillion-dollar dam will become one of the largest dams in Africa.

However, much concern has been raised over the ecological effects of the dam, which will be located in the Selous Game Reserve, a World Heritage Site and protected area the size of Switzerland.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the impacts of the project reach far beyond the physical inundation of 1 200 km2 of land and the construction of the dam. According to a WWF report, the project could negatively impact over 200 000 livelihoods.

“There will be increased erosion downstream, the potential to dry out lakes that are important for wildlife tourism, reduced fertility of farmland downstream and the retreating of the Rufiji Delta and potential collapse of the fish, prawn and shrimp fisheries found there,” the report states.

However, President of Tanzania John Magufuli

Africa AFRICA Round-up ROUND-UP Word from around Africa – including the latest industry, project and development news.

Zimbabwe has launched a cholera vaccination drive after a public health emergency was declared in Harare

Uganda will borrow US$251 million to roll out safe water sources

recently argued for the hydroelectric project, insisting that it would in fact improve the surrounding ecosystem. He stated that only 3.5% of the total area in the reserve will be used for hydroelectric power generation, providing sufficient water for ecological purposes. And since the wildlife will be better maintained, the project will reduce poaching.

Major General Gaudence Milanzi, permanent secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, also released a statement asserting that Unesco has agreed to cooperate with Tanzania to ensure the project is

environmentally safe. The Tanzanian government has reportedly allocated US$308 million (R4.4 billion) in the 2018/19 budget to begin work on the project.

Uganda Ensuring safe water The Ugandan government has received cabinet approval to borrow up to US$251 million (R3.6 billion) for the supply of safe water sources in more than 20 districts, municipalities, town councils and refugee-hosting areas across the country.

The loan will be used to provide safe water and sanitation facilities in areas that have suffered from water scarcity. This will also assist in strengthening the

national water monitoring and information system.

Districts and towns including Gulu Municipality, Adjumani Town Council, Busia, Budaka-Kadama, Namungalo-Kaliro, Kyegegwa, Namasale, Mbale Municipality, Butaleja, Budaka, Tirinyi and Kibuku are expected to benefit.

The refugee-hosting districts of Adjumani, Arua, Moyo, Yumbe, Lamwo, Koboko, Isingiro Hoima, Ciforo, Djaipi, Rwampara, and Pakele will also receive services.

Zimbabwe Health emergency declared Zimbabwe has launched a cholera vaccination drive following the deaths of around 50 people.

The cholera outbreak was detected in early September near Harare, where a public health emergency has now been declared. With

thousands of suspected cases, the government is rolling out an oral cholera vaccination, targeting 1.4 million people in high-density areas from the age of one.

The poor state of the country’s water and sewer pipes has been blamed for the outbreak. The vaccination programme is considered a short-term measure to contain the disease, allowing the government time to address water and sanitation infrastructure as a long-term solution to preventing cholera outbreaks.

Local authorities have reportedly failed to revamp their water and sewer networks, but according to Minister of Publicity and Broadcasting Services July Moyo, the government has now “resolved to embark in earnest on the modernisation of the water and sewer reticulation infrastructure with the participation of the private sector.”

FAST FACTS

1.4 million

20 areas

200 000

Zimbabwe is hoping to vaccinate 1.4 million people against cholera

More than 20 areas of Uganda will receive safe water and sanitation

Tanzania’s Stiegler's Gorge Dam could negatively impact over 200 000 livelihoods

livelihoods

38%

7 billion m3

Nairobi loses 38% of its revenue to NRW

Egypt is facing an annual water deficit of roughly 7 billion m3

N ovember / December 2018

13

Sanitation • World Toile t Day

Ending the flush Billions of people globally still lack basic sanitation services, and open defecation is still highly prevalent, particularly in rural areas. This World Toilet Day, the focus is on building toilets and sanitation systems that work in harmony with the environment.

C

ountries across the globe have committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include providing universal access to safe and sustainable water and sanitation for all by 2030 (SDG 6).

However, a 2018 United Nations report indicated that the world is not on track to meet this target. Unfortunately, billions of people still lack safe water, sanitation and handwashing facilities. When it comes to sanitation, just 1 in 10 countries below 95% coverage is on track. In 90 countries, progress towards basic sanitation is too slow, meaning they will not reach universal coverage by 2030.

While the percentage of the global population using at least a basic sanitation service increased from 59% in 2000 to 68% in 2015, 2.3 billion people still lack basic services.

The UN’s SDG 6 Synthesis Report 2018 on Water and Sanitation indicates that 844 million people lack basic water services and 2.1 billion are without safely managed drinking water. In addition, 4.5 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation and 892 million still practice open defecation. Only 27% of the population in the least-developed countries has access to soap and water for handwashing on premises.

Of those who still practise open defecation, 90% live in rural areas, with the majority occupying just two regions – 558 million in central and southern Asia and 220 million in sub-Saharan Africa.

Progress has been made in reducing open defecation, with the total falling from

14

NOV E MB E R /DEC EM BER 2018

just over 1.2 billion people in 2000, but significant effort will be needed to end this practice by 2030.

Similarly, the report argues that substantial investment will be required to meet sanitation targets, particularly in rapidly growing urban areas.

processes are considered inadequate in many countries, particularly those where pressures on water resources are greatest.

There is also a serious lack of institutional and human capacity across the water sector, which is constraining progress, particularly in the least-developed countries. Even more concerning, over 80% of countries have insufficient finances to meet national water, sanitation and hygiene targets.

World Toilet Day 2018

SDG target 6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.

Strengthening the capacity of local and national authorities to manage and regulate sanitation systems will be a high priority, and will include the development of information management systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Political, institutional and administrative rules, practices and

This year, World Toilet Day is about finding nature-based solutions to the world’s sanitation needs. Held under the theme ‘When nature calls’, the event aligns with World Water Day and the UN’s World Water Development Report 2018: Naturebased Solutions for Water.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) to the sanitation and water crisis harness the power of ecosystems. These solutions are based on green infrastructure, such as composting latrines that capture and treat human waste on-site, producing a free supply of fertiliser to help grow crops.

Another solution is man-made wetlands and reed-beds to filter wastewater before it is released back into water courses.

The report described NBS as being inspired and supported by nature, using or mimicking natural processes to contribute to the improved management of water. NBS can involve conserving or rehabilitating natural ecosystems, as well as enhancing or creating natural processes in modified or artificial ecosystems. They can be applied at micro (e.g. dry toilet)

Sanitation • World Toile t Day

Safe water and sanitation for all 27% of the population in the leastdeveloped countries has access to soap and water for handwashing on premises

Sanitation needs to address South Africa’s 22.7% household backlog:

4.5 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation

3.2%

6.8%

O&M

892 million

Infrastructure upgrades

still practice open defecation

3%

No services

The world is not on track to meet SDG 6 by 2030

6.6% 1.6%

2030

Resources

1.6%

Infrastructure refurbishment

80%

884 million people lack basic water services

Infrastructure extensions

2.1 billion people lack safely managed drinking water

women & girls The target for hygiene and sanitation calls for special attention to the needs of women and girls

of countries have insufficient finances to meet national water, sanitation and hygiene targets

70% of global freshwater withdrawals are made by the agricultural sector

N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

15

Sanitation • World Toile t Day

Each person in South Africa uses 64 ℓ more water per day than the global average

Alternative technologies have been provided to 9 600 schools without reticulated water connections

Households with access to improved sanitation increased from 62% in 2002 to 80% in 2015

Since 1994, over 11 000 schools have been provided with flush toilets

The provision of waterborne sanitation is unsustainable in South Africa

16

November/December 2018

or macro (e.g. landscape) scales.

NBS that involve ecosanitation approaches, such as dry toilets, also offer promise to practically eliminate water use requirements in many situations.

South Africa’s efforts

South Africa’s National Water and Sanitation Master Plan aligns with this. It states that changing the way sanitation services are provided and the nature of the facilities will have social and economic benefits aligned to the national development goals.

There are two important aspects to this. The first is recognising the nature of water scarcity in South Africa and moving to waterless sanitation options. The second is recognising the nature of human excreta as a resource to be utilised, particularly for fertiliser products and the reclamation of important elements such as phosphorus for crop production.

The master plan highlights three key objectives for sanitation service delivery: 1. Moving

the country towards waterless sanitation options 2. F ocusing on operation and maintenance, institutional capacity, and adequate resources for the management of sanitation 3. A pplying smart and water-efficient technology systems.

Progress to date

The South African government reports that the proportion of households with access to improved sanitation increased from 62% in 2002 to 80% in 2015. However, the master plan puts that backlog at 22.7%, with an estimated 3.96 million unserved households as at April 2017. The largest backlogs are in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, with more than half of households in some areas being unserved.

The master plan notes that urban migration and substantial population growth have hampered progress in the backlog reduction.

In addition, facilities previously provided to households have become inadequate in some areas due to various factors including ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines not being emptied regularly, ageing infrastructure, poor facility operation and maintenance,

and infrastructure operating above its design capacity.

Two thirds of South Africa’s water services authorities that have settlements served with VIPs assume responsibility for desludging at least some of these. However, only half of the budget required for this is available, and only 17% of WSAs have a policy in place to guide this function. The frequency of emptying VIPs varies between municipalities, with most being in the range of five to eight years.

Sanitation in schools

One of the biggest focus areas for sanitation in South Africa has become schools, following the highly publicised deaths of several children who drowned in pit toilets at their schools.

The provision of safe sanitation services to schools is the responsibility of the Department of Education and has been accelerated since 2011, with ambitious targets. However, the master plan points out that sanitation infrastructure at schools is not always safe, and issues of child-sensitive design, proper operation and maintenance, together with a number of social aspects, still need to be addressed.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced during his economic stimulus package address that government is planning on completing over 1 000 school sanitation facility improvement projects.

This comes after his recent launch of the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative, which he said will “spare generations of young South Africans the indignity, discomfort and danger of using pit latrines and other unsafe facilities in our schools.”

According to Ramaphosa, there are nearly 4 000 schools across the country that only have pit latrines or other inappropriate sanitation facilities.

SAFE is a partnership between government, the UN Children’s Fund, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the National Education Collaboration Trust, to which the private sector has been invited to contribute.

The president believes the initiative could be a catalyst for a sanitation revolution, demonstrating that new localised, off-grid, low-water systems can be effectively implemented at scale.

“By finding innovative solutions to a challenging problem, we will not only be making our schools safer and the lives of learners better, but we will be opening new possibilities for environmentally sustainable sanitation.”

Trenchless

NEWS

No-Dig South Africa Edition

www.sastt.org.za

CONTENTS Trenchless technology builds capacity

18

Pipes: purpose-engineered for trenchless

21

Rapidly replacing Joburg’s sewers

23

SASTT T r e n chless News

Trenchless technology builds capacity

S

In October, subject experts from around the world came together in Cape Town for International No-Dig South Africa. Hosted by the Southern African Society for Trenchless Technology (SASTT), No-Dig 2018 saw the conference’s African debut. The opening paper expanded on the integral role that trenchless techniques play in socioeconomic development. By Alastair Currie

peaking at the opening of No-Dig 2018, Deputy Mayor of Cape Town Ian Neilson said that, as a former consulting engineer specialising in water engineering, he has always taken a keen interest in the latest technologies and services for the construction and maintenance of infrastructure.

“I am encouraged by the possibility of applying some of the technologies presented at this conference in addressing key challenges we face as a rapidly expanding city,” he said. “As the urbanisation trend grows, it is critical that we provide sustainable services.”

The city adopted the use of trenchless technology as early as the mid-1990s for the upgrading of its sewer and water networks. During that initial period, the technology available was mostly based on slip-lining of existing sewers with smaller-diameter HDPE pipes, and pipe cracking of water mains with HDPE sections of the same or slightly larger diameter. Since then, Neilson said that the technology has increased substantially and the city is now making use of techniques like horizontal directional drilling, cured-in-place pipe lining, and piperamming used in combination with pipe cracking.

A pipeline project completed by the city using microtunnelling technology was the longest installation of its kind in Africa south of the Sahara. This

18

NOV E MB E R /DEC EM BER 2018

entailed the installation of a 1.2 km long, 1 000 mm diameter pressure pipe, and underscores Cape Town’s innovative approach to trenchless technology, winning SASTT’s Joop van Wamelen Award of Excellence in 2017.

“Trenchless techniques ensure minimal disruption to supporting communities and have proven to be a cost-effective alternative to conventional construction for largescale project roll-outs in congested urban areas,” said Neilson. The city is planning to replace around 50 km of sewer and water networks in the current financial year. In the longerterm, the city ultimately plans to replace the entire sewer and water network, which comprises a total asset length of 20 000 km, using trenchless technology.

Trenchless technology as an economic catalyst

Sam Efrat, president, SASTT, introduced keynote speaker Neil van Rooyen, a SASTT board member and director at Chrysalis Projects, based in Cape Town, who delivered a paper entitled ‘Unlocking economic growth in South Africa through the use of trenchless technology’. A key theme was the need to create new SME contractors, as well as immediate direct employment opportunities, while at the same

time passing on multimillion-rand savings on infrastructure investments.

“Innovation has always been regarded as the forerunner to economic growth so it’s no coincidence that of the top ten trenchless societies worldwide, seven belong to countries with the highest ranked GDP outputs. These comprise Canada, China, France, Italy, Japan, the UK and the USA,” said Van Rooyen.

“These economies are able to grow because of their investment in infrastructure. They are also among the oldest, which means that they have the greatest need for pipe replacement.”

Within the South African context, a sharp contraction in GDP and a drop in business confidence levels have impacted on domestic and foreign investment inflows, increased unemployment levels to around 27%, and caused a backlog in infrastructure delivery, which poses a major risk to macroeconomic growth. This places an even greater emphasis on the need to develop creative solutions that drive down costs and accelerate construction projects.

South Africa’s current network comprises around 197 000 km of reticulation pipeline for water and sewer combined. “Many of our pipelines have already exceeded their lifespan, resulting in failures and an ensuing impact on health and well-being. The problem is

SASTT Trenchless News

being compounded by the inflow of rural job seekers to urban centres.

That places further pressure on the existing infrastructure, which is struggling to keep pace with current demand. So are we hanging on a ledge, or can we change the way we tackle the problem?” Van Rooyen continued. “As SASTT, we believe trenchless technology is a major part of the solution.”

Van Rooyen said an important starting point was to dispel misconceptions about trenchless technology as a potential competitor to open-cut techniques, which some regard as being more conducive to labourintensive techniques, and thus job creation. “However, as with the case for trenchless applications, mechanical excavation techniques perform the bulk of the work on open-trench projects.

Plus open-cut trenches must comply with strict health and safety regulations to protect them from collapse, for example by installing shoring. The latter approach can be time-consuming and inefficient.

“Using the open-cut method, studies have shown that a typical pipe section of 100 m takes around seven days to complete, in the process creating

employment for some 28 unskilled and nine skilled workers,” said Van Rooyen.“For the same project, the timeframe would be similar for a trenchless application and require the same number of personnel. The key difference is that the number of skilled workers is much higher. Creating jobs for skilled workers translates into higher wages, and other career opportunities in the construction sector.”

Case studies

On a recent project in Gauteng, a comparative and parallel study was undertaken to evaluate the economic advantages of trenchless technology versus open-cut. The project value was approximately R1 million in each case and entailed the installation of a 160 mm diameter HDPE sewer pipeline. Around 1 000 m of pipeline was laid using open-trench methods, compared to some 1 300 m using trenchless techniques.

In another project example, a comparison was made between opencut with and without shoring during the installation of a 110 mm diameter HDPE pipeline. The study showed that open-cut with shoring was almost 2.7 times more expensive.

“Currently, national infrastructure funding has proposed that a budget of R89.9 billion be made available annually for the next 10 years to address South Africa’s water and sanitation infrastructure needs,” Van Rooyen continued. “However, the money made available for all water and sanitation infrastructure in 2017 was less than that, at around R56.6 billion.

This is an important point to note because it means that any solutions we bring to the table must be efficient and cost-effective.

“For municipal water infrastructure, R27.8 billion was assigned and R19.5 billion for sanitation, for all aspects and not just pipeline reticulation, which accounts for at least 12% of the budget. The money earmarked for pipelines is, therefore, about R3.34 billion and R2.34 billion for water and sewer lines, respectively. The actual amount for 2017 is R2.05 billion and R1.58 billion.”

Doing more with less and creating employment

Taking the best-case budget of R2.34 billion for sanitation lines, Van Rooyen presented a scenario that allocates about 10% of the work

N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

19

AGRULINE

for trenchless applications, in this instance using pipebursting techniques.

“Calculations based on extensive research indicate that 3 839 km of pipeline could be installed in combination with open-cut excavation. However, if 50% of the money available is allocated to trenchless applications and the balance to open-cut excavation, the numbers increase significantly. Some 4 682 km of pipe could now be installed, in the process generating at least 100 000 new employment opportunities. The market value of the trenchless sector would then be over R1 billion,” he pointed out.

By increasing the trenchless component to 60%, 4 892 km could be installed for the same budget allocation. Job opportunities then rise to over 105 000 and the market size increases to some R1.4 billion. This would also enable the accommodation of more than 70 new emerging contractors, each being able to generate a minimum annual turnover of R20 million.

The same exercise was carried out for the water sector (with the employment of pipe bursting), with corresponding results, again presenting a conclusive argument for trenchless techniques. With a 50/50 approach close to 5 000 km of pipe could be installed annually and at least 53 000 new jobs created. Increasing the trenchless component to 60% creates more than 100 SME contractor opportunities.

“Open-trench excavation remains a viable application, especially in rural and less congested areas, but increasing the trenchless component just makes economic sense,” concluded Van Rooyen.

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SASTT Trenchless News

Pipes: purpose-engineered for trenchless

T

he trenchless industry is fairly aggressive on pipes and machinery, and trenchless contractors will often opt for a higher pipe class than required due to the likelihood of damage to the pipe during installation. On an HDPE pipe, this means a 23% increase on wall thickness. The

result is increased costs and a reduced capacity, explains Mike Smart, owner of Genesis Consulting.

HDPE has established itself in the trenchless environment, primarily because of its attributes of strength, flexibility and abrasion resistance, and it is listed as a product of choice in the TT1 and

Table 1 Test comparison between PE100 and PE100-RC

Test

PE100 (hours)

PE100-RC (hours)

Notch pipe test (NPT)

2 200

11 580

Full notch creep test (FNCT)

1 600

8 552*

Point load test (PLT)

2 200

>9 000

*NB: Ductile failure not brittle failure

Contractors and municipalities are increasingly looking to trenchless methods of pipeline installation and replacement.

However, the aggressive nature of trenchless installation can be hard on pipes that aren’t engineered for purpose.

By Danielle Petterson

TT2 standards. Although there has been a significant increase in the life and toughness of PE 100 pipes, Smart believes the demands of trenchless exceed what PE 100 can offer.

Purpose-engineered pipes

Unlike standard HDPE, co-extruded (RPC) pipes have been engineered to perform if damaged. “The philosophy of the product is not that it is bulletproof and will not be damaged, but rather the converse.

Despite the damage, the product will still

Table 2 Results of the PAS 1075 tests for PE100-RC

Test

Requirement

RPC result

Full notch creep test (FNCT)

>8 760 hours (80°C; N/mm )

8 550 hours

Accelerated creep test (ACT)

>320 hours (90°C; N/mm2)

926 hours

>8 760 hours (80°C; N/mm2)

>9 000 hours

>100 years at 20°C

>100 years

Penetration test (PT)

Test stress = design stress

Test stress > design stress

Notch pipe test (NPT)

>8 760 hours

>11 580 hours

Melt flow rate (MFR)

0.2 g to 0.4 g/10 minutes

0.26 g/10 minutes

Point load test (PLT) Thermal ageing test (TAT)

2

Standard ISO 16770 Hessel-Ingenieur technik DVS 2205-1 supp. Sheet 19 ISO 13479 ISO 1133 N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

21

A strong foundation for infrastructure success

serve its purpose for no less than 100 years,” says Smart.

RPC (Rare Plastics Co-extruded) pipes have three layers, the total thickness of which is determined by SANS 4427.

The layers, which are fused together by co-extrusion and inseparably bonded, include the following: •T he outer layer comprises PE100-RC, with a minimum thickness of 2.5 mm in accordance with PAS 1075, designed to protect the pipe from external damage.

•T he middle layer is PE100 pipe wall core, designed for purpose.

•T he inner layer comprises PE100-RC, with a minimum thickness of 2.5 mm in accordance with PAS 1075, designed to protect the pipe from external point loads that initiate cracks on the inner wall.

RPC pipes were first developed in conjunction with worldrenowned polymer manufacturer Borealis and have been manufactured locally in South Africa since 2015. Locally developed specifically for the trenchless market, the production of these pipes requires specialised manufacturing equipment due to the co-extrusion process.

A comparison study

“If you compare standard PE100 pipe to PE100-RC, you will find that the important attributes, primarily slow crack growth, are about five times that of standard PE100 pipe,” says Smart.

RPC pipes are superior to PE100 pipes because of the layers, outperforming them in terms of slow crack growth, notch, and point load properties (see Table 1).

RPC pipes also pass all of the tests in accordance with PAS 1075 for pipes made from polyethylene for alternative installation techniques (see Table 2).

By using purpose-engineered pipes, the pipeline owner’s investment is preserved, while the trenchless contractor reduces the defect risk. “Again, you can see the philosophy is not a bulletproof pipe, but a pipe that will probably be damaged and still serve its life for 100 years despite the damage,” says Smart.

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SASTT Trenchless News

Rapidly replacing Joburg’s sewers

Trenchless technology is speeding up the replacement of the City of Johannesburg’s ageing sewerage infrastructure.

D

rill Power Tech Engineering bends of up to 45 degrees. recently put its newly acquired According to Phillip McCallum, HammerHead PortaBurst PB30 product manager, ELB into service in the suburbs Equipment, the HammerHead of Weltevreden Park and Roodekrans, PortaBurst PB30 is ideal for bursting the ageing cementitious and clay replacing pipes in South Africa’s sewerage pipes and replacing them with suburbs and townships due long-lasting HDPE pipes. to its compact size, simplicity According to Fernando Barbosa, owner and power. It does not of Drill Power Tech Engineering, the require expensive supporting pipe bursting machine has been able to infrastructure and can be achieve pipe replacements much more operated effectively by a quickly and with far less manpower than small team working out of the traditional methods. back of a bakkie. In addition, “So far, the longest run we have done is the small pit it requires can 120 m of standard 160 mm piping, which be quickly and easily dug by we completed in just two hours. In just hand, which makes it either over three months since entering the a labour-friendly solution operation, our HammerHead PortaBurst for emerging contractors or PB30 has racked up an incredible 2 km of an additional solution for pipe replacements in all sorts of terrain,” established professionals. says Barbosa.

“Even in the tightest of The machine, purchased from ELB situations, the HammerHead Equipment – the sole supplier of Portaburst PB30 proves its HammerHead equipment in South Africa worth, as it can be disassembled – is a portable lateral pipe bursting system and rebuilt in tight confines, with 30 t of pulling force. The system especially complexes and operates at low hydraulic pressures, dense urban areas. Its small which allows contractors to use a small entry and exit pits also powerpack set-up. It can also be run from minimise disruption and its fast a backhoe or compact excavator or any operation considerably shortens other hydraulic supply capable of 3 000 psi downtime of the sewers,” with a flow of at least 60 ℓ/m. concludes Barbosa.

The compact, modular and portable design The HammerHead PortaBurst PB30 Quick Grip burst head breaks the existing pipe and enables allows the PortaBurst the machine to pull a new HDPE in to replace to be assembled in ageing pipelines tight confines and used to burst and pull pipes of up to 355 mm over long lengths, as required.

The Quick Grip burst heads use snap-fit fixtures and do not require any hand tools, while the rugged design provides the unique ability to negotiate

Fernando Barbosa, owner of Drill Power Tech Engineering

The compact HammerHead PortaBurst PB30

The Drill Power team on-site

N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

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Optimising Wastewater Treatment

An effective alternative for sludge removal Conventional methods of on-site wastewater desludging are often unaffordable for authorities and contractors with limited budgets.

W

hen wastewater treatment How it works The filtration properties of geotextiles ponds reach their capacity, – which are effective in retaining the the available options are to fine-grained materials found in sewage either build new facilities sludge, while allowing the water to or empty the existing ones to make filter through – make these materials additional space available. Traditional suitable in desludging wastewater ponds. methods of waste containment – which The effluent that passes through the usually require large amounts of space, woven fabric can then be transferred stringent environmental permits and to a designated safe disposal site, given frequent dredging – are normally that it meets the regulations set by the unaffordable for municipalities, explains Department of Water and Sanitation.

Johnny Oriokot, geotechnical Fibertex geotextile engineer, Fibertex SA. dewatering bags, Geotextile bags (geobags) manufactured from offer an affordable Certain UV-stabilised woven alternative for sludge geotextile polypropylene removal, with the designs are able to geotextile materials, added benefits offer high-strength of efficient solids retain all particles seams for a strong and retention, compliance larger than durable dewatering with environmental 10 microns system. The thread used regulations and ease of to stitch the bags has a operation. Furthermore, higher breaking strength the dewatering system is than the geotextile itself, providing passive and does not require sufficient tensile strength to the geobags constant monitoring and maintenance to withstand the stresses associated with of equipment. pumping the material at high pressures.

“The use of geotextile dewatering The concern of the woven fabric opening bags is recognised globally as the most size appearing to be slightly larger than efficient and economical method to the particle size of the dredged sludge achieve the required desludging process, material is countered by the formation of a in order to improve the functionality and filter cake on the inside of the fabric, with safety of wastewater treatment works,” a resultant effective retention of the solids. says Oriokot.

This creates an equivalent two-stage filter, with filtration efficiencies above 98% for fine-grained material. Certain geotextile designs are able to retain all particles larger than 10 microns.

Successful installations In recent local projects, geotextile dewatering bags have been successfully used to remove sludge from existing tailings facilities where wastewater treatment plants had reached their maximum storage capacities. Fibertex also provided the geosynthetic products required to repair existing lining systems, and to install new lining systems in facilities that previously had none.

In order to accommodate pipe connections, two inlets of 200 mm per bag were selected for pipe sizes up to 200 mm in diameter. The pipe was inserted approximately two thirds of the way into the injection port and secured with tension strapping. Once the pipe is removed at the end of the filling process in all installations, inlets can be easily tied off.

The through-flow property of the geotextile determines the rate at which the effluent flows out of the geobag. These pumping rates are constantly monitored Fibertex geotextile dewatering bags are manufactured from UV-stabilised woven polypropylene geotextiles

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Optimising Wastewater Treatment

and a moderate rate ensures these bags keep their structural integrity throughout the operation.

The duration of the dewatering and consolidation period varies depending on the type of geotextile, the bag sizes, fill material and site conditions. On average, it takes about a week for the bags to drain. The solids are retained in the geobags and can then be safely disposed of, together with the nonreusable bags, or used as fertiliser.

The selection of the geobag size is dependent on the volume that needs to be removed from the tailings facility and the space available on-site.

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In these projects, Fibertex also lined the dewatering area with a 1 mm thick geomembrane layer, in accordance with SANS 1526, prior to geobag placement and filling. This material prevents local erosion and collects all effluent released from the geobags, preventing wastewater from seeping into the ground. The effluent is then channelled back into the dam or taken for further treatment.

No flocculants are necessary in this process, as there is sufficient time available for the material to dewater by gravity, resulting in further cost reductions. In order to ease the removal

ABOVE Left Geobags filled with processed mine waste ABOVE Right Geobags filled with sewage

of the waste, water is pumped into the dams to agitate the sludge.

Ultimately, the dewatering bag system offers a cost-effective solution that simplifies the sludge removal process and subsequently increases the space available in wastewater tailings. Fibertex’s geobags are an environmentally friendly option suitable for use in aquaculture, industrial lagoons, sedimentation ponds and wastewater plants.

Optimising Wastewater Treatment • Panel Discussion

Capacitating SA’s wastewater plants What are some of the biggest challenges you see at WWTWs? RB The major challenge we’re seeing is a lack of maintenance and regard for the value of treating wastewater. Many municipalities focus all of their energy on providing drinking water and place the treatment of wastewater at the very bottom of their agendas and budgets. We see the same with industrial clients.

Once they have produced the commodity they are selling, they don’t really care about what happens to the wastewater that is produced in the process. Only once fines are introduced and enforced do they pay more attention to this aspect of their mass balance equation.

What products or services do you recommend for improving WWTW capacity rapidly?

The most vital part of any and all WWTWs is the aeration systems. Without oxygen, our biologically driven plants will not function. As flows and loadings increase to the existing WWTW, the primary focus should be on increasing oxygen supply to the water to ensure

biological degradation of the organic matter. Essentially, WWTWs are pointless without sufficient oxygen.

The first step is to look at the realistic increase in overall aeration capacity and the efficiency of the existing civil structures. Often, the civil structures can cope with more mechanical equipment as the hydraulic retention time is sufficient, but due to lack of dissolved oxygen, the plant falls shy of its goals.

How can you retrofit WWTWs or provide interim solutions to reverse the current state of pollution?

The first step is to maximise the aeration into existing structures before taking the costly and timeous step of new civil construction. Even if you think your plant is at full capacity, see what is available on the market and what type of aerators will fit into the existing basins. We offer five different types of aerators – one for every design of aerobic reactor.

Adding aerators to the existing process may not always be the silver bullet; however, most of the time, it comes extremely

close and can also be used as a temporary measure.

New aerators are far more cost-effective than new civil structures, do not require an environmental impact assessment, and are far quicker to install than the time it takes for new civil structures to be built.

Can you describe a recent project where you improved plant efficiency?

We have been called in to many situations where temporary or permanent aeration upgrades are required. At the Middelburg WWTW, we provided rental aerators while the disc aerators underwent repair for 24 months. At Stanger WWTW, we provided temporary aeration while waiting for the Hansen gearboxes to be manufactured, which always takes more than six months.

At the Thulamahashe, Dwarsloop and Steelpoort WWTWs in Mpumalanga (as well as many others), we supplied a number of small aerators to upgrade oxidation ponds that simply could not handle the increased population and

Ryan Beswick Managing Director, Circuit Water Engineering Equipment

organic load. This mechanical addition was much more costeffective than upgrading an entire WWTW to an activated sludge system, which would have required a major civil component to the upgrade.

What opportunities become available if South Africa can effectively capacitate its WWTWs? The most obvious opportunity is reuse. In well-run WWTWs, the discharge water is often of better quality than the water entering potable water plants.

This water then inevitably gets collected by the downstream towns and is made into potable water anyway. The cost, however, is just that much more as are the water losses.

www.circuit.co.za

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FOR THE ENTIRE WATER CYCLE OUR OPTIMISED SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES COMPLEMENT AN UNRIVALLED FOCUS ON RESOURCE EFFICIENCY, DESIGN VERIFICATION AND PROJECT CONSULTANCY AND EXECUTION. THAT IS WHAT YOU GET FROM GRUNDFOS, A FULL-LINE SUPPLIER OF PRODUCTS AND SOLUTIONS FOR ALL WATER UTILITY APPLICATIONS.

GRUNDFOS (PTY) LTD Tel: (+27) 10 248 6000 Email: info_za@grundfos.com Website: www.za.grundfos.com

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Trademarks displayed in this material, including but not limited to Grundfos, the Grundfos logo and “be think innovate” are registered trademarks owned by The Grundfos Group. All rights reserved. © 2018 Grundfos Holding A/S, all rights reserved.

OPTIMISED SOLUTIONS

Optimising Wastewater Treatment • Panel Discussion

Creating reliable wastewater systems What are some of the biggest challenges associated with the country’s wastewater treatment plants?

KZ Population growth and urbanisation are contributing towards many plants reaching or exceeding capacity, causing enormous stress on wastewater systems.

While South Africa has a few large wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) that are generally well equipped and operated, many plants in smaller and poorer communities face operational difficulties. These often relate to the small scale of the operation and having to source new skills and competencies to run the plants. The infrastructural, mechanical and electrical maintenance of the plants also presents major challenges, particularly since some plants operate with

infrastructure that has aged or not been upgraded and maintained regularly.

About one third of WWTWs are either hydraulically or organically overloaded. How should this be addressed?

Some plants can accommodate higher flows and loads, depending on the ability of the operators to operate a plant running close to, or at, design capacity. It is important to take a systematic approach in this instance.

Full utilisation of existing capacities is the first smart choice.

However, in the case of new plants, careful consideration for the required demand must be realised in the design phase. Grundfos starts by identifying the needs required, carefully analysing the application and then recommending the right product range for the application. Each pump or system has optimal efficiency in specific operation zones.

Running at capacities that are too low will compromise the efficiency of the system or result in challenges with the control and operation of the plant.

What products and services do you recommend for rapidly improving WWTW capacity?

A recent audit by the Water Research Commission found that problems at WWTWs are related to either design, the technology used, operation or simply a lack of maintenance.

At any treatment plant, reliability is paramount.

Grundfos ensures low lifecycle costs and the hydraulic stability necessary for effective mechanical, biological and chemical treatment.

Disinfection is a vital aspect, and inefficient water disinfection could lead to unstable processes or non-compliant effluent.

Fully automated, easy-to-use disinfection systems using chlorine compounds and complete dosing pump systems are available for the chemical treatment of wastewater based on different technologies.

Our highly intelligent dosing pumps provide a reliable process, while contributing to cost savings through reduced chemical consumption.

Grundfos offers a variety of disinfection systems, including chlorine gas, chlorine dioxide, the production of sodium hypochlorite from food-grade salt, or systems for sodium hypochlorite.

Our user-friendly SMART digital pumps use advanced stepper motor technology and control flow measurement.

The range is designed to address the many challenges posed by chemical dosing, ensuring performance targets are met. SMART provides maximum uptime and minimal operating costs, while ensuring safe operation, especially with hazardous chemicals.

How can Grundfos help to reduce operations and maintenance costs?

WWTWs naturally require a lot of maintenance. Servicing the plant will ensure improved

Katrina Zlobich Business Development Manager: Water Treatment, Grundfos

energy efficiency, cost savings, and that the correct technical expertise is applied.

Maintaining pumps is critically important to reduce costs.

The demand for outsourced maintenance has rapidly increased, and Grundfos provides a team of experts to assist with servicing, including routine maintenance and plant visits to monitor equipment performance.

For organisations that prefer in-house maintenance, we provide advanced training on our products and systems.

Control and monitoring are the ‘brains’ of the plant.

Our dedicated controllers for wastewater help to prevent issues such as pump blockages by providing predictive preventative tools for plant operators. Grundfos also provides an advanced monitoring system for early problem detection or, more importantly, problem prevention. The Grundfos Remote Management network automatically communicates with the controllers for remote monitoring and tracking the system’s operating parameters.

We have successfully installed solutions for a number of customers in the private and municipal space using Grundfos products, which incorporate unique technologies to work towards creating a sustainable ecosystem.

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Water & Wastewater

Innovative drainage solution The prohibitive costs of a French drain soakaway system necessitated an innovative wastewater solution at a KwaZulu-Natal housing project.

T

he Charlestown Housing Project in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, was designed to comprise 1 200 units when complete, with an on-site sewage treatment plant planned for a later stage. As a temporary measure for the 500-unit Phase 1 already under construction, MNA Consulting required a French drain system to be installed downstream of an adequately sized septic tank.

However, the cost of transporting tonnes of stone for the conventional stone and pipe French drain system was prohibitive and the feasibility of the project became reliant on an effective alternative being found.

The identified solution was to install 3 000 of Kaytech’s Quick4 Infiltrator chambers, completely eliminating the need for a conventional French drain soakaway system. Infiltrator chamber systems promote effluent infiltration into the soil with 100% efficiency while

requiring 50% less space than French drain systems.

and preventing contamination from surrounding material.

Design and installation

An economical solution

The engineer conducted a series of percolation tests as well as gathered geotechnical information on the area allocated for the French drain system.

Using this data in conjunction with the allocated wastage litres per unit, Kaytech and the engineer designed a complete Infiltrator chamber system. To allow for reductions in behaviour of the in situ material, the design incorporated factors as per the specified design codes.

In early February 2018, contractor Pilcon Projects commenced excavations and, within four months, had installed 3 079 Infiltrator chambers, effectively covering a distance of 3 757 m. The Infiltrator chambers were clipped together in rows in 0.9 m wide trenches. A 2.5 m centre-to-centre spacing between each row simplified excavations and placement of chambers in the multiple rows. To ensure efficiency of the drain, each row of chambers was closed with an end cap, thereby maintaining the void

According to Kaytech representative Yugeshnee Naidoo, the Quick4 Infiltrator chamber system is not only a direct replacement for old-fashioned French drain soakaways, but is also a significantly more economical alternative. The eco-friendly product is manufactured from recycled plastic waste and provides numerous benefits including quick and easy installation, flexibility, as well as chemical resistance and UV stability.

Compared to conventional stone and pipe soakaways, Infiltrator chambers require no heavy installation equipment, no stone, less labour and occupy a smaller footprint, thereby minimising site disruption and reducing on-site clean-up time. The arch design of each chamber can support axle loads up to 70 kN. This considerably more economical and construction-friendly solution ultimately resulted in significant cost savings for the Newcastle Municipality.

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Water & Wastewater

Augmenting Makhanda’s water supply

Construction of the 2 Mℓ storage reservoir

Pouring concrete for the roof slab of the storage reservoir

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T

A new water supply project is bringing relief to the Makhanda community in the Eastern Cape, which has been facing ongoing water shortages.

Fixing steel and formwork for the storage reservoir

he Makhanda community (previously Grahamstown) has been affected by water shortages for many years, with some areas going without water for several days. To address this, the Department of Water and Sanitation has funded a project to augment the James Kleynhans Bulk Water Supply scheme.

The four-phase project is being implemented by Amatola Water, with Bosch Projects appointed as the consultant to undertake the design and implementation for the augmentation project.

The R41.3 million Phase 1, which commenced in September 2017 and is due for completion in December 2018, falls within the confines of the existing James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works (WTW). It involves the construction of a 2 Mℓ concrete storage reservoir, four sludge ponds, a supernatant pump station and interconnecting pipework between new and existing infrastructure, as well as electrical upgrades.

According to Rowan Bode, project manager: Port Elizabeth, Bosch Projects, an important component of the project is that 30% of its value had to be awarded to emerging subcontractors.

“This has allowed emerging subcontractors to be employed and developed through the main contractor,” he says.

The remaining three phases will address the augmentation of the WTW from 10 MLD to 20 MLD, the refurbishment/ upgrading of the existing James Kleynhans WTW, and the refurbishment/upgrading of the existing pumping main.

“On completion of the last phase, this project would have addressed the water requirements for the existing and future developments for Makhanda. This will relieve a significant burden for the community in and around this busy university town,” says Bode.

Water & Wastewater

Operational simplicity with UF membranes Membrane technologies like ultrafiltration can ensure exceptional final water quality and, with the right company, an improved operational experience.

By Herman Smit*

M

ost conventional water treatment systems require constant monitoring and daily operator decisions regarding plant operation. Ultrafiltration (UF) membrane processes offer a fully automated process that reduces operator involvement. With limited skilled operational staff available in South Africa, a more automated process offers many benefits.

However, reduced operator involvement is not necessarily in conflict with the employment of labour. The improved skills required to operate UF plants provide an opportunity for the existing operators to improve their skill levels through training and studying, and treated volumes can be increased with the same number of operational staff.

UF systems are ideal for new installations or for upgrades to existing filter systems or clarifiers, cutting operating costs and decreasing the

plant footprint, while delivering exceptional value over the entire system life cycle.

Instrumentation and control

Retained solids from feed

Standard UF membrane systems are supplied with feed and filtrate pressure transmitters and may also have other local instruments such as Fibre flow, temperature and wall pH sensors, which are used to monitor the operation of the system.

ABOVE RIGHT A sectional view through a typical hollow-fibre membrane during filtration

A programmable logic controller controls all operational functions, while a humanmachine interface (HMI) module allows adjustments to be made to the operational configuration settings remotely. The Feed operator is allowed limited operational changes but can make use of the HMI to operate the system and log important operational data.

If the system operates outside normal limits, a warning is typically generated.

Operating outside wider limits can generate a shutdown alarm, which stops the system, reducing the risk of damage to system components.

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Water & Wastewater Extending membrane lifespan

Short reverse flow of filtrate removes the retained solids from the membrane fibre surfaces. Liquid backwash waste is then drained or flushed from the system to the backwash waste disposal system. The feed and filtrate sides of the system are then refilled in a process like start-up, and the system then returns to service.

Depending on feed quality, the control system typically initiates an automatic backwash every 20 to 60 minutes of filtration. The backwash cycle typically takes about two to three minutes to complete. During each backwash, the waste solids are completely drained from the membrane surface, which eliminates solids accumulation and biological fouling.

When the build-up of foulants on the membrane modules increases the trans membrane pressure (TMP) or reduces flow rate, a clean-in-place cleaning cycle is usually required. Cleaning may also be initiated simply on an elapsed-time basis, such as once per month or every six weeks, even if TMP values have not reached a high level. This is a particularly useful strategy to maintain cleanliness in potable water systems.

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a

Conclusion

B

UF membrane systems provide the ability to treat poor-quality feedwaters and still produce excellent final water quality. With the added pressures on local government to increase the production of potable water, UF has a vital role to play in meeting these targets.

Each UF module comprises thousands of membrane fibres with microscopic pores on the membrane surface, rejecting particles greater than 0.04 Âľm.

Understanding the automated process of UF membrane systems will assist clients in implementing the technology with confidence. The assurance of excellent final water quality with less operator involvement is a big advantage in the simplification of plant operation.

Quality Filtration Systems has the in-house mechanical and electrical engineering capability to support the design of these

C

systems and provide local components and engineering practices, ensuring competitive costs and adherence to local requirements.

The company provides a complete installation and commissioning service, as well as operations and maintenance services to assist operators with training.

*Herman Smit is the managing director of Quality Filtration Systems.

QFS would like to acknowledge the assistance of Evoqua Water Technologies in compiling this article.

TOP Electron micrographs of typical Memcor hollow-fibre membranes: (a) sectional view enlarged about 200 times; (b) close-up of membrane cross section, with outer fouling layer visible; (c) enlargement of interface between fouling layer and membrane

Dams & Water Storage

The fight against

invasive plants

T

he Department of Environmental Affairs has renewed its contract with the Gamtoos Irrigation Board (GIB) to roll out the province-wide ‘Working for’ natural resource management programmes. The initiative will sustain 2 000 jobs throughout the Eastern Cape annually and clear non-indigenous vegetation in a bid to maximise run-off to the province’s dams amid increasingly crippling drought conditions.

Under the new three-year contract, GIB will manage four major project categories – Working for Water, Wetlands, Forestry and Ecosystems. Over the past five years, GIB contractors have cleared a total of 547 697 ha of alien invasive plants – 1 ha covers roughly the same area as an international rugby field.

A call for PPPs

“While funding for this is, in part, covered under the new contract, a lot more money is needed to have the desired impact,” says Rienette Colesky, financial and HR manager, GIB. The National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Nemba) required landowners to keep their land free from alien invasive plants. “Should more [private] land owners come to the party to contribute to these costs, we would be able to clear more land, faster,”

A call has gone out for public-private partnerships to tackle alien invasive plant species that are robbing the Eastern Cape’s supply dams of critical run-off from rains.

The clearing of alien invasive plant species forms a major component of national natural resource management programmes

she says, adding that those landowners who contributed towards the cost of clearing were also more committed to keeping their own land clear of these alien invasives.

“The government can only subsidise so much. We need clean catchments, but we can only do it with public-private partnerships,” said Colesky.

Pierre Joubert, CEO, GIB, adds, “It is vitally important for us to be involved in poverty alleviation, while, at the same time, improving flow of water into the dams, which is now more important than

Gamtoos Irrigation Board contractors at work on a concrete weir that assists with the rehabilitation of natural wetlands

ever, in view of the crippling drought.”

The board enlists the services of over 300 SMME contractors annually to assist with project implementation. Employing an average of 11 employees per team, this creates a positive economic impact for at least 3 000 additional beneficiaries and their households.

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Dams & Water Storage

Water:

Peter Townshend Managing Director: Amanziflow Projects

the Achilles heel of the municipal economy

Finding ways to get more water out of municipal dams is critical for sustained socio-economic growth. The raising of the dam wall is one of the most viable options, either using automatic spillway gates or by adopting a conventional spillway raising approach. By Peter Townshend

G

lobal warming is now generally accepted as the cause of the adverse weather effects we’ve been experiencing in our municipal cities and towns. The occurrence of severe, debilitating droughts, often followed by large floods, is the new normal that we have to cope with in South Africa.

Runde weir gate opening

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Over the last three or so years, there has hardly been a town or city in South Africa that hasn’t had to institute water restrictions. That, in turn, has had a ripple effect on our economies and revenue collections. Cape Town has received the most prominent media coverage for its shortage of water, with ‘Day Zero’ being well published.

However, Cape Town’s experience is not exclusive: currently, for example, Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality is adversely affected, as are many other coastal and inland regions.

The cost of water shortages to the City of Cape Town is said to be billions of rand in lost tourism, business, manufacturing and farming. Water, Avis Dam, Windhoek, showing the gate closed

Dams & Water Storage

Avis Dam gate beginning to open

therefore, is even more important than electricity... it is the Achilles heel of our economy. However, the shortage of both is equally devastating. Water shortages also lead to greater social unrest and demonstrations.

Consequently, more emphasis is now placed on water saving measures, as well as the procurement of extra water supplies. The prolonged drought has had the benefit of instilling water saving habits into the population, although that can also be short-lived once water is more readily available. Therefore, municipalities now need to spend money on the reuse of water and other sources.

A lot has been published and promoted in the media regarding water scarcity, which does not need to be expounded on here, except to say that the repair of broken pipes and leaking valves in municipal and private property is the most important measure to be implemented now. This could save about 30% of water lost due to broken infrastructure.

The treatment and recycling of wastewater is probably the next most important. Approximately 40% or more of water consumed flows to the sewage works, where it should be treated and recycled. Surplus treated water should be stored in underground aquifers, where possible, from where it can be extracted in times of drought.

Coastal cities and towns can revert to desalinating sea water. However, these

Belfast Dam, Mpumalanga

measures come at a cost, which will manifest and be paid as higher tariffs by the public, leading to more financial hardship, especially for the poor.

Take advantage of the floods

The cheapest form of water is bulk rainwater run-off in the numerous dams serving municipalities. However, with the long-protracted droughts, the dam storage capacities have been depleted, with some dams running dry.

Nevertheless, after drought periods brought on by the El Niño effect, it is frequently followed by the La Niña effect, which is higher-than-normal rainfall, often presenting itself as highintensity floods. These can fill the dams in a very short time; surplus water then overflows and is lost to the sea. This surplus water needs to be captured by raising the dams to gain an additional 30% or more of the initial dam capacity.

In the early 2000s, the Port Elizabeth area suffered droughts; however, in 2006, heavy rains filled the dams and overflowed, causing considerable damage to the dams. That is water that could have been retained by raising the dams to give relief for future droughts.

The raising of dams is the cheapest method of obtaining additional water supplies. A number of South African dams have already been raised to provide additional storage, such as Midmar and Hazelmere. Others in the process of being raised are the Garden Route and Tzaneen dams. These raisings

are constructed as fixed spillways using concrete and earthworks, and usually at considerable cost.

Best spillway option

That said, a unique range of automatic spillway gates has been developed and installed in South Africa over the last 20 years, and can raise dams at about half the cost or less than fixed spillway raisings. The spillway gates do not have any electrical or mechanical mechanisms to open and close them, nor do they require operators to activate them.

Being spillway gates, they are activated to automatically open and close using water forces only.

A number of these TOPS spillway gates have been installed in dams across Southern Africa, such as the Belfast Dam in Mpumalanga, the Avis Dam in Windhoek, as well as Swaziland’s Mnjoli Dam. They have increased storage capacity considerably.

The gates can be easily and quickly fitted to most spillway types, including ogee and side-channel spillways.

Flexible in operation, these TOPS gates also meet all the requirements of dam safety and provide additional safety features over fixed raising.

Municipalities should consider raising their main water supply dams, even during drought periods, as the floods will come and then the additional water can be stored rather than spill over the dam and be lost. Dams still provide the cheapest water.

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Mine Water

Much of South Africa’s rich history, particularly in Johannesburg, is based around mining. While this presents many challenges and threats, it also presents a series of untapped opportunities.

By Danielle Petterson

M

ining was the driving force behind the history and development of Africa’s richest economies. In South Africa, profitable mining began in 1867 when a diamond was discovered on the banks of the Orange River. This was followed by gold rushes to Pilgrim’s Rest and Barberton, before the discovery of the Main Reef in 1886 and the Witwatersrand gold rush – the legacy of which presents an ongoing struggle today.

While mining was crucial to the development of the South African economy, it has left many challenging legacies, both social and environmental.

From a social perspective, thousands of people are left impoverished and stranded after mines close, and in several instances ‘ghost towns’ have developed in areas that were previously reliant on mining activity.

Environmentally, we are faced with scarred landscapes. Fauna and flora are cleared out, erosion follows and sediments often pollute waterways, smothering plant life and contributing to flooding. Groundwater is contaminated when minerals seep into the water table, and waste rock

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A GOLDEN opportunity

brought up from underground – often toxic when it comes into contact with air and water – spreads pollution. In many instances, watersheds are destroyed, and the water table is lowered, changing the flow of groundwater and streams.

These challenges only scrape the surface of the problems created by legacy and ongoing mining activities.

However, mining will remain an essential part of the economy for the foreseeable future. The industry creates one million jobs, both directly and indirectly, and accounts for about 18% of South Africa’s GDP. It attracts significant investment and is a critical earner of foreign exchange.

With this in mind, it is essential that we adopt a new approach to mining.

According to Dr Jo Burgess, research manager at the Water Research Commission and head: Mine Water Division at WISA, this involves several steps, beginning with engaging stakeholders and finding solutions that minimise risk, maximise benefits and manage trade-offs. The industry must exercise socially responsible practices and consider the full life cycle of a mine in terms of sustainable development.

Mine water should be prevented instead of treated and its effects mitigated only after it has become a problem.

“We need to consider the long-term costs in assessing the feasibility of a mine, including closure costs and post-closure site activities,” says Burgess.

Furthermore, the resources mining relies on are ultimately finite, raising the question of how we sustain development in a country that will inevitably become a post-mining landscape.

The golden opportunity

Johannesburg’s mine water problem has been highly publicised, as have the country’s highly stressed water resources. In drafting its National Water and Sanitation Master Plan, the Department of Water and Sanitation identified that South Africa may face a 17% water deficit by 2030 if certain steps are not taken. These include reducing losses, minimising consumption and, most importantly, diversifying supply. And one of the identified sources of supply is treated mine water.

According to Burgess, Johannesburg is essentially sitting on top of an untapped mine water resource. If all of this were

Mine Water to be used, we would have an estimated 100 m3 to 150 m3 of water available per annum. And the energy required to process and transport this water is only half of that needed for several other water resources. “In a country where we use coal to provide 95% of our energy demand, it makes sense to minimise the energy demand to provide something as basic as water,” she says.

Current efforts

With a combined capacity of 65 MLD, South Africa already has two full-scale plants that treat mining-impacted water to potable standards. The plants, located on the Mpumalanga Highveld, are operated by the Anglo American/ South32 joint venture and Optimum Coal, respectively.

The business case for these plants is very strong, says Burgess. They provide access to the commodity reserves, cater for the environmental needs of both current and future decant and discharge water, contribute to the security of water supply and conservation of surface water resources, as well as provide drinking water to residents in the area.

Both of these plants are more than a decade old, proving the viability and sustainability of such plants. However, Burgess points out that the civil works for a water reclamation plant are significant and, therefore, very costly.

In addition, between 25% and 30% of the life-cycle costs go towards waste disposal. “We’re producing mountains of gypsum,” says Burgess. “We have to be smarter about the by-products we produce.”

MINE WATER RECLAMATION PLANTS Optimum Coal WRP

eMalahleni WRP

Start of construction: October 2008

Start of construction: 2005

Commissioned: September 2011

Commissioned: October 2007

Capacity: 15 MLD

Capacity: 20 MLD initially; ad hoc upgrades to 30 MLD; deliberate expansion to 50 MLD in 2011

Capex: R545 million

Capex: R1.4 billion for original plant plus Phase 1 and 2 expansion

Water quality: Feedwater is not acidic and does not carry a high metals load; high in Ca, Na and Mn

Water quality: Feedwater is acidic; high in sulfates, Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn

While mine water presents an opportunity to boost potable supply, there are also a number of non-potable opportunities that will mitigate what Burgess refers to as the ‘yuck effect’ associated with drinking treated mine water. The biggest opportunity lies in agriculture, but there are also significant opportunities in landscape irrigation, emergency use for dust suppression and fire-fighting, toilet flushing, and industrial uses such as air conditioning, heat dissipation, power generation, processing and car washing.

and operation. “We have a perceived, or real, lack of expertise in process integration in this arena,” says Burgess.

“The perception in the industry is largely that this is something very complex and expensive, and that we don’t know how to do it.”

However, scientists are becoming more active in this area and more vocal about what should be done and how politics should be changed in order to accommodate technological changes – a promising move in the right direction for the industry.

Barriers to mine water recycling

Looking to the future

Unfortunately, the uptake of mine water recycling has been very low. Burgess believes this is because water treatment is not mines’ core business. There is a perceived lack of expertise and capacity, and the regulatory pathway is very challenging.

Feedwater characteristics are also highly variable, which necessitates experience and expertise in design

Harnessing the mine water sitting beneath our feet offers us the opportunity to solve the problem of excess mining-impacted water and mitigate the risk posed to the country’s food security and socio-economic development by the current drought.

While it may be costly to address South Africa’s mine water challenges, the cost of not addressing them is far greater.

N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

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Finance & Contrac ting

The answer to infrastructure delivery

T

he current procurement model in South Africa means contracts are typically awarded on a lowest-cost basis, where a firm of engineers are contracted to provide designs and administration and the successful contractor is responsible to construct the required infrastructure project and remedy defects for a limited period of time.

According to Euan Massey, director, MDA Attorneys, this increases the risk of designs being underdeveloped or incomplete, which can lead to variations and defects during construction, increasing costs and causing delay.

Added to this, the construction of the project relies on the upfront allocation of funds from National Treasury. This means that projects are constructed when budget can be allocated – not when infrastructure is needed. “We have been involved in several contracts where budgeting is a major issue and the pace of the execution is not guided by a defined contract period, but rather by how much money the municipality has in any particular budgeted year, resulting in projects being done on a year-by-year basis as the money becomes available.

Projects that should have taken three years can end up taking up to eight years,” says Massey.

The employer is also reliant on the contractor for training in order to operate the plant, which typically takes place at the end of construction to a limited number of operating personnel. Invariably,

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working order when this training is insufficient handed back. and/or the trained Municipalities According to personnel take up face many Massey, the other positions, challenges when it strategy is flexible compounding comes to implementing and can be poor arranged so that maintenance infrastructure projects, the contractor and operations, presenting a significant fully or partly reducing the opportunity for design, build, finances the infrastructure’s and operate (DBO) contracts. design and lifespan. construction DBO contracts,

By Danielle Petterson phase and is however, offer reimbursed during a solution to these the operations phase. challenges by shifting the This flexibility allows plants to responsibility for designing, be constructed based on demand and building and operating the required not when they are budgeted for or when infrastructure to the private sector. Given funding becomes available. Furthermore, the poor state of most of South Africa’s the long-term nature of these contracts wastewater treatment plants, Massey makes them attractive to financiers, believes this is a very promising area for explains Massey. these types of contracts.

DBO contracts also require one DBO contracts explained contractor to be appointed rather than A DBO contract is a procurement multiple contractors or professionals, strategy where a single contractor is making the project easier to manage for appointed to design and construct a the municipality. Significantly, the defects plant and also go on to operate it for a liability remains with the contractor for predetermined period. The operations the duration of the operations phase. phase is typically for lengthy periods By being responsible for operating of around 15 to 20 years with specified the plant, the contractor will also take handover requirements. This offers many into account the total cost of ownership advantages to the public entity by placing when designing the plant, which often most of the risk on the contractor. introduces efficiencies and reduces The contractor is responsible for construction time. maintaining the plant during the “These contracts are typically structured operations phase and ensuring that in such a way that the real revenue it remains fit for purpose and in good commences on commissioning of the

Finance & Contracting

works. So there is an added incentive for contractors to expedite construction so that they can start turning over revenue,” explains Massey.

Standard form contracts

According to Massey, standard-form DBO contracts can be amended to address specific skills requirements in terms of long-term community participation, skills transfer and the general upliftment of communities.

There are two relevant standard-form contracts currently available in South Africa, namely the FIDIC Conditions for Design Build Operate Projects, First Edition (2008), and the NEC4 DBO Contract.

These contracts typically require significant amendments to accurately specify the employer’s requirements and ensure the standard-form mechanisms are appropriate.

“One of the shortcomings of these contracts is that the people who put the contracts together don’t always recognise their long-term nature. If the requirements are not precisely specified, there can be problems down the road,” says Massey.

Bespoke contracts are also an option and while they do require a lot of work, they offer the advantage of being designed to address both parties’ needs and requirements.

Current framework

DBO contracts share many traits with PPPs and are, therefore, governed by National Treasury Regulation 16, which defines a PPP. Section 120 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (No. 56 of 2003; MFMA) also provides for PPPs. According to section 120, municipalities may enter into PPPs where they provide value for money to the municipality, are affordable to the municipality, or transfer appropriate technical, operational and financial risk to the private party.

Although there is a big question mark around whether municipalities have the skills and capacity to manage PPPs, there are provisions within the MFMA that allow municipalities to rely on national resources in managing them, explains Massey.

Are DBO contracts the answer?

Massey warns that DBO contracts are not always suited to brownfields projects.

They also require contractual mechanisms, such as audit committees and dispute avoidance boards, to be properly implemented and maintained or the contract could fail.

Cooperation is crucial owing to the long-term nature of these contracts. A break-down in the relationship between the parties could lead to the contract being terminated.

However, if properly structured, Massey believes DBO contracts can address the current budgetary constraints, skills shortages, and lack of adequate maintenance, and ensure the long-term sustainability of infrastructure.

“The current constraints will not be addressed if there is no change.

The current procurement model needs to be disrupted and DBO contracts provide a good opportunity for this.”

N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

41

Pumps

Using pumps to generate electricity

A

technical team serving the requirements of Drakenstein Municipality in the Western Cape has designed one of the country’s largest pump and turbine stations. The new station will provide water to the nearby town of Paarl during dry periods and generate electricity for the city during the remainder of the year.

The municipality was faced with the dilemma of having to pump water to its neighbour for just one month a year. For the rest of the year, the pump station would be dormant and

Top KSB Pumps and Valves’ branches and dealer manager for South Africa Francois Naude with regional sales manager David Jones Right Leliefontein pump and turbine station Far Right Electrical systems integrator Brian Cooper at the main control interface

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An innovative solution to a water reticulation challenge will provide Drakenstein Municipality with energy while ensuring water supply to one of the town’s neighbours.

need hundreds of thousands of rand in maintenance due to possible corrosion, perishing, lubrication and bearing damage to the idle infrastructure, explains Hein Henning, engineer: Water Operations, Drakenstein Municipality.

Instead, the team chose an innovative solution that will generate an income while simultaneously reducing the requirement for maintenance, by effectively allowing the pumps to run backwards against the pressure of water and generate electricity for the region’s electrical grid.

Generating power

During the driest month of the year, the pumps need to be switched on to pump 400 ℓ/s upstream to Paarl, after which the pumps would usually be switched off. “However, the higher elevation of the reservoir allows us to rotate the pumps backwards to act as small turbines for the rest of the year.

Unlike turbines, however, the pumps are standard stock items from the supplier – KSB Pumps and Valves – and does not require specialised support and servicing. What’s more, the pumps are durable enough to allow us to

Pumps

KSB Pumps Kiewiet Viljoen, project director at Hidro-Tech Systems, with Hein Henning, engineer at Drakenstein Municipality, at the KSB Pumps

design the infrastructure with a 40-year lifespan,” explains Henning.

“With this long lifespan in mind, we decided to make use of KSB’s pumps, as we already have a number of these installed throughout our municipality and are aware of their reliability, as well as long track record of support to our municipality, as well as many other municipalities and water utilities throughout South Africa,” he says.

of controls is required to deal with the hydraulic force and convert the electricity generated into a useable form, explains Brian Cooper, electrical systems integrator, Hidro-Tech Systems.

This requires pump speeds to be controlled via a variable-speed drive to prevent over-speed as well as convert the wave produced to a pure 50 Hz wave form that is compatible with the city’s power grid.

Upgraded pump station

Before commissioning the project, the municipality had spelled out its requirement to replace its existing 96 ℓ/s pump station with a new one and discussed the ability to generate electricity in the off season with consulting engineers Aurecon. Having designed and planned a solution, the main contract was awarded to Hidro-Tech Systems for mechanical and electrical work.

According to Kiewiet Viljoen, projects director, Hidro-Tech Systems, the primary role of the project was to develop an efficient and reliable booster pump station to ensure uninterrupted water supply to nearby Wellington.

Only once that need had been fully met could the project managers consider its secondary role to generate power in the off-peak season.

Three KSB ETA200-40 pumps were procured to meet the needs of the station upgrade. According to Viljoen, these pumps not only perform exceptionally in their typical role, but have an efficiency of over 80% in turbine mode, even considering hydraulic and electrical losses.

Technology integration

Despite the relative simplicity of the mechanical design, complex integration

“With growing pressure on the country’s power-generating infrastructure, it pays for local authorities, farmers and landowners with access to water to investigate the installation of pumpand-turbine systems.”

“Thereafter, the system is designed with full programmable logic control, which can be managed on-site via human-machine interface or can be accessed remotely via computer or mobile device, to give users infinite control and monitoring of the site wherever and whenever required.

The industrial network also provides automated control of the entire system, including control of the three pumps, valves, level indicators, flow meters and other parameters that are critical to the system’s efficient operation to either pump water or generate electricity.

“In addition to providing seamless control of the system, it also ensures redundancy in all operating conditions

and provides emergency measures in the event of failures of any part of the system, including valve controls, bypassing of the system, or parameter changes as required to rectify any problems incurred,” says Cooper.

KSB Pumps and Valves specialist Stefano Testi has applauded the project, saying its success paves the way for numerous similar projects throughout Southern Africa, wherever there is a reliable supply of water at a high enough elevation to drive the pump and turbine (PaT) station.

“With growing pressure on the country’s power-generating infrastructure, it pays for local authorities, farmers and landowners with access to water to investigate the installation of PaT systems as a cost-effective and reliable source of electricity that is not reliant on wind or sun to drive it,” says Testi.

Project success

The commissioning of the PaT effectively brings online one of the largest projects of its kind in South Africa – it is able to generate 57 kW with three turbines. This is enough to power the entire region’s water infrastructure, including treatment plants, pump houses and offices, for an entire year.

“We are pleased with the outcome and commend everybody involved in the project for their innovation and dedication to building a system that can be used as a blueprint by other municipalities around the country and across the globe. It has been a brilliant project with lots of challenges and innovation, and the end result being the delivery of a successful project.

We will definitely do similar projects with this team in future,” concludes Henning.

N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

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Pumps

Driving efficiency Several countries across Africa face ongoing power delivery challenges, with municipalities struggling to meet the demands of citizens and businesses.

Energy-efficient water pumps have the potential to deliver significant efficiencies where they are needed most.

W

hile South Africa looks for ways to create additional power-generating capacity and contain costs, some key aspects of the solution are often neglected, says Henning Sandager, newly appointed regional head: sub-Saharan Africa, Grundfos.

Power-saving water pump solutions present municipalities with improved energy efficiencies that allow them to lower their demand on the national power grid and allocate much-needed energy resources elsewhere.

Water pump systems account for 10% of the world’s electrical energy consumption.

Switching to energy-efficient pumps can save up to 50% of that energy.

“Bringing water to end users – the removal and treatment of wastewater, and the production of energy – requires a lot of pumping. Throughout this process, massive energy optimisation and cost savings can easily be realised,” says Sandager.

Achieving SA’s goals

Access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy is seen as crucial to achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Energy access, however, varies widely across countries and the current rate of progress falls short of what is required to achieve this goal. Redoubled efforts will be needed, particularly in countries with large energy access deficits and high energy

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consumption. South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) has also targeted efficient energy provision. Outcome 6 sets out to achieve the following: “In 2030, South Africa’s network of robust infrastructure is the bedrock of growth and job creation. This infrastructure efficiently delivers electricity, water, sanitation, telecoms and transport services, powers the economy, and supports manufacturing, trade and exports. More than that, it gives citizens the means to improve their lives and boost local economies.”

Sandager points out that moving across to solutions like those delivered by Grundfos would put municipalities in a

Water pump systems account for 10% of the world’s electrical energy consumption favourable position to contribute to this NDP outcome, reduce the financial burden, and benefit the communities they serve.

The more municipalities save on energy, the more they can deliver in other areas and help to grow the economy.

Smart solutions

Smart technologies, such as the Grundfos Demand-Driven Distribution pressure control system, demonstrate how municipalities can reduce both water and power consumption by up to 20%. This

is achieved by automatically monitoring grid use patterns with remote sensors and adjusting water pressure accordingly to deliver optimal water pressure at any given time.

The savings are measurable in practice – as cited in a report on how the Copenhagen Municipality successfully managed to cut its annual water consumption by nearly half over a few decades.

This same smart technology was applied by the Municipality of Bucharest. In the Romanian capital, one of four water supply zones providing water to over 200 000 citizens reduced water losses from 50% to 30% over 10 years, by installing new pumps, replacing pipes and dropping pressure at night. While water leakage was reduced significantly, the municipality was surprised by the substantial energy savings accrued.

These are just a few examples of how municipalities around the world are getting smart and adjusting operations to efficient distribution systems, providing substantial reductions in water leakage losses and energy costs.

“It is these types of savings we are committed to bringing to municipalities, industries and businesses around the world,” says Sandager. “With our range of energy-efficient water pump solutions, municipalities should take advantage of the latest technologies available to them to help solve their most pressing challenges."

WATER MANAGEMENT

Derek G Hazelton, Pr Eng., FWISA, founder and manager of TSE Water Services

Planning and launching an integrated WSA WC/WDM project This paper is the third in a series of five articles by Derek Hazelton on WC/WDM. The earlier articles appeared in the July/August and September/October 2018 issues of Water&Sanitation Africa (Vol. 13 No. 4&5).

In the first article, the poor state of water supply service delivery in South Africa’s WSAs was examined. It also demonstrated that improved WC/WDM is a core requirement of any turnaround strategy. The second article detailed a unique way to quantify what WC/WDM can achieve for WSAs. By Derek G Hazelton

W

ith this motivating background available, it is now time for water services managers to obtain the support of their municipal council and top management to plan and launch a comprehensive integrated WC/ WDM project. The current article explains how this can be done.

articles will describe all these phases in reasonable detail.

Launching the WC/WDM project The steps for launching a WC/WDM project The launching of a WC/WDM project consists of the steps shown in Figure 2.

Appointment of the PSP The appointed PSP should have a good overall knowledge of all phases of WC/ WDM implementation, and be good at sourcing specialists, when its knowledge is not of the highest standard. Strong coordinating skills and an excellent ability to empower communities and the WSA’s staff and councillors are essential attributes of the chosen PSP. It cannot be stressed too strongly that in poor areas, both rural and urban, the community needs to be fully involved in: • all aspects of the planning and implementation of the WC/WDM turnaround project • the ongoing operation, monitoring, maintenance and management of the water supply infrastructure, even after the project is over.

These requirements reinforce the need for the chosen PSP to be enthusiastic and competent in all aspects of FIGURE 1 The main implementation phases of a motivating and implementing WC/WDM project the capacity building and training of communities and WSAs during all phases of the project implementation.

The WSA also needs to facilitate good communication and team building between itself and the PSP. While the PSP is implementing a turnaround in each subsystem, the WSA must continue with its normal work routines, while learning new skills from the PSP.

Planning the WC/WDM project The project should be planned using a logical horizontal and vertical approach, so that the implementation of tasks never becomes overwhelming. The horizontal approach requires that all the facets required to achieve sustainable excellence in water supply service delivery be listed in a logical implementation order. The vertical approach involves listing all the WSA’s water systems and subsystems in the order decided at the preliminary planning meeting.

As implementation proceeds, the systems and subsystems should be divided into isolatable zones that comprise about 2 000 households or their equivalent.

Figure 1 illustrates the main phases of a WC/WDM project, and the logical vertical and horizontal approach to implementing them. This article and the subsequent two

The preliminary planning meeting The preliminary high-level meeting is to allow: • the PSP to give an overview of how the project is to be implemented • the WSA staff and councillors to brainstorm: - the status quo - the constraints to implementing WC/WDM - the order in which they judge systems should be listed in accordance with the level of their O&M challenges • the PSP to table the information it will require to do all the tasks required to launch the project.

Excess minimum night flows It is highly recommended to measure the minimum night flows (MNFs) of all the systems and subsystems, which do not include storage reservoirs, as the first implementation step, because these measurements give a very quick and good indication of just how serious the total leakage losses are for each of the measured systems. These total leakage losses comprise the distribution system losses plus the leakages on all the customers' properties. Thus, the difference between the actual MNF and the expected MNF equals the estimated total excessive leakage from the system.

Note: when working retail water meters are fitted to customer connections, the non-revenue water (NRW), obtained from water volume balance calculations, excludes the water leakage losses on these customers’ properties.

Figure 3 shows the results of two sets of MNF measurements taken by WRP, over three-day periods in the Sebokeng-Evaton area of the Emfuleni LM WSA. The first set of measurements was taken in July 2003, and the flow pattern is shown by the line at the top of the red area. The average daily demand (ADD) was 4 020 m3/h and the MNF, as shown in N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

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WATER MANAGEMENT FIGURE 2 The steps for launching a WC/WDM project

FIGURE 3 Minimum night flow measurements (McKenzie, et al. 2005)

the diagram, was 3 000 m3/h. This MNF represents 75% of the ADD. In a typical well-managed system with no leakage problems, and no wet industries using water at night, the MNF to ADD ratio is usually in the order of 10% to 15%. Thus, the measured figures clearly highlighted an appalling leakage problem in the area.

The second set of measurements was taken in July 2005, after a set of pressurereducing valves had been installed, at an approximate cost of R5 million. The resultant flow pattern is shown by the line at the bottom of the red area, and the red area itself represents the water savings.

The ADD had been reduced to 3 220 m3/h and the MNF to 2 000 m3/h, resulting in water savings of 8.5 million m3/annum, which represent savings of approximately R20 million/annum.

Thus, the implementation of pressure reduction can frequently have high returns on the money spent but, as clearly indicated in Figure 3, further reductions in system leakage losses are invariably required to reach the modest MNF target of 900 m3/h, set by WRP.

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Measuring MNFs and average daily flow rates Water systems should be fitted with input bulk water meters. If no meters are fitted, temporary clampon meters can be used. Data loggers are then fitted to these meters to measure the average daily flow rate and the MNF. The excessive MNF is estimated from these readings.

For small systems with no meters, the average daily flow rate can be estimated using pump running hours or energy consumption. The MNF can be estimated by isolating the feed to the system storage tank and measuring the fall in water level from about 01:00 to 02:00. If no system input volume (SIV) records exist for a system, these daily flow rates can be used as the best available SIVs. Doing the high-level benefits analysis Refer to the second article to set the SIV, NRW and recovered revenue targets;

to evaluate the corresponding current values; and from these two sets of values, do a high-level benefits analysis. Such an analysis recently calculated for the Emfuleni LM WSA is reproduced in Table 1. Due to the severity of the financial situation, Table 1 recommends that interim targets are set to stabilise the situation urgently.

The high-level benefits analysis should be completed for each of the WSA’s systems and subsystems, so that the way forward can be planned in a manner that achieves the greatest financial gains for the least expenditure.

Checking how ready the WSA is to implement sustainable WC/WDM The sustainable implementation of the two main WC/WDM tasks, namely leakage reduction and the management of free basic water and cost recovery, is not possible without a number of enablers being in place. Thus, while setting targets and evaluating the WSA’s current SIV, NRW, and NRR values, the PSP needs to evaluate the state of the WSA’s enablers – this refers to checking how ready the WSA is to implement a sustainable WC/WDM project.

A summary of these enablers is recorded in Figure 4.

After evaluating the current state of the WSA’s enablers, the PSP needs to advise the WSA on what improvements are needed. However, do not seek immediate perfection, as this will divert too much funding from the urgent WC/WDM implementation, which needs to be done to improve cash flow. Also remember, further improvements to the enablers can wait for scheduling in the second or third annual ‘Close the Gap’ report.

Compiling the first annual ‘Close the Gap’ planning report This report should include the sections shown in Figure 5.

The first sections of the report should contain the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the work done in

FIGURE 4 Enablers required to achieve sustainable WC/WDM

WATER MANAGEMENT FIGURE 5 The recommended contents for the first annual ‘Close the Gap’ report

grant making. WSAs with a poor record of WC/WDM implementation usually require significant seed funding to launch a comprehensive WC/WDM project. The PSP should assist the WSA by drafting fundraising letters, and by suggesting a wide range of potential government and private sector funders. These letters will, however, need to be submitted by the WSA itself. Funders expect to see that the WSA has already committed funds to the project, and the maximum grant is not likely to exceed the amount committed by the WSA.

TABLE 1 Emfuleni LM WSA: Current situation, interim targets and targets

Notes: The water demand is the true demand. It has been calculated using the best available information. The receipts have been guestimated. They may be lower.

Gross Surplus means the money available for O&M after RW has been paid for the bulk water

evaluating the current state of WC/WDM in the WSA. The recommendations will include the priority systems in which the turnaround WC/WDM is to be implemented in the first year. A summary of what is to be implemented, per system, is illustrated in Figure 6.

These sections of the report should be followed by: a description of all the enabling tools that need to be cleansed and/or upgraded; the cost estimates and work programme for the first implementation year; and the estimated payback period for the costs. The report should end with a concise summary of all the previous sections, and a risk assessment based on a SWOT analysis.

project during implementation. Potential external funders also require such approval before even considering any

Handing back responsibility to the WSA This article has focused on a PSP-facilitated WC/WDM project, which empowers both the WSA and its communities. That is, it is a task with a beginning and a specific end.

But, as stated in the first article, WC/WDM is never a project. It is always a programme.

That is, it is a task with a beginning, but no end. Thus, during the project, the WSA and the communities should ensure that full empowerment takes place, and that they take up this empowerment opportunity fully.

If all this empowerment takes place unreservedly, the WSA and the communities will be able to maintain what has been achieved during the project and, if necessary, transform interim targets, over time, into fully achieved targets.

For a full list of references, please contact the author at tsewater@icon.co.za.

FIGURE 6 Summary list of the steps to be carried out in implementing the WC/WDM project

Completing the final steps of the project launch Once the report is complete and approved by the WSA’s management, it must also be approved by a full council resolution.

Thereafter, the report approval must be recorded in the WSA’s IDP. These approvals are essential to ensure the necessary ongoing support for the turnaround N OV E M BE R/ DE C E MB E R 2018

47

Index to Advertisers Agru Kunststofftechnik

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Aveng Water

OFC

BMG

30

Cat Phones

24

Circuit Water Engineering Equipment

26

Grundfos

28 8

KSB Pumps & Valves

10

Power & Electricity World Africa

48

Quality Filtration Systems

34

Rainbow Reservoirs

35

Rocla

22

OBC

Databuild

Krohne

Macsteel Fluid Control

IFC

SBS Tanks

2

Sizabantu Piping Systems

IBC

Structa Group

32

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