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The official magazine of the Water Institute of Southern Africa
Water & SanitationAfricaComplete water resource and wastewater management
The best way to promote sound water resources management principles is through working and sharing lessons with other organisations. Phakamani Buthelezi, CEO of BGCMA P14
The official magazine of the Water Institute of Southern Africa
Sanitation
JulyJuly/August 2014 • ISSN 1990-8857 • Cover price R50.00 • Vol 9 No. 4
MEDIA
OPINIONManaging groundwater
through technology sharing
ODOUR CONTROLManaging plant odour
Promoting professional excellence in the water sector
IN THE HOT SEAT
THE HOT SEAT
THE HOT SEAT
Partnering change in Africa
WASTEWATERQuality and sustainability
in service delivery
RAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATERRAND WATER
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The official magazine of the Water Institute of Southern Africa
Water & SanitationAfricaComplete water resource and wastewater management
The best way to promote sound water resources management principles is through working and sharing lessons with other
organisations. Phakamani Buthelezi, CEO of BGCMA P14July
July/August 2014 • ISSN 1990-8857 • Cover price R50.00 • Vol 9 No. 4
MEDIA
OPINIONManaging groundwater
through technology sharing
ODOUR CONTROLManaging plant odour
Promoting professional excellence in the water sector
IN THE HOT SEAT
Partnering change in Africa
WASTEWATERQuality and sustainability
in service delivery
RAND WATERON THE COVER
Rand Water looks to develop
African water professionals p4
Volume 9. No.4
RegulaRs
Editor‘s comment 3Africa round-up 20
COVeR sTORY
Capacity building in Mozambique 4
WIsa
President's comment 6Special custodians of the water sector 8Overcoming the hurdles to academic publication 9
WIsa 2014
Wetskills highlights young talent 11Excellence recognised at WISA 2014 14
HOT seaT
Breede-Gouritz CMA's continued success 16
IndusTRY neWs
Joint venture spells the future 19
OpInIOn
Unsustainable groundwater mining 22
TRenCHless TeCHnOlOgY
The lowdown on SASTT 25Technical paper – Horizontal directional drilling in the South African context 27
OdOuR COnTROl
Successful treatment of wastewater odour 33Technology trumps odour at WWTW 36
WasTeWaTeR
Channelling greenhouse gas emissions 38Pump efficiency: the key to success 41Boosting supply 43Assessing performance and compliance 44
Challenging greenhouse gas emmissions
Contents
panel dIsCussIOn
Elster Kent Metering 47Sensus 48Utility Systems 50Lesira-Teq 53Precision Meters 55
mInIng WaTeR
Mintails pioneers AMD solution 56Bespoke water storage 60Beyond water use 61Discharge to Elburgspruit under control 63Storage options for mining sites 64
38
Unsustainable groundwater mining22
Boosting supply through Caesar’s Dam43
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Editor’s commEntPublisher Elizabeth Shorten Editor Maryke FouldsHead of design Frédérick DantonSenior designer Hayley MendelowDesigner Kirsty GallowayChief sub-editor Tristan SnijdersSub-editor Beatrix Knopjes Contributors Jo Burgess, Wanda Henning, Nick Carne, Neil van Rooyen, Hennie Smal, Jay Bhagwan, Gerhard Hope, Shanna Nienaber, Inga JacobsMarketing manager Hestelle RobinsonDigital manager Esther LouwClient services & production manager Antois-Leigh BotmaProduction coordinator Jacqueline ModiseDistribution manager Nomsa MasinaDistribution coordinator Asha PursothamFinancial manager Andrew LobbanAdministration Tonya HebentonPrinters United Litho Johannesburg +27 (0)11 402 0571Advertising sales Avé Delport Tel: +27 (0)11 467 6224 • Cell: +27 (0)83 302 1342 Fax: 086 502 1216 • Email: [email protected]
media Physical address: No 4, 5th Avenue Rivonia 2056Postal address: PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117,South AfricaTel: +27 (0)11 233 2600Fax: +27 (0)11 234 7274/5Email: [email protected]
ISSN: 1990 - 8857Annual subscription: R300 (SA rate)Email: [email protected] 2014. All rights reserved.All articles in Water&sanitation africa are copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publishers. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the Water Institute of Southern Africa or the publishers.
WISA mission statementThe Water Institute of Southern Africa provides a forum for exchange of information and views to improve water resource management in Southern Africa.
Endorsed by
WISA ContACtS:HeAd offIceTel: +27 (0)11 805 3537 Fax: +27 (0)11 315 1258Physical address: 1st Floor, Building 5, Constantia Park, 546 16th Road, Randjiespark Ext 7, Midrand
BRANcHeSeastern capeChairman: Hennie GreeffTel: +27(0)41 453 3102Secretary/Treasurer: Chris Dickson Tel: +27(0)41 507 8200
free StateChairperson: D.R. TlhomelangTel: +27(0)51 403 0800Secretary/ Treasurer: Riana WesselsTel: +27(0)56-515-0375
KwaZulu-NatalChairman: Chris Fennemore Tel: +27 (0)31 311 8734Secretary/ Treasurer: Stephanie WalshTel: +27 (0)31 302-4077
Western capeChairman: Gareth McConkeyTel: +27(0) 21 712 4260Secretary/ Treasurer: Eleonore BondesioTel: +27(0)21 872 0322
www.ewisa.co.za
SAyS WISA CEO Lester Goldman: “WISA’s vision is uncompromis-ing: access to potable water for all. We want to promote innova-
tions beyond the technical. We want to see innovations to solve the capacity and training challenges ahead. Solving South Africa’s water challenges is predicated on innovation. We wish to increase our assistance to struggling municipalities and increase awareness of WISA as an ally and a resource.”
WISA 2014's awards evening recog-nised the leading role players and this year the WISA awards went to:• SAIWA Piet Vosloo Award:
Umgeni Water• SAIWA Pressley Hughes Award for best
paper: S Motaung et al.• Most improved WWTW: Waterval
Treatment Works, Ekurhuleni• Wilson Award: Plettenberg Bay WWTW• WWTW Award (Larger than
25 Mℓ/day): Olifantsvlei WWTW, Johannesburg Water
• Mine Water Award for best pres-entation: Johanna Mtimunye for her paper entitled: ‘Uranium reduction by
facultative anaerobes in mining tailings’
defining success
The official magazine of the Water Institute of Southern Africa
Water & SanitationAfrica
Complete water resource and wastewater management
The best way to promote sound water resources management
principles is through working and sharing lessons with other
organisations. Phakamani Buthelezi, CEO of BGCMA P14
July
July/August 2014 • ISSN 1990-8857 • Cover price R50.00 • Vol 9 No. 4
MEDIA
OPINION
Managing groundwater
through technology sharing
ODOUR CONTROL
Managing plant odour
Promoting professional excellence in
the water sector
IN THE HOT SEAT
Partnering change in Africa
WASTEWATER
Quality and sustainability
in service delivery
RAND WATER
Cover opportunityIn each issue, Water&Sanitation Africa offers companies the opportunity to get to the front of the line by placing a company, product or service on the front cover of the magazine. Buying this position will afford the advertiser the cover story and maximum exposure. For more information on cover bookings contact Avé Delport on +27 (0)83 302 1342 or email [email protected]
• CEO Award for most active branch: South African Young Water Professionals.
The collaboration between the Dutch and South African water sectors is long standing and they formed an active part of the con-ference with positive inputs and outcomes. Dutch Ambassador to South Africa Andre Halspels was vocal in his support for the South African water industry and highlight-ed addressing critical skills shortages in the industry and the forming of knowledge pools. Their philosophy of ‘teach one, teach all’ continues to be an inspiration.
The challenges facing the industry were eloquently put by Advocate Petlane of Rand Water, who reiterated the need for clear governance and knowledge building in the sector: “We need to prioritise the eradication of corruption at municipal level; corruption is at the heart of our problems. To achieve universal access, we need to improve water skills and create competent municipalities.”
South Africa is at the cusp of real transfor-mation in the water industry. It is a challenge put to our new Minister of Water Affairs and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane, to make a reality.
Maryke Foulds
The WISA 2014 conference and exhibition was a highlight on the water industry agenda for the year. With over 1 800 delegates attending, it was a successful event giving choice networking opportunities to all players.
3 july/august 2014
covEr story
4 july/august 2014
AS tHe lARgeSt water utility in Africa, Rand Water is committed to sustainability of projects
through effective and efficient skills transfer. This is evident in the set-up of the FIPAG Academy for Professional Development in the water sector. This project forms part of Rand Water’s contribution towards the Southern African Development Community for roll-out within an African sister utility.
Mozambique is one of the growing economies on the African continent. The legacy of conflict and civil war is evident in the country’s struggling infrastructure. However, under the presidency of Joaquim Chissano,
who implemented sweeping chang-es in the country, the country has entered a peaceful phase where the real work of rebuilding a country is in active progress. The expansion and improvement of infrastructure for clean water and sanitation, its use and maintenance is still a major concern, both in urban and rural areas.
the projectUNESCO-IHE engaged Rand Water with a scope of work for the setup of the FIPAG Academy. Rand Water has been engaged in this for the project implementation through the Rand Water Academy. The project, called ‘Set-up of the FIPAG Academy for
capacity building in mozambique Rand Water is testament to the powers of technology transfer and knowledge sharing.
july/august 2014 5
covEr story
the Professional Development in Water and Sanitation’ is funded by the Dutch government as a member of an international consortium led by UNESCO–IHE Institute for Water Education. “The main objective of the project is to contribute to the improvement of management, services and infrastructure in the water and sanitation (WATSAN) sector in Mozambique. This will be done by strengthening the capacity of FIPAG (Fundo de Investimento e Patrimonio do Abastecimento de Aqua) to implement investment programmes in peri-urban water and sanitation and ensure the
provision of potable water and cost-effective sani-tation to the population,
with a gender and labour market perspective.”“This will be achieved by setting
up and consolidating a FIPAG Academy which will possess sound institutional management, academic excellence and good links with WATSAN stakeholders and oth-er providers of WATSAN education and training in Mozambique, as well as in the Southern African region.”
Who are the beneficiaries?Some of the benefits that will accrue
due to the project include sup-port sustainability and growth
in building capacity for the employees in FIPAG,
and support for the water sector. FIPAG
Academy staff and participants in the programmes are key benefi-ciaries, as are all
stakeholders in the project, such as the National Water Directorate, the WATSAN Management Units in sec-ondary towns, the Water Regulatory Council and various water and sanitation providers, other training institutions, consulting companies and NGOs in Mozambique.
Rand Water deliverablesThe following has been identified and agreed for implementation by Rand Water within the agreed pro-ject period. These include:• a comparative study of occupa-
tional profiles and competencies including the vision, mission and strategy of the FIPAG Academy
• assistance in the development and implementation of the training programme for FIPAG staff
• development of curricula for short courses run by the FIPAG Academy
• preparation of the procurement list and refurbishment of the FIPAG Academy venue in Maputo
• assistance in the development of the marketing plan and the programme of the FIPAG Academy launch
• development of quality assurance and accreditation framework for FIPAG Academy training programmes
• assisting in the organisation of exposure visits of FIPAG staff to South Africa.
Since 1994, South Africa has come a long way in supplying water and sanitation facilities to its citizens. As the benchmark of delivery in the African region and through projects facilitated through local and inter-national professionals in the devel-opment of this sector, Rand Water
stands out as one of the innovative success stories in the water milieu in South Africa.
www.randwater.co.za
Basic project dataCountry: MozambiqueProject name: Setup of the FIPAG Academy for Professional Development in water and sanitationFunder: NufficImplementing organisations: UNESCO-IHE Delft (lead organisation), Delft University of Technology, the IRC Water and Sanitation Centre, joined by the University of Eduardo Mondlane (Mozambique), Rand Water (South Africa) and UNESCO-HydroEX (Brazil)Project period: 1 October 2012 to 1 October 2016
capacity building in mozambique Rand Water stands out as one of the innovative success stories in the water milieu in South Africa
Map data © AfriGIS, Google Maps
PrEsidEnt ’s commEnt
Hindsight and foresight
looKINg At tHe numbers of different WISA members, we see that while it looks as if there are some winners
and some losers in terms of the number of members in different groups within WISA over the past two years, the total number of WISA members varied by just three. Is this good? Well... yes and no.
Looking at the negative side, the numbers show that WISA has not grown in terms of membership over the time between conferences. On the positive side we can see that while we mourn the loss of skilled
people to other sectors or coun-tries, perhaps the brain drain is not quite as catastrophic as we feared. Nobody would deny that it is real, but the numbers may indicate that the water industry still has a number of dedicated, inspirational people who create a community of practice around them.
The AGM in Mbombela saw us usher in several new members of the board and council, as well as being the first AGM for our new CEO. Our ACE has done a marvellous job of stabilising the WISA ship and keeping it afloat and her services
over the past two years are deeply appreciated, as is her continued commitment as manager. Now we are in a good position to take advantage of the fresh ideas of the new board members and CEO as we appraise the road from Nelspruit to Durban, for WISA 2016, and beyond.
With 75-plus years of rich history, WISA has a great deal of experience to draw on and a little updating to do. I first joined WISA in 2002, for reasons I could not quite articulate at the time – and I was baffled by it. But baffled as I was, one thing impressed me greatly: the mutual understanding, the comradeship and the sheer quality of those professionals from vastly different backgrounds, as well as the intellec-tual stimulus of meeting and debat-ing with them. That has remained a continued pleasure.
I soon came to understand that WISA in those early days was really run largely on unwritten rules, which everyone understood without having to spell them out (I know, I exaggerate somewhat, but not much). Don’t misunderstand me – this was in its own way highly professional, but it did not really have in place the basis for a world-wide professional organisation. It knew this, however, and was work-ing hard on it, through a handful of really impressive people. It was, for me, very stimulating and still is. I saw it as a worthwhile enterprise – building a worldwide organisation and defining and distilling what it was about, largely on the hoof and with near-zero real resources. The WISA of the 21st century is a slightly different animal and nowhere is this
Hindsight is always there just after you need it, but if we look at the road that took WISA from the 2012 conference in Cape Town to the iconic giraffes of Mbombela Stadium for WISA 2014, I hope you’ll agree that we have had two solid years.
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OPPOSITE Jo Burgess, president of WISABELOW WISA members comparison
6 july/august 2014
more apparent than in its governance. Debate over the role of company boards invariably intensifies when things go wrong, as has happened occasionally over the years. Many of the companies whose corpses litter the industrial and financial landscape were undermined by negligent, over-optimistic, or ill-informed boards. Not surprisingly, there’s been a renewed focus on improved corporate governance: better structures, more rigorous checks and balances, and greater independence by non-executives, for example. Governance arguably suffers most, though, when boards spend too much time looking in the rear-view mirror and not enough scanning the road ahead. We have experienced this reality all too often in our work with companies over several decades. Today’s board agendas, indeed, are sur-prisingly similar to those of a century ago; directors still spend the bulk of their time – 70% is not atypical – on quarterly reports, audit reviews, budgets, and compliance instead of on matters crucial to the future prosperity and direction of the business.
The coming year will see WISA embarking on a new round of strategic and tactical planning that will involve all of its members to one degree or another. In an age of information overload and access to an Internet full of noise, we will be working harder at providing WISA members with only what they want, and offering a more focused basket of member benefits.
We’re going to be asking the water sector what they look for in their professional association, why they joined WISA (or why they didn’t), and what roles they want to play. It is the members of WISA who represent the engine room, es-pecially those who devote their time to the activities of the branches and divisions, and so it’s the job of the WISA office to provide an enabling environment for that volunteerism to flourish in.
If we are going to reverse that brain drain and increase the number and value of WISA members, then we need to attract and retain them good people in our industry. Recruiting and retaining water professionals requires us to have a thriving community of practice for them to join and revel in. I think WISA is just right for that.
Jo BurgessPresident – WISA
PrEsidEnt ’s commEnt
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wisa nEws
special custodians of the water sector
AS cuStodIANS of wa-ter, our most precious and life-preserving resource, the processes and activ-
ities that reside within the water cycle are hinging on a special kind of person. Being entrusted with the custody and management of water should give us a sense of spiritual as well as physical accomplishment in a manner that should cast aside any complacency or neglect.
Says Brown, “In South Africa, the majority of our citizens are in a very fortunate position to be able to open a tap at any given time (and expect water to flow from it and at Blue Drop quality) at a significantly
Ronald Brown, outgoing president of the Water Institute of Southern Africa made a heartfelt speech to delegates to live up to their responsibility as custodians of the water sector. Maryke Foulds reports.
larger percentage than prior to 1994. We still need to ask ourselves the all-important question – what about our fellow compatriots in the rural areas or on peripheries of our large cities and towns who, after 20 years of our democracy, still need to walk vast distances to fetch water for their households? These instances are becoming fewer by the day and should hopefully be eliminated in the foreseeable future, but water quality has now become a serious concern.”
The quality of life in any progres-sive society/country is determined by the level of access to quality basic services. The water sector has a very
instrumental role to play to ensure that this becomes a reality for our citizens.
“WISA has also committed itself to continuing its catalytic role alongside other strategic partners and stakeholders such as the DWA, WRC, CSIR, SALGA, SAICE, NWP, NRF, local government and energy and water SETAs, and others, to ensure that the rele-
vant platforms and forums are created to draw the criti-cal knowledge and skills pools in the sector together to have the desired impact – the objective is to optimise their energy and resourcefulness in an integrated manner that will address the objectives
of the National Water Resource Strategy and related imperatives.”
The diverse programme of WISA 2014 was very topical, with the headliners as:• domestic and municipal wastewa-
ter treatment• planning and management of
utilities and urban planning• acid mine water prevention,
treatment and management• water, energy and food nexus• wetlands• cities of the world• biogas treatment• developing, rural and
small communities• the green economy• our first ever process
controller village.WISA has now positioned itself as an organisation striving for promot-ing professional excellence in the water sector and is now solidifying the professionalisation of process controllers under the guidance of Professor Alvin Lagardien and his technical team.
DWA and WISA has also signed an MOU providing WISA with the man-date to implement the profession-alisation of the process controllers project and also to strengthen the relationship between us. In support thereof, WISA already has a MOA in place with the EWSETA and a technical committee in place to en-sure alignment with DWA policies, which include Regulation 17. The vetting criteria will be presented to the board; the announcement of the professionalisation was made at the conference.
“What about our fellow compatriots in the rural areas or on peripheries of our large cities and towns who still need to walk vast distances to fetch water for their households?” Ronald Brown, outgoing president, WISA
july/august 2014 9
wisa y wP
overcoming the hurdles to academic publication
A cultuRe of academic publication is important to develop among Young Water Professionals (YWP).
By monitoring the paper accept-ance rate associated with the last three YWP-ZA Conferences, the YWP National Committee realised that YWPs are in need of support in terms of understanding journal editors' requirements and how to get their work published. This realisation gave birth to the YWP-ZA Publication Workshop Series.
The purpose of these workshops was to equip students with the skills needed to publish in leading inter-national journals. The workshops followed a diverse programme cov-ering writing skills, practical activi-ties, review systems and extensive interrogation of participant papers.
To participate in the workshop, students had to submit an extended abstract that was then reviewed by a review committee. The review committee based their decisions of acceptance on late-stage research (research that had results to pub-lish). Once the extended abstracts were accepted, students then had to revise them as much as possible before the workshop. They therefore needed to come to the workshop prepared with a draft manuscript, which they could develop into a fully fledged paper.
The workshops were facilitated by Prof Gustaf Olsson who is the current IWA Publishing Award holder. As the former editor-in-chief of Water Science and Technology and Water Science and Technology: Water
The publication of articles in journals not only establishes a researcher’s expertise and reputation in a chosen field, but is also a requirement for the training of all postgraduate students. By Shanna Nienaber and Inga Jacobs
Supply, Prof Olsson is highly expe-rienced in the publishing and aca-demic domain. He has also served as a member of the IWA board of directors and IWA strategic council.
The Publications Workshop Series took place in Johannesburg, Thoyando and Stellenbosch over a three-week period in January/February 2014. Core funding was received from the Department of Science and Technology and the Water Institute of Southern Africa, with workshop specific co-funding from the University of Johannesburg and University of Stellenbosch.
Workshop 1: university of JohannesburgThe Johannesburg workshop was held at the Doornfontein campus
of the University of Johannesburg from 20 to 23 January 2014, in partnership with the Water and Health Research Centre. A total of 33 participants attended the workshop,
BELOW The YWP workshop at the University of Venda
YWp-Za provincial chapters
Each of the YWP-ZA provincial chapters have their own committees. Their duties:• organise fun events on a regular basis for YWPs to
meet and share knowledge• provide opportunities for and encourage social and
professional development• provide career development opportunities and
support employer recruitment of YWPs• promote the programme and encourage
engagement and par ticipation of YWPs in the association’s activities
• provide representation for YWPs in the national YWP Council, WISA, and the IWA Strategic Council
• interact with the Council for Distinguished Water Professionals on issues of common interest.
10 july/august 2014
wisa y wP
along with five co-facilitators. The co-facilitators included the organisers of the original IWA UTM publication workshop, Dr Norhayati Abdullah, and the editor of Water SA, Tamsyn Sherwill.
Workshop 2: university of VendaThe Thoyando workshop was held at the GIS Resource Centre at the University of Venda from 27 to 30 January, in partnership with the School of Environmental Science. Seventeen students attended the workshop, along with two lecturers that provided assistance as co-facilitators.
Workshop 3: university of StellenboschThe final workshop was held at the Stellenbosch University Water Institute at Stellenbosch University from 3 to 6 February. Fourteen participants attended the workshop, along with four co-facilitators.
The co-facilitators included Maronel Steyn from the CSIR, Elizabeth Ward and Gregg Brill from the University of Cape Town and Nora Hanke from the African Union/NEPAD Southern African Network for Water Centres of Excellence.
In total, 65 students were supported through this programme. It was really exciting to work with all these students to complete and revise their manuscripts and ensure that they are ready to be submitted for publication.
LEFT Workshop at the University of JohannesburgBOTTOM LEFT The final workshop was held at the University of Stellonbosch
july/august 2014 11
wisa 2014
wetskills highlights young talent
tHe WINNINg teAm was Team Three: Business-wise training and development and delivery. Four young
water professionals climbed the stage to collect their award: Erin Parenzee who delivered the pitch, Nthabiseng Masehla, Mashudu Tharanga, all from South Africa, and Maarten van der Meer from the Netherlands
Earlier on Tuesday, 27 May, the Young Water Professionals pre-sented their innovative concepts and plans at the WISA conference in Mbombela Stadium. Nearly 20
At the gala dinner at WISA, the winner of the Wetskills Challenge South Africa 2014 was announced, writes Maryke Foulds.
students from the Netherlands, Mozambique and South Africa had been working on different case studies since 19 May, when they started their Wetskills Challenge South Africa with a brain-hurricane on four specific water issues in Southern Africa.
four water casesAll the participants had been divided into four teams and were challenged to come up with out-of-the-box solutions. Their young minds were tapped into to come up with innovative ideas on:
Winning case no. 3: Business-wise training development and deliveryVocational training can bridge the gap between academic training and the responsibilities ‘on-the-job’. Several Dutch initiatives in South Africa focus on capacity development. However, these projects are mainly based on Dutch funding resources. If training is important in South Africa, it has an added value. This value can be translated into money. World Water Academy in the Netherlands would like the Young Water Professionals to make a business model for the devel-opment and delivery of practical and self-supporting training.
Wetskills South Africa 2014Waterskills Water Challenge is a programme under the umbrella
ABOVE The winners were announced at the WISA 2014 Gala Dinner
9
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Resourceful / experienced / worldwide
Drowning in complex or changing water legislation? Our knowledgeable experts are your lifeline.Get your project back on-stream.
Think of the cash �ow. Visit: srk.co.za
july/august 2014 13
9
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of Human Capital Water and Delta Programme and is organised by Netherlands Water Patnership (NWP), in cooperation with Royal Netherlands Water Network and other partners within the water sector. This Wetskills Water Challenge South Africa 2014 is supported by Rand Water Board, NWP, WISA, SA Young Water Professionals, Waterschap Groot Salland and Hydrologic, H2Oost, the Centre of Expertise in Durban (a cooperation of Vitens-Evides and eThekwini Water and Sanitation) and the World Water Academy.
Wetskills worldwideMore than 250 students and young professionals have participated in twelve Wetskills Water Challenges since 2010:• World Expo 2010 Shanghai
in China• 400-year economic relations in
Morocco (2010)• International Water Week in the
Netherlands (2011)• Delta Summit in Indonesia (2011)• Royal visit of the Dutch queen in
Oman (2012)• WISA conference in South
Africa (2012)• bilateral meeting of Egyptian and
Dutch experts in Egypt (2012)• ExpoApa water exhibition and
conferences in Romania (2013)• launch of PLAMA - water platform
in Mozambique (2013)• International Water Week /
Industrial Leader Forum in The Netherlands (2013)
teaM sponsor case naMe/Field stUdY area in soUth aFrica
1 Rand Water Efficient and cost-effective solutions to address water and sanitation challenges
Rural areas of Mpumalanga
2 Centre of Expertise
Transforming waste from a waste- water treatment plant into business
Durban metropolis
WInner World Water Academy
Business-wise training development and delivery
South Africa
4 Water Board Groot Salland
Designing a smart water app for farmers, citizens, water managers and perhaps even Kruger National Park
All over the world
Resourceful / experienced / worldwide
Drowning in complex or changing water legislation? Our knowledgeable experts are your lifeline.Get your project back on-stream.
Think of the cash �ow. Visit: srk.co.za
• Water Seminar Wittenberg Council which is the official Dutch government delegation to Israel, headed by Dutch Prime Minister Rutte (2013)
• WISA conference in South Africa (2014)
• Canadian Water Summit in Toronto (June 2014).
Follow them on facebook, or go to www.wetskills.com. Join the daily blog at http://wetskillssouthafri-ca2014.blogspot.com.
wisa 2014
Wetskills Group at the awards ceremony
wisa 2014
14 july/august 2014
Excellence recognised at wisa 2014
tHe ISIdIgI award is present-ed by WISA bienially to the owner and works manager of WWTWs larger than 25
megalitres per day. During the recent WISA conference held in Mbombela, recipients of this award were an-nounced at a gala dinner.
The award is divided into two categories, namely ‘Best Wastewater Treatment Works’ and ‘Most Improved
Wastewater Treatment Works’.In both categories, certain parame-
tres are used during the evaluation of the WWTW, including efforts by the owner and works manager, operating efficiency, plant maintenance and servicing, laboratory control, devel-opment and improvement, general administration, housekeeping, safety, knowledge, general appearance and professionalism. In the category
for ‘Best Wastewater Treatment Works’, two of ERWAT’s WWTWs received recognition; prime spot was taken by Dekema, with Rondebult also being commended.
In the category for the ‘Most Improved Wastewater Treatment Works’, ERWAT’s biggest WWTW, Waterval, was announced as the winner, while Olifantsfontein was highly commended.
Four of ERWAT’s larger WWTWs were recognised for their achievements. These WWTWs are Waterval, Olifantsfontein, Dekema and Rondebult. By Wanda Henning
wisa 2014
july/august 2014 15
TOP ROW Opening ceremony WISA 2014; (left to right) Trevor Johnson, Ranny Makgoatla, Sibusiso Mhlongo and Phillip Theron of Zetachem; (left to right) Rob Holmes, Herman Smit and Shawn Chaney of Quality Filtration SystemsSECOND ROW Poi fire artist at work; Veolia standTHIRD ROW (left to right) Lester Goldman, CEO of WISA, with Ronald Brown, outgoing President of WISA, and Anil Singh, newly appointed DDG; Anil Singh during the opening ceremony; (left to right) Ian Love and Jacques van der Linde of Elster KentINSET Proud workers manning the stand of the newly appointed Department of Water and SanitationBOTTOM ROW Waterwise at WISA 2014; singing cowboy and star of the show
Hot sEat
Breede-Gouritz cmas continued successThe Breede Water Management Area is situated in the south-western corner of South Africa. CEO Phakamani Buthelezi speaks about recent developments at the organisation and the way forward in 2014/15.
the gouritz region was recently incorporated in its mandate. Please explain in detail what this means to the organisation moving forward The amalgamation came after the former Minister of the Department of Water Affairs, Edna Molewa, approved the expansion of the boundary and area of operation of BOCMA in terms of Section 78(4) of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act No 36 of 1998). The area of operation of the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency includes the previous Breede-Overberg Water Management Area and the Gouritz catchment.
The mandate of the Breede-Gouritz CMA is to manage water resources in the Breede-Overberg and -Gouritz areas and
16 july/august 2014
It deRIVeS ItS name from the largest river within its boundaries, the Breede River. The WMA (Water Management Area) is bound-ed by the Indian and Atlantic oceans to the south, the Olifants/Doorn WMA in the north-west, the Berg WMA in the west and
the Gouritz WMA in the east. It falls entirely within the Western Cape province.
Established in November 2007, the Breede Overberg Catchment Management Agency (BOCMA) is the second CMA to become opera-tional in South Africa. The CMA was established in line with the intent of the National Water Act of 1998. It is the lead agent for the water resources management within the Breede-Overberg CMA. BOCMA plays a key role in protecting, developing, conserving, managing and controlling water resources.
to improve service delivery and sustainability of water resources. Amongst other things, the Breede-Gouritz CMA will con-tinue to ensure water quality for all people and the environment, ensure good administration of water registration and licensing, promote economic growth in a sustainable way and also address development need of the people and contribute to the eradication of poverty.
What is the biggest challenge currently facing the organisation? Managing organisational change and ensuring that the transition is embraced by all workers to en-sure that service delivery is not hampered in any way. This does not only pertain to employees, but stakeholders as well.
Hot sEat
july/august 2014 17
“The mandate of the Breede-Gouritz CMA is to manage water resources in the Breede-Overberg and -Gouritz areas and to improve service delivery and sustainability of water resources” Phakamani Buthelezi, CEO, BGCMA
How to you aim to over-come these? We will have a three-pronged approach and will focus on proper research and planning, regular engage-ments with employees and stakeholders, giving feedback on issues of concern as well as the maximum participation by water users.
What are some of the histor-ic challenges being faced? Historical social inequalities have resulted in the uneven development regionally and between households coupled to stressed water resources. Another area of concern is that the aquatic ecosystem's health in parts of the system is under stress and rapidly deteriorating and of major concern is the incomplete water resource and water-use data.
Please expand on the organisational success and your vision for the future The biggest and most memorable success of the CMA is the organisation’s continuous attainment of receiving an unqualified audit report.
We also introduced a partnership agreement that involves a sister organisation in Namibia, namely the Olushandja Sub-Basin Management Committee.
It remains our conviction that the best way to promote sound water resources management principles is through working and sharing lessons with other organisations within SADC and Africa at large. The vision of the organisation as well as the project can be summed up as follows.
The Breede-Overberg Catchment Management Agency manages water resources at a regional or catchment level to involve local communities. It is also
functioning within the para-metres of the Public Finance Management Act. The internal control systems at BGCMA are sound and geared towards running the organisation as a first-class business entity.
The agency is a body corpo-rate and has the powers of a natural person of full capacity. This governing board is a composition of representatives from different interest groups:• emerging farmers• Western Cape provincial
government• water, environmental civil
society/ NGOs• civil society• industry and business• commercial agriculture• statutory conservation and
environment• access to water by the poor/
rural settlements• potential agricultural water
use by emerging farmers• commercial agriculture:
groundwater• local government:
integrated planning• commercial agriculture:
surface water scheme“The above-mentioned team has the mantle to keep the boat stable and to steer BGCMA to even higher grounds”, says CEO Phakamani Buthelezi.
Although BGCMA receives seed funding from the
National Treasury through the Department of Water Affairs, BGCMA may also raise funds required by it for the purpose of exercising any of its powers and carrying out any of its duties in terms of the National Water Act.
It is against this backdrop that BGCMA calls for interested donors to fund some of its em-powerment and capacity-build-ing programmes within the Breede-Overberg catchment area for the following projects:
• validation and verification of the water-use project
• removal of invasive alien vegetation
• riparian rehabilitation• Adopt-a-River• empowerment• water quality monitoring.
www.bocma.co.za
Breede-Gouritz CMA will continue to ensure water quality for all people
july/august 2014 19
industry nEws
Joint venture spells the future
tHIS mARRIAge of one of the oldest concrete companies with one of the youngest in South Africa promises to
shake up the market. Entry to the con-crete market is vast and this merger will produce one sleek, highly efficient competitor who is ready to stake its claim in the pre-cast concrete market.
One of the reasons for the merger is the realisation that together the
The Salberg Group of Companies has proudly announced its merger with Samuels & Samuels, trading as Ubuntu Pre-cast.
organisations have complementary assets which is seen to create a single high-performance company in the pre-cast concrete space. When asked what brought about the coming to-gether of these two family businesses, Russell Samuels, newly appointed CEO, says, “Family businesses have unique dynamics that both these companies share. This has contribut-ed enormously to the compatibility
of culture and values between the two organisations.”
Continues Barbara Parker, chairman: “Both companies share a strong entre-preneurial and service-driven ethos, they both share an understanding and excitement about the opportuni-ties and growth prospects within the pre-cast concrete industry and finally they both share profound recognition of the value of diversity.”
royalhaskoningdhv.com/za
Welcome to the future – a future of Mwangaza We are all writing a part of the script which tomorrow’s society will play out. At Royal HaskoningDHV we would like the title to read: ‘Welcome to the future’ - and for our chapter in that script to read ‘Mwangaza’ - a Swahili word which means ‘light’. Together with our partners and clients we consider how we can create a welcoming future - developing efficient and smart living.
Whether switching on a light, travelling to work or drinking a clean glass of water - the solutions and work of our engineers surround us, making lives better and brighter. Our work contributes to the sustainable development of communities. Together, we deliver innovative sustainable answers to today’s challenges.
Royal HaskoningDHV is an independent, international engineering and project management consultancy.
(from left) Barbara Parker, chairman, Salberg Concrete Products; Russel Samuels, new CEO, Salberg Concrete Products and Darin Samuels, executive director, Salberg Concrete Products
africa round-uP
20 july/august 2014
Infrastructure news from around the world
in association with
ziMBABWeClean water a rare com-modity in Zimbabwe While in most developed countries
tap water is safe to drink, in
Zimbabwe, tap water is not only a
rare commodity, it is contaminated
and not safe for consumption.
A Zimbabwean environmental
outlook report published in 2010
identified mining, sewage treatment
plants, industry and agricultural ac-
tivities as some of the main sources
of water pollution in the country.
The Environmental Management
Agency (EMA) blamed it on poor
waste management.
Today, it is no longer a secret that
clean drinking water has become a
scarce commodity in Zimbabwe.
According to Wikipedia, “The
state of water and its cleanliness
in Zimbabwe is at its lowest. In
Zimbabwe, water contains not life,
but life-threatening diseases due to
contamination... “
EMA, on the other hand, has
declared on their website: “Many
areas of Zimbabwe are affected
by water pollution and microbial
water-bound contaminants. The
increased demand on water supplies
have often led to water that is
unfit for human consumption being
inadvertently supplied to your tap.
This is often the case in many towns
throughout Zimbabwe.”
Adding weight to the claims was
President Robert Mugabe, who
admitted that Zimbabweans were
drinking sewage-contaminated
water. He said this during the official
opening of this year’s Zimbabwe
International Trade Fair in Bulawayo.
But it is in the country’s capital
that the water situation has reached
alarming levels. While many
expected the situation to have im-
proved by now, the contamination
of water bodies only appears to
be worsening.
NewsDay reported that yet
another cholera scare has hit Harare,
with over 900 people reported to
have been affected by “suspected
cholera-related diarrhoea” in the
Mabvuku high-density suburb
alone, with the same symptoms
being reported in other suburbs.
The affected residents blamed it on
dirty water and the bucket system
they have resorted to because of a
shortage of running water.
Zimbabwe has for some time now
been characterised by outbreaks
of cholera, typhoid, dysentery
and other diseases related to the
consumption of dirty water.
Back in 2012, a report was
presented to Zimbabwe’s parliament
exposing that Harare City Council
(HCC) was releasing raw sewage
into rivers that feed into the capital’s
water sources. This was despite
their insisting they could not afford
to purify the contaminated water
before sending it to people’s homes.
The HCC blamed obsolete infra-
structure for its inability to provide
potable water to the people of
Harare. They said the infrastructure
was designed to service only
250 000 people but must now serve
2.1 million people. Water leakages
owing to old pipes were also cited as
another reason.
The clean water woes appeared
set to come to an end when the HCC
managed to secure a $144 million
loan from China, for the overhaul
of the Morton Jaffray Waterworks.
But for one reason or another, the
loan has so far failed to produce any
results and the taps remain dry!
So, the majority of the residents of
Harare still have to find alternative
water sources.
It is now a necessity for each
household in Zimbabwe to possess
a well or borehole. Because wells are
cheaper to set up than boreholes,
most people have dug their own,
which have become the main source
of drinking water.
In spite of the widely held belief
that all underground water is clean,
groundwater is susceptible to many
pollutants. Material such as fertilisers,
pesticides, toxic substances from
mining sites, used lubricants, untreat-
ed waste from septic tanks and leaky
landfills, among many others, can all
contaminate groundwater, making it
dangerous to consume.
Many wells in Zimbabwe’s urban
areas are not protected and therefore
easily contaminated.
Because of this health scare, many
people of means have had to resort
to bottled mineral water. They have
spent a lot of money buying and
stocking the supposedly purified
water in their homes, which they
would reserve for drinking. But the
Government Analysis Laboratory
recently dropped a bombshell,
announcing that some of this
so-called purified water was actually
dangerous to drink! The experts said
the bottled water contained harmful
organisms and chemicals that “slowly
poison the human body”.
Although there had been much
speculation on how safe bottled
water sold in Zimbabwe was, many
seemed to have taken it for granted
that it was safe enough to drink.
The Standard Association of
Zimbabwe, which certified Harare
tap water as safe to drink, even
when tests showed it to be heavily
contaminated, is the same body
that has put stamps on most of the
bottled mineral water being sold
in the cities.
Although what is mostly required
is the injection of funds towards an
overhaul of the country’s entire water
and sewerage system, there are some
problems that those responsible for
the country’s water management
should correct immediately.
Reducing the pollutant flow into
water sources and proper diversion
of sewage effluent, reducing
unnecessary water losses through
an effective leak-detection and
water-loss-reduction programme,
are some of the areas that require
immediate attention.
Councils need good corporate gov-
ernance and financial accountability,
which most of them lack. Responsible
authorities cannot continue
conducting business in the same
manner and expect different results.
A new approach to the water process
is required.
Source: http://allafrica.com/
stories/201406290139.html
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
AquaplanDLAdvert2014(FINAL).pdf 1 6/25/14 12:35 PM
july/august 2014 21
africa round-uP
AfRiCASanitation solutions for Africa A lack of adequate
sanitation can lead up to 2.2
million deaths per year – all
caused by sanitation-related illness
and diseases.
A high percentage of children
under the age of five are affected
and over 2.5 billion people
– roughly 36% of the world’s
population – still lack what many
people take for granted: access to
adequate sanitation.
Taking note of that, Dunster
House, a leading manufacturer
of timber garden buildings in the
UK, has designed new sanitation
solutions for humanitarian aid and
international development.
The company recently got
involved in a charity project in
cooperation with Oxfam and has
already started launching its raised
latrines and latrine superstructures
to the Sudan and Central
African Republic.
Dunster House director Chris
Murphy believes these products
could provide potential solutions
for many other communities across
the globe. “Our latrines offer full
privacy and security, allowing
individuals to have access to a
dignified toilet facility.
They are ideal for domestic and
communal use during the interim
stage following an emergency
situation,” he says.
Dunster House’s raised latrine
has been designed for built-up
urban areas and locations with
rocky ground or a high water table.
It features stairs, which can be
positioned from the front or side.
The raised platform and waste
collection tanks present a stable
construction for multiple cubicles –
latrine superstructures, which can
be also securely positioned on top
of an 800 mm x 1 200 mm squat
plate or trench latrine. Latrine
superstructures can be also used to
replace previous toilet facilities that
have been damaged during a crisis.
The construction is lightweight and
easily transported.
KenyAUnveiling KSh64 million water project for Kiambu Kiambu County has started imple-
menting an ambitious KSh64 mil-
lion plan for water-related projects.
Governor William Kabogo
pledged to drill 16 boreholes,
each at a cost of KSh3million, in all
the constituencies.
More than KSh15 million has
been set aside for piping, tanks, the
related labour and operating costs
for water harvesting.
Kabogo made the revelation
while launching three water
projects in Kiambu Town.
“The county government has
embarked on the massive devel-
opment projects with a view to
ensuring that every household has
access to clean water before 2015,”
said Kabogo.
He, at the same time, sent a stern
warning to individuals politicising
the Kiambu government's devel-
opment agenda, warning them
of consequences should they
organise more demonstrations.
He was referring to the Thika
town demonstrations that saw
businesses at a standstill earlier in
the week.
“It is so unfortunate that some
politicians are stooping as low
as hiring goons to distract the
development of our county. We
will take the people behind the
looting and the demonstrations
to court because those are side-
shows,” he added. Protests over
increased levies have also taken
place in Nairobi, Meru and most
recently Mombasa.
22 july/august 2014
oPinion
unsustainable groundwater mining
tHe dIRectoR of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) in
Australia is adamant that one of the main reasons groundwater is becoming depleted and polluted is that it is managed very poorly at an international level.
Many countries have overestimated their available reserves and are min-ing them unsustainably, resulting in major economies such as China, India, the US and parts of the Middle East facing critical scarcities, which may imperil their future growth.
Groundwater provides around 30% of all freshwater used in Asia, for ex-ample, and a sustained or permanent shortage could threaten food security, economic growth and even the exist-ence of huge cities.
“Countries where this is happening are aware of the risks but this is not a simple issue to resolve,” says Professor Craig Simmons.
The problem is that often we simply “don’t know how much we have, or
To avoid running short of clean freshwater, globally, there is an urgent need for better governance of groundwater and the rapid global sharing of technologies, policies and practices. By Nick Carne
how quickly it can be depleted, or how quickly it is recharged.” We have tended to ignore the fact much of it is now contaminated and undrinkable.
“In the coming decades, as the climate changes and human water demand soars, there needs to be a much greater focus on groundwater governance; on putting in place the wisest and best practices for manag-ing this precious resource,” Simmons says. “We need good laws and regu-lations, effective policy options and greater public awareness.”
The NCGRT has made some signif-icant recent contributions toward making this happen and is gaining international attention for its focus on the nexus between science, man-agement and policy – and for some world firsts.
Nationally, it commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to estimate the dol-lar value of groundwater to Australia, which was itself commissioned by the National Water Commission to develop Australian Guidelines for Groundwater Modelling and has been
a leader in developing a strategic national groundwater plan.
Internationally, it has been involved with the development of Groundwater Governance: A global framework for action, a major project with such partners as the International Association of Hydrogeologists, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, UNESCO and the World Bank.
NCGRT researcher Dr Andrew Ross is currently working as a spe-cialist with UNESCO IHP in Paris. His role is to assist global projects on groundwater governance and manage trans-boundary aquifers – groundwater bodies that can span multiple jurisdictions, both regional and national.
This is one of the major focus areas of the global framework, which aims to provide policy guidelines and best-practice approaches for im-proved groundwater management at a country and local level.
“Australia plays a valuable role in the Groundwater Governance project,” Simmons says. “Ours is one of the very few countries to have launched a successful bid to reverse a decline in a major groundwater resource when we capped bores in the Great Artesian Basin.
“We are also pioneers in the field of water banking – injecting surface wa-ter into underground aquifers during times of plenty, so it can be recovered and used in times of scarcity. And we are international leaders in hydroge-ological modelling, which is helping us avoid the sort of nasty shocks that have occurred elsewhere when na-tions have over-extracted water.”
The Deloitte report, which estimates that groundwater directly contributes around AU$6.8 billion a year to the Australian economy and industries with production worth AU$34 billion a year directly depend on it, is be-lieved to be the first of its kind.
Similarly, planning for the national strategy – which is due to be finalised during 2014 – was seen as ground-breaking because input was sought from all key stakeholders, including
unsustainable groundwater miningwater managers, policymakers and researchers across national, state and territory jurisdictions.
The framework focuses on three priority objectives: sustainable extraction and optimal use, confidence for investment, and plan-ning and managing groundwater for the future.
“To many people, groundwater is all but invisible, or there as a last resort when surface water runs short,” Simmons says. “In reality, it drives many of our most productive industries – and, if carefully managed, can be maintained as a sustainable resource.
“Australia is in the fortunate position of being able to plan our increasing reliance by using groundwater sustainably. But to do that we need the world’s best science and technology for measuring and understanding the scale of our resource, how it behaves over time, and how to manage it sustainably.”
Established at Flinders University in 2009, the NCGRT is now one of the largest centres of its kind in the world. It has trained and employed more than 250 staff, including 40 chief investigators and 80 postdoctoral fellows, and welcomed 100 academic visi-tors. And it could claim to be quite literally looking high and low in the search for groundwater. In the past year, the centre has mused about water (and life) on Mars and reported the discovery of huge reserves of freshwater kilometres below the sea.
The latter research, which was published in the international scientific journal Nature last December, reveals that as much as half a million cubic kilometres of low-salinity water is buried beneath the seabed on continental shelves off Australia, China, North America and South Africa.
That’s more water than has been extracted from the Earth’s subsurface in the past 100 years, proving that scientists were wrong in their previous belief that freshwater only occurs under the seafloor in rare and special conditions.
The potential of this discovery is enormous, but in practical terms more recent trials on the Colorado River in Mexico and the Coorong in South Australia are even more exciting.
NCGRT researcher Dr Margaret Shanafield is testing new tech-nology that measures how much water is stored underground when big rivers are allowed to flood.
The sophisticated mathematical model, which she developed while completing her PhD, describes what goes on when ephem-eral rivers (those that flow only part of the year) flood, by using calculations involving the speed of a flood-wave or advancing streamflow and the rate at which water can flow through the subsurface material.
This can reveal which sections of a riverbed will allow water to seep through the ground and estimate how much water escapes downstream and how much soaks in to be stored underground.
The model can be used in any situation where surface or groundwater removal by industry, agriculture and local commu-nities has the potential to threaten aquifers and dependent eco-systems. It means that instead of making generalisations about groundwater recharge volumes over long stretches of a surface water system, water managers, policymakers and users can have access to quite specific data.
“It provides the sort of information we need to keep the world’s water bank balance in the black, rather than in the red,” concludes Shanafield.
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july/august 2014 25
trEncHlEss tEcHnoloGy
the lowdown on sastt
Who is SAStt? As fellow stakeholders in the
asset management sector, in particular underground pipeline infrastructure, the Southern African Society for Trenchless Technology is a non-profit organisation whose membership comprises engineers, municipal managers, contractors and suppliers. As a society, SASTT’s mission statement is simply to promote and grow the innovative construction sector commonly referred to as trenchless technology.
Why use trenchless technology and how does this benefit the South African market? By eliminating the need for long open trenches – an inevitability with conventional open-cut pipe installation – trenchless construction methods not only benefit all stakeholders by providing rapid installation, they are also significantly less disruptive to local users as well as the natural environment. Contrary to what may be expected, the use of this innovative technology does not solely rely on mechanical plant and equipment, but is reliant on labour as well. This creates opportunities for unskilled workers in communities where trenchless projects are being implemented.
South Africa appears to be stifled by a great number of service delivery issues.
The Southern African Society for Trenchless Technology (SASTT) is aware of the necessity for maintaining a healthy environment and addressing the changing needs of the community. Maryke Foulds asked SASTT vice president Neil van Rooyen to take us through some of the day-to-day missions of the organisation.
How is SAStt able to meet these challenges? In recent times, we have become aware of the increasing challenges facing our municipal structures in the face of service delivery issues and resource shortages. We are also cognisant of our ageing underground infrastructure, which has lead to an increase in unaccounted for water (water sector) as well as surcharging sewers (due to blockages, pipe failures or under-capacity). The impact of these system failures is crippling the maintenance budget as well as municipal resources.
As SASTT, we have the unique ability to connect municipal entities to specialist engineers, suppliers and contractors as well as advise on the latest
developments in pipeline tech-nology. In brief, by engaging SASTT, asset owners are able to access all the relevant pro-fessionals in order to provide trenchless solutions to their infrastructure challenges.
As a society, how does SAStt market its mission strategies and what platforms are utilised to achieve this? SASTT strives to inform the local market through initiatives such as the upcoming No-Dig conference. The conference serves as an ideal platform for local and international stakeholders to rub shoulders with client-bodies, asset owners and other interested parties. Apart from the No-Dig conference, SASTT has resolved to engage
all stakeholders in an effort to seek workable and rapid solutions to underground pipeline infrastructure issues. Some of these interventions are:• Problem solving (reduce
non-revenue water and sewer surcharging). How trenchless technology can be used as an asset manage-ment resource to address non-revenue water and sewer infrastructure challenges.
• Providing information on the various trenchless solutions which are relevant to the project requirements as well as putting clients in contact with specialist professionals, contractors and suppliers.
Pipe-ramming installation in Du Noon, Cape Town
trEncHlEss tEcHnoloGy
26 july/august 2014
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• Horizontal Directional Drilling
• Pipe Rehabilitation
• Slip Lining
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• Deep Excavation and Shoring
• Underground Service Detection
• Close-fi t lining: COMPACT PIPE
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• Education. Through work-shops and presentations, SASTT seeks to inform the market of the benefits of trenchless construction versus open cut, and how this technology can be used to increase the lifespan of pipeline infrastructure.
What trenchless techniques are currently deployed in the local market? Trenchless technology incorporates a broad spectrum of specialist construction methods and activities that are practised locally can be categorised into the following disciplines:• New pipeline installa-
tions – typically used for
the installation of pipeline conduits under obstructions such as roadways, railway lines and rivers. Trenchless methods such as pneumatic moling, horizontal directional drilling, pipe ramming, auger boring, pipe jacking and micro-tunnel-ling fall into this category.
• Pipeline rehabilitation – where the existing pipeline is renovated to extend the life-span of the service. This seg-ment can be non-destructive, where the host pipe remains intact and a new pipeline is ‘constructed’ inside of the host pipeline; or destructive, where the host pipe is dis-placed and destroyed whilst the new pipeline is installed in
its place. Trenchless methods such as cured-in-place pipe, slip lining, fold-and-form pipe, and pipe bursting are common techniques used for pipeline rehabilitation.
• Asset management and inspection – non-destructive specialist technologies have been developed to assist asset owners to inspect, evaluate, record and locate their pipe-line infrastructure – without the need for digging. These methods include pipeline inspection by means of a
closed circuit television sys-tem, pipeline leak detection and cable/pipeline location through handheld locators and ground-penetrating radar.
Any closing thoughts on the industry as a whole? With our struggling economy and ageing infrastructure, we as the private sector have the required skills and technology to fast-track service delivery and infrastructure roll-outs – thus stimulating growth in our economy. The implementation of trenchless construction technology is one such intervention that is able to swiftly and efficiently meet this challenge.
ABOVE LEFT Directional drilling installation at Cape Town International AirportABOVE Butt welding pipe
july/august 2014 27
Horizontal directional drilling in the south african contextThis paper seeks to outline the various aspects of horizontal directional drilling in South Africa, contextualised by three case studies; namely the Berg River duct installation and the Diep River water pipeline installation and bulk water main. By Neil van Rooyen of TT Innovations
INStAllAtIoN uNdeR various roadways for the Mossel Bay desalination plant project was based on the
following considerations:• understanding the client’s
project objectives, construction constraints and importance of its successful implementation
• determining the best solution by considering all construction options and why the eventual decision to use horizontal directional drilling (HDD)
• the construction process for each HDD installation
• lessons learnt and future recommendations.
IntroductionThe issue of getting from Point A to Point B has been a major motivation for technological advancement. In the underground construction sector, the status quo is more or less the same – constructing a pipeline from Point A to Point B. The evolution from open-cast excavations requiring the digging of trenches, to no-dig or trenchless solutions, has been spurred on by ne-cessity, convenience and cost – espe-cially as our urbanised areas become more densely populated and impact assessment on the environment. The installation of pipelines using HDD seems to meet these considerations.
Unfortunately, asset owners and stakeholders are still reluctant to implement this technology en masse – citing construction costs as the major deterrent. This is more preva-lent in South Africa, where labour is abundant and imported technology and equipment is quite costly. Many unaccounted-for components
associated with conventional construction, such as construction inconvenience, environmental deg-radation, project duration and so on, are often overlooked.
The aim of this paper is to explore the implementation of various hori-zontal directional drilling projects and assess the reasons behind the choice to use HDD as well as the lessons learnt from the installations. A holistic approach to construction technology is an essential part of the paradigm shift that will enable us to make the transition from unsustainable to sus-tainable construction practices – of which trenchless technology and in particular horizontal directional drill-ing is at the forefront.
case study 1Berg River duct pipeline installation:• location: Berg River, Velddrift
(approximately 145 km north of Cape Town)
• diameter of pipeline installed: mul-ti-duct – 4 x 160 mm-diameter HDPE ducts (installed in two parts)
• length of installations: 168 m and 164 m
• obstruction traversed: Berg River – approximately 140 m wide and 9 m deep (approximate measurement taken along the bore path)
• client: local power utility• main contractor: Racec Electrification• drilling contractor: TT Innovations.
Project backgroundThe installation of the duct pipelines under the Berg River formed part of an initiative to upgrade the ex-isting power supply to the Velddrift area. Two existing power-feeder cables, suspended below the bridge, crossing the river, served as the main power supply to the town. The upgrading of the ageing power supply cables was of critical impor-tance as the fish factories formed a major part of the local economy. The Carinus Bridge was built in 1959 and was earmarked for future up-grades by the provincial roads author-ity. Installing new cables alongside the existing ones on the bridge soffit would require future relocation when the bridge is eventually upgraded. The option of installing the new cables under the river was therefore
NO-DIG SOUTH AFRICA 2011 Conference Page 2 of 10 Paper 4.1
CASE STUDY 1: BERGRIVER DUCT PIPELINE INSTALLATION
• Location: Berg River, Velddrift (approximately 145km north of Cape Town);
• Diameter of pipeline installed: multi-duct – 4 x 160mm diameter HDPE ducts (installed in two parts);
• Length of installations: 168m and 164m
• Obstruction traversed: Berg River – approximately 140m wide and 9m deep (approximate measurement
taken along the bore path);
• Client: local power utility;
• Main Contractor: Racec Electrification;
• Drilling Contractor: TT Innovations (Pty) LTD
Project Background
The installation of the duct pipelines under the Berg River formed part of an initiative to upgrade the existing power
supply to the Velddrift area. Two existing power feeder cables, suspended below the bridge crossing the river, served
as the main power supply to the local fish factories and the town itself. The upgrading of the aging power supply
cables was of critical importance as the fish factories formed a major part of the local economy. Any prolonged power
outage would therefore spell disaster for the factories and local economy.
Figure 1- View of the drill rig positioned alongside the Berg River and opposite perspective of the Carinus
Bridge
The Carinus Bridge was built in 1959 and was earmarked for future upgrades by the provincial roads authority.
Installing new cables alongside the existing ones on the bridge soffit would require future relocation when the bridge
is eventually upgraded. The option of installing the new cables under the river was therefore considered. Apart from
the obvious construction constraints with regards to trenching across a river of this magnitude, the importance of this
water body to the local fishing industry, tourism and its ecology played a major role in the decision making process
regarding the method of construction.
The adjacent marsh areas and wetlands adjoining the Berg River serve as habitats for water birds such as the Blue
Heron, Redshank and Flamingo. Other wild life such as Otters and Water Mongoose also frequent this areas. This
natural symbiosis and picturesque scene has also attracted human settlement and led to many houses being
constructed along the bank of the river – many of these service the local tourism industry. Any diversion of the river
course or activities which would cause flooding of the river banks would result in dire consequences for both the
natural habitat and human inhabitants along this river.
FIGURE 1 View of the drill rig positioned alongside the Berg River and opposite perspective of the Carinus Bridge
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DEALERS & BRANCHES - RSA AND EAST AFRICA: BRITS: (012) 250-1565 • CAPE TOWN: (021) 933-2383 DURBAN: (031) 464-6522 • EAST LONDON: (043) 748-1469 • GEORGE: (044) 878-0874 • KIMBERLEY: (053) 841-0040 MIDDELBURG: (013) 246-2312 • NELSPRUIT: (013) 755-1003 • NAIROBI: (00254) 20 807 0728 • POLOKWANE (015) 293-1978PORT ELIZABETH: (041) 451-0232 • WOLMARANSSTAD: (018) 596-3032
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july/august 2014 29
considered. Apart from the obvious construction constraints with regards to trenching across a river of this magnitude, the importance of this water body to the local fishing indus-try, tourism and its ecology played a major role in deciding on the method of construction.
The adjacent marsh areas and wetlands adjoining the Berg River serve as habitats for water birds such as the blue heron, redshank and flamingo. Other wildlife also frequent this area. The natural symbiosis and picturesque scene have also attracted human settlement on the bank of the river.Any diversion of the river course or activities which would cause flooding of the river banks with dire consequences.
constructionAs records of the river invert were not available, the contractor (TT Innovations) resorted to physically plotting the invert of the river using a hired boat tethered to the shore and a survey staff. Incremental meas-urements were taken. The depth of the river was determined to be ap-proximately 9 m at the deepest point (due to close proximity of the sea and subsequent tidal nature of the river, a mean water level between low tide and high tide was used for the depth calculation). A bore plan was derived using this data with a maximum pilot bore depth reaching 3 m below river invert level. The contractor elected to proceed at this depth despite the risk of losing signal as any frac-out, and the resulting loss of fluid during the drilling operation, could result in a tunnel collapse or a stuck pipe. An additional risk is spilling bentonite into the river. The initial pilot bore proceeded without incident apart from intermittent navigational signal losses and, after various steering corrections, reached the target. The approximate length of the pilot bore installation measured 150 m. Reaming commenced immediately thereafter.
The drill rods were attached to the rear of the reamer, trailing it during reaming. Upon completion of the reaming stage, the drill rods would then line the entire bored tunnel. This reduces the overall project time as the rods can simply be disconnected from the reamer and reconnected to the
drill rig in order for the next reaming or installation stage to continue. During one of these reaming stages, the spindle of the reamer detached due to a suspected bearing failure. Upon retrieving the drill rods (from the pipe-entry side) and reamer, it became apparent that fragments of the damaged reamer were left behind in the tunnel. The tunnel was consequently abandoned and a new pilot bore installed adjacent to the previous tunnel. With the new tunnel successfully bored and all the reaming stages completed, the original three-pipe 160 mm-diameter HDPE duct configuration was attached to the reamer and inserted. The installation however ground to a halt just as the reamer and product pipe passed the pivot point along the final incline of the curved bore bath. The rapidly in-creasing forces had exceeded the rig’s pulling capacity.
Later investigation revealed that this was largely due the bentonite being degraded by the high salt-water con-tent of the in situ soil. The drilling fluid (water and bentonite mixture) could therefore not perform its primary function of transporting the soil cut-tings to the surface. The resultant soil build-up in the tunnel (increasing the friction along the pipe), in conjunction with the steep final incline ultimately led to a rapid increase in pulling force. The salinity of the groundwater was never considered as the Berg River is a freshwater river. A nearby freshwater lake also seemed to support this no-tion. It was however later learned that the river becomes salty at high tide and fresh again, during the low tide.
After numerous unsuccessful at-tempts at getting the pipe unstuck, the only apparent solution was to free the product pipe from the reamer. To do this, the contractor manufactured
a device that attached to the end of the drill rods, which extended a set of cutting blades when forced outward by the drilling fluid pressure. With the blades extended, the drill rods were rotated, severing the HDPE pipe and releasing it from the reamer. This option rendered the HDPE pipe unusable as any attempts to remove the partially installed pipes resulted in o v e r - s t r e t c h i n g , which deformed and restricted the usea-ble cross-sectional area of the pipe. The reamer was retrieved and reused.
Despite these trying circumstanc-es and setbacks, the contractor persisted. Saltwater-compatible bentonite was used for this attempt and the bore path lengthened to 168 m to allow for a flattened incline curve. It was also decided to increase the tunnel size and change the pipe arrangement from a three-pipe to a two-pipe configuration. The client duly elected to also install a fourth duct for future use. These measures were successful and culminated in two successful installations measuring 168 m and 164 m each.
Many positives were derived from this project. Trenchless technology was reaffirmed and HDD proved invaluable as a construction solution. Ultimately, the client’s faith in inno-vative trenchless technology was rewarded with the successful comple-tion of this project.
case study 2Diep River water pipeline installation:• location: adjacent to Gie Road, Table
View, Cape Town
tEcHnical PaPEr
FIGURE 2 Aerial view and layout of AC pipeline (Source: Google Maps 2011)
Asset owners and stakeholders are still reluctant to implement this technology en masse – citing construction costs as the major deterrent
30 july/august 2014
tEcHnical PaPEr
• diameter of pipeline installed: 315 mm-diameter HDPE PN12
• length of installation: 200 m• obstruction traversed: Diep River –
seasonal river and wetland ecosystem• client: City of Cape Town – Water and
Sanitation Department• main contractor: TT Innovations • drilling contractor: TT Innovations.
Project backgroundA 250 mm-diameter asbestos cement water pipeline, installed by means of opencast excavation approximately two decades prior, spanned this river system and provided potable water to end users on either bank of the river. This pipeline formed part of the distribution network emanating from an upstream reservoir, which fed the residential area of Table View. Upon further investigation as to the recent unprecedented and rapid decline of the upstream reservoir reserves, tech-nicians traced a major leak to a section of the pipeline situated within the river stream. Ironically, the preceding drought conditions, which expedited the resolution of the depleting water reserves, also caused the river flow to recede, thus allowing the previously concealed leak to be detected. Due to the high groundwater table, wetland area, location and depth of the dete-riorated pipeline, the local authority turned to its list of previously approved trenchless pipeline rehabilitation con-tractors to bid for a solution – with the aim of replacing this pipeline by means of pipe bursting. This option was how-ever discarded due to various bends along this section of the pipeline, its depth and the associated dewatering required. Fortunately, one of the bid-ding contractors, who also utilised HDD as one of its service offerings, provided this solution as an alternative. HDD met
the client objectives from an environ-mental, technical, financial and pro-ject-duration perspective and was duly accepted as an alternative proposal.
constructionWith the contractor appointed, the first task was to determine the actual align-ment of the existing AC pipeline to ensure the new pipeline was installed as close as possible to the existing line. Previously, the pipeline was only iden-tified on municipal drawings and was ‘positioned’ based on the approximate location of the leak. Other identifiable appurtenances such as valve cham-bers and air valves were not located along the straight section of pipeline earmarked for replacement and conse-quently were of no use in determining the alignment. Eventually, the position of the leak was accurately determined in addition to a hidden scour valve chamber being found – both of which enabled the accurate plotting of the existing pipeline alignment. The drill rig was set up on the residential side of the river embankment alongside a communal swimming pool. This raised vantage point allowed for improved navigation signal reception during the initial stages of the pilot bore instal-lation. The actual water stream was minimal and enabled the pilot bore to be tracked by conventional walk-over methods. Due to the urgent nature of the project, extensive geotechnical investigations were not performed but the in situ soil conditions were largely considered to be argillaceous.
The actual tracking of the pilot bore proved to be the most challenging as-pect of this project. Major interference was encountered along sections of the bore path, leading to an erratic signal and improper drill head location. A large portion of the pilot bore was installed ‘blindly’ as the rig operator lost signal as well as navigation visuals on the on-board instrumentation on the drill rig. Being closer to the signal source (sonde located within the drill head), the field operator was able to receive the signal and view the visual display on the handheld navigation instrument. This enabled the field operator to relay vital information such as the drill head position, inclination and location to the drill rig operator via two-way radio. After much correc-tion and adjustments, the pilot bore
eventually exited on target at the preconstructed exit pit.
At this point, the 315 mm class 12 HDPE pipe was already welded, pressure tested and in position for the installation. The pipeline itself was also filled with water to counteract buoy-ancy – in an effort to reduce frictional resistance. A suitably oversized tunnel was bored and the pipeline installed without any further complication. The pipeline was then reconnected to the existing network and the water rerouted through the newly installed pipeline.
lessons learntAs with the previous river-crossing case study, a detailed geotechnical investigation was not undertaken. This however, did not impact on the overall installation cost. The contractor, now armed with the previous river-crossing experience, was able to submit a competitive but realistic project bid. This not only enabled the works to be adequately resourced but also ensured that both client and contractor shared the project risk. Despite the successful outcome, a detailed geotechnical study is still imperative for any HDD project.
case study 3Mossel Bay desalination plant pipeline installations:• location: Mossel Bay, Western Cape • diameter of pipelines installed:
800 mm diameter• length of installations: 46 m and 50 m• obstruction traversed: two main
roads, Louis Fourie Road and Alwyndal Road
• client: Mossel Bay Municipality and PetroSA
• main contractor: Entsha Henra• drilling contractor: TT Innovations.
Project backgroundOwing to a spate of droughts in the Southern Cape area, which left one town without drinking water, the local municipality of Mossel Bay and private sector stakeholders financed and approved the construction of a desalination plant along the nearby coastline. As construction progressed, the adjoining pipeline networks – link-ing the desalination plant to the local reservoirs and end users – also had to be constructed. The main contractor was appointed to install the bulk of the
FIGURE 3 View of the final reamer size and 800 mm-diameter HDPE sleeve
greenfield pipeline network using con-ventional opencast construction. The local roads authority, however insisted in the use of trenchless technology for the main road crossings. HDD was decided as the trenchless solution to be employed and various contractors were invited to submit bids for the installation of these works. The project consulting engineers selected the ap-proved drilling contractor on the basis of their technical ability and previous project experience.
constructionOn completion of the necessary plan-ning and approval of the bore plans, the drilling operation commenced with the installation of the pilot bore. From previous excavations undertaken it was apparent that the prevailing soil conditions were favourable for drilling and comprised largely of dried clayey homogenous material. The pilot bore under Alwyndal Road commenced without any incident and was completed on schedule. A continuous shift was planned from pilot bore to final pipe installation and was done to Minimise the time period the bored tunnel remained open and unoccupied. This never materialised as the drilling operation soon fell behind schedule due to various reaming stages proceeding at a slower than anticipated rate. Operations ground to a halt during the early hours of the morning when the effluent water sup-ply valve failed causing a disruption to the supply. Without an alternative water source, work was halted until the supply could be restored. The effluent water seemed to produce a high quality drilling fluid mixture resulting in excellent suspension prop-erties. In further testimony to this, the tunnel, now bored to approximately 400 mm in diameter, remained open and unaffected for the duration of the shut-down period – despite the con-tinuous vehicular traffic. By midday the following day, the water supply was restored and drilling recommenced.
Reaming proceeded at a slow but steady pace with the reaming rate of progress slowing as the reamer size increased. This slow progression in conjunction to the tunnel size being bored produced a large volume of drilling mud. A temporary holding ‘pond’ was created adjacent to the drill
tEcHnical PaPEr
site to house the drilling mud spoil. A TLB was utilsed to remove the drilling mud from the drilling pits.
Due to the large diameter of the pipe to be installed, the frictional force caused by buoyancy had to be coun-teracted. Instead of the conventional closed front end, where the pulling head connects to the pipe, it was decided to leave this front end open – thereby creating an open ended pipe and cancelling any buoyant forces. After installation, any drilling mud or spoil which collected within the pipe could be removed by conventional pipe cleaning methods.
Further to this, the shallow cover over the pipe also increased the risk of drilling fluid escaping to the surface through the above soil layers due to excessive fluid pressures within the tunnel (frac-out). Once all the reaming stages were successfully completed, the hen compared to the various reaming stages. Using the drill rig, the 560 mm diameter HDPE product pipe was inserted within the 800 mm pipe. The product pipe simply displaced the drilling mud and no additional pipe cleaning was equired. The Louis Fourie installation proceeded in sim-ilar fashion, with the only delay being caused by mechanical failure on the mixing tank.
In order to prevent any possible future settlement, the client requested the contractor fill the annulus between the bored tunnel and the 800 mm diameter sleeve pipe. The preceding drilling mud removal not only removed drilling mud from the drill pits but also drained drilling fluid from within the tunnel, resulting in visible voids around the ends of the pipe. To fill the voids, the tunnel ends were sealed and the drill rods inserted from one end. Drilling fluid was then pumped into the tunnel while slowly retracting the rods, thereby filling any voids.
lessons learntFrom the preceding projects, se-quenced in chronological date order, it is apparent that the various issues and challenges arising from these case studies seemed to have decreased as the drilling contractors knowledge base increased – lessening the impact of any ensuing difficulties and issues.
Where the successful use of HDD has proved beneficial to the client,
contractor and co-habitants, the fol-lowing can be derived:• The client needs to have an under-
standing of HDD process, it’s advan-tages and risks.
• Stakeholders and decision makers need to consider the project cost, the environmental and ecological impact of the construction method chosen.
• The more information available at tender stage, the more accurate the initial financial assessment and consequential project budget. This
also allows the contractor to submit a more accurate bid, taking all known risks into account (made available at tender stage).
• The more experienced the contrac-tor, the more likely the project is to succeed – as unknown risks are inherent in trenchless construction. Experienced contractors are more likely to have the necessary expertise and resources available in order to resolve the ensuing risks and issues. They are also more likely to provide innovative solutions to specific project problems.
• When both the client and contractor understand the project risks and commit to cooperate in the mitiga-tion and resolution of these issues, projects can be successfully complet-ed even if the required outcomes fall beyond the conventional scope of the process or equipment parametres – providing certain technical funda-mentals are adhered to.
conclusionIt is clear that in order for the client’s objectives to be met a sound under-standing of the available construction technologies is required. Furthermore, apart from the financial consideration, the selected construction solution should take into account efficiency and environmental and social impact. The appointment of an experienced and well-resourced contractor will ensure for a successful project outcome.
july/august 2014 31
Apart from the financial consideration, construction solutions should take into account efficiency as well as the environmental and social impact
This paper has been edited by Maryke Foulds. For the full paper, please contact [email protected]
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odour control
successful treatment of wastewater odourIncreasingly, odour complaints feature on management agendas at wastewater treatment facilities, writes Hennie Smal of VitaCure Systems.
tHeRe ARe A number of reasons for this. As urban areas expand, distances be-tween municipal wastewater
treatment plants and neighbours de-crease. The capacities of wastewater treatment plants have not kept up with increased demand and plants are routinely overloaded. Collection systems have been widened to include growing towns and cities, re-sulting in longer sewer lines, causing increased septicity.
The collection, conveyance and treatment of municipal wastewater present a number of challenges that must be managed in order to minimise the impact on neighbours. Controlling odours is one of these management challenges.
Aerobic wastewater contains a variety of odour-causing compounds such as organic acids, esters, alco-hols, aldehydes as well as indole and skatole. Also, when oxygen is consumed in the wastewater, due to extended detention times and high organic loading, anaerobic areas develop and release odours at a much greater rate. Hydrogen sulphide and other organic sulphides such as methyl mercaptan (MM), di-methyl sulphide (DMS), and dimethyl disulphide (DMDS) have very low detection thresholds and can lead to health and safety issues.
characteristics of odourA general understanding of odour and the properties of odorants and their perception is useful for under-standing the implications for odour abatement technologies.
Airstreams can contain spectrums of odorants each with their own unique characteristics.
The key parameters or character-istics of interest for odour control systems are:• water solubility • molecular weight • molecular structure • vapour pressure • odour detection threshold.These parameters all have a direct impact on the availability and degradability of the compounds, as well as their potential to cause an off-site negative impact upon surrounding communities.
The major groups of odorants that require consideration are:• hydrogen sulphide • organic sulphides • ammonia and nitrogen compounds• VOCs.
Hydrogen sulphideHydrogen sulphide is generated through anaerobic decomposition of the organic material contained within the wastewater. It is a colourless, toxic gas that has a characteristic odour of rotting eggs. Hydrogen sulphide is heavier than air, contributes to corrosion of infrastructure and can be immediately dangerous to life and health above concentrations of 100 ppmv.
It is soluble in water and is readily biodegradable in biological systems. The odour detection is reported to be as low as 5 PPB.
organic sulphidesThese complex molecules are also produced as a by-product of an-aerobic decomposition of organic materials present in the wastewater. A diverse group of higher molecular weight compounds such as methyl mercaptan, ethyl mercaptan, dime-thyl disulphide, and dimethyl sul-phide are garnering more and more attention for ensuring all odours are effectively contained and treated at wastewater treatment plants.
These compounds have a wide variety of solubilities and charac-teristic odours ranging from rancid and skunk-like to decayed cabbage. These compounds, other than methyl mercaptan, tend to be more recalcitrant to biodegration and have very low detection thresholds. Detection thresholds can be as low as 0.03 PPB.
LEFT Biofilter installed at a sewage plant BELOW Dry scrubber installation at Val De Vie estate
34 july/august 2014
odour control
Ammonia and nitrogen compoundsAs organic material in wastewater is degraded, ammonia, amines and other nitrogen-bearing compounds will be released. These compounds tend to be highly water soluble and readily biodegradable.
VocsThere are many other potential odour contributors that can be released from treatment processes. These vary greatly in composition and their im-pact on the corresponding selection of abatement equipment. Organic acids such as acetic and butyric acid are readily biodegradable. Aldehydes, ketones and aliphatics may also be present in the airstream. The com-position and concentration of these components are a function of the raw sewage sources.
While these compounds are typically overpowered by the sulphur-bearing, and to a lesser ex-tent, nitrogen-bearing compounds
present in the air stream, they are becoming increasingly more impor-tant as consideration for optimised odour control applications in sensi-tised urban environments.
odour emissions for individual wastewater unit treatment processesThe characteristics of the odours that are emitted from the various types of wastewater unit treatment processes vary considerably in terms of constit-uents and concentrations.
Wastewater treatment processes can be classified into three main segments: collection, liquid-phase treatment and residuals or biosolids treatment.
While biological technologies are robust and flexible, not every applica-tion can be addressed appropriately with a single technology. Knowing when and how to use a technology is a critical element in the success-ful implementation of an odour control strategy.
odour treatment technologiesTechnologies used to control odours rely on the following processes: biological, chemical, electrochemical, thermal or physical and selection de-pends on the following factors:• chemical and physical characteristics
of odorants• required removal performance• space available• maintenance requirements• capital cost• life-cycle cost• influent concentrations• variability of loading.
Biological systemsWith biological systems, micro- organisms are used to biodegrade odorants into simple compounds. The odorants are first absorbed into a water film that contains microbes. The microbes metabolise the pollutants in order to obtain energy and nutrients. Perhaps, because this process is similar to the process used to treat wastewa-ter, biological filters are outstripping
july/august 2014 35
competing technologies on municipal wastewater treatment plants.
Biological systems either employ organic or inorganic media and are divided into biotrickling filters, biofilters or combinations thereof. Systems can either be open or closed. A closed system is preferable because of improved control of the factors affecting performance. Modern bio-logical systems use inorganic media because the media usually does not require replacement and lower pres-sure losses mean savings in energy consumption. Biological systems can treat airflows with variable odorant loadings. Biological systems require water supply and drainage points.
Physical processThe most common example is a car-bon adsorber where foul air is passed through a virgin or impregnated carbon bed. The odorous substance is physically captured in or on the car-bon. Advantages of carbon adsorp-tion are its ability to capture a wide
range of odorants and low energy re-quirements. Disadvantages are: high running costs because the carbon has to replaced (especially in case of high odorant loadings); humid air can affect the adsorption process when the media is saturated; break-through is sudden and the spent media is tox-ic and has to disposed of in landfills for hazardous materials. Carbon is sometimes used as the final stage in a multi-stage odour control system to remove traces of remaining odorants.
thermal systemsThermal energy is used to oxidise odorants. Although thermal systems are effective, the high energy costs result in very few being found in wastewater treatment plants.
chemical systemsThe most widely used examples for treatment of wastewater odours are wet scrubbers. Odorants are dissolved in water that usually contains a re-actant. The major advantage of wet
scrubbers is that a short retention time results in a compact footprint. Negatives are an inability to cope with fluctuating odorant loadings and the effluent is toxic where oxidants are used. With airstreams where multiple odorants are present, a series of scrubbing vessels using different re-actants and operating at different pH levels are required.
electrochemical systemsUltraviolet or photocatalytic oxida-tion is used to convert odorants to a non-odorous state. With photocata-lytic oxidation, UV lamps are used in conjunction with a catalyst surface. The catalyst surface becomes active in the presence of UV light. The odorant is adsorbed onto the catalyst surface and then decomposed similar to cata-lytic oxidation. Advantages are a small footprint, no water or drain is required, low maintenance requirements and low energy consumption. However, the UV lamps and catalyst must be replaced at regular intervals.
odour control
odour control
36 july/august 2014
Mornay de Vos – Business Development [email protected]
George van der Merwe – Technical [email protected]
Degrémont South Africa has the ability to propose various technologies to suit the clients’ requirements and site constraints.
Its teams design, build and commission facilities for:• Potable water production• Desalination• Wastewater treatment & recycling • Sludge treatment• Industrial process water and wastewater treatment
Degrémont also specialises in:• the supply of package pre-assembled and skid-mounted potable water and wastewater treatment plants,
• the refurbishment of old plants to their original design capacities and/or upgrading of old plants to produce higher quantities of water. The latter is
achieved by installing additional high-performance equipment to existing concrete structures.
Degrémont also provides the following additional services to its clients: • Execution supervision• Installation & Commissioning • Plant operation
• Technical assessment • Spare parts
COMMITTED TOGETHER TO WATER, A SOURCE OF LIFE
Tel: +27 (0) 11 807 1983 Fax: +27 (0)10 591 5095 www.degremont.co.za
Degrémont, a subsidiary of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, is the world specialist in the design and construction of water treatment plants
and an important contributor towards sustainable development.
Degremont HP v2.indd 1 2014/06/17 10:39:01 AM
A VARIety of technologies from Degrémont can be used to limit odorous releases, such as dual
biological and physical chemical odour control for exhaustive des-ulphurisation, using Azurair Boost, and biological odour control to treat hydrogen sulphide and mercaptan, using Azurair B-Twin. The focus here will be on the latter.
Azurair B-Twin can eliminate the olfactory nuisances of small waste-water treatment plants with no changes of media and without the use of reagents.
Based on the combination of two types of biological deodorising equipment, the system allows the operation not only a full treatment of hydrogen sulfide, but also an
advanced treatment of mercaptans.The treatment is carried out in
two sequential towers, adhering to the principle of the streaming biofilter: the towers are both equipped with a mineral media (biolite) to which microorganisms are attached to break down the odour-causing compounds.
In order to optimise this break-down, a sequential sprinkling system is integrated, maintaining optimal moisture content. The foul air is in-troduced and goes through the first acidic pH biofilter (first tower), which promotes the elimination of H2S, before being directed at a neutral pH (second tower) to facilitate the elim-ination of mercaptans, with no use of reagents or regulation. This com-bination provides a comprehensive
technology trumps odour at wwtwOdorous gas emissions from urban and industrial wastewater treatment plants must be controlled by capturing gases as soon as they are emitted and by covering emission areas.
odour control
Accurate flow measurement for partially filled pipes? The TIDALFLUX 2300 F from KROHNE has got you covered.Backed by over 90 years of expertise in flow measurement, there’s a KROHNE meter for every job. The TIDALFLUX 2300 F reliably measures flows in pipes filled to between 10 % and 100 % of their inner diameter.
Even fat and oil floating on the surface are not a problem for the TIDALFLUX 2300 F – its capacitive sensors are integrated into the liner and are never in direct contact with the liquid. Featuring a sturdy polyurethane lining, the TIDALFLUX 2300 F is also perfect for demanding wastewater environments. Ex approvals to ATEX and IECex Zone 1 are available as an option.
When a rugged job demands a high degree of precision, the TIDALFLUX 2300 F performs and never quits.
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Sensitive but strong
july/august 2014 37
odour treatment solution, with 95% of H2S and mercaptans removed. Azurair B-Twin is an entirely biological solution based on an entirely natural process with advantageous costs and an ease of operation: continuous-use mineral media that do not require replacement or reloading.
technology trumps odour at wwtw
38 july/august 2014
wastEwatEr casE study
channelling greenhouse
gas emissions
Globally, little attention is paid to gaseous emissions from wastewater treatment processes. Maryke Foulds asks Mari Heinonen, process manager at Viikinmäki, how they are monitoring greenhouse gas emissions.
WAteR emISSIoNS from wastewaster treatment facilities may be strictly mon-
itored, but the same cannot be said for the plants' gaseous emissions.However, in Helsinki, Finland, a large municipal wastewater treatment fa-cility continuously monitors its emis-sions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to help in the city’s efforts to combat climate change and help improve the wastewater treatment process.
Employing a multigas FTIR (Fourier Transform InfraRed) analyser from Gasmet, a Helsinki-based manufac-turer of analytical instrumentation, the plant’s managers are able to measure the effects of process con-trol on GHG emissions such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. This also provides an insight into the fate of nitrogenous compounds with-in the wastewater stream.
BackgroundThe Viikinmäki wastewater treatment plant was built in 1994 to process wastewater from both domestic (85%) and industrial (15%) sources. However, the average temperature in Helsinki between December and February is around -4˚C, with
extremes below -20˚C and even -30˚C, so the plant was built almost entirely underground to avoid the freezing temperatures.
The Viikinmäki plant is the largest wastewater treatment facility in Finland, handling approximately 270 000 m³ of wastewater per day, which amounts to about 100 mil-lion m³ per year. The wastewater is treated in compliance with the Finnish Wastewater Discharge Permit, which is stricter than the EU Water Framework Directive for parametres such as nitrogen removal, phosphate content, BOD, COD and suspended solids. Following treatment, treated wastewater is conveyed 8 km out to sea and to a depth of over 20 m. This might seem superfluous, but the 16 km-long discharge pipe was built in the 1980s and was designed to en-sure that discharged wastewater did not accumulate on the shallow and scattered shore and nature reserves along the coastline of Helsinki.
The treatment process is based on the activated sludge method and includes three phases: mechanical, biological and chemical treatment. Traditional nitrogen removal has been enhanced with a biological filter that utilises denitrification bacteria.
The organic matter contained in the sludge produced in the wastewater treatment process is exploited by digesting the sludge, and the biogas generated in the digestion process is collected for further use. Thanks to the energy produced from biogas, the treatment plant is self-sufficient in terms of heating and about 70 per cent self-sufficient in terms of elec-tricity. However, the plant aims to be fully energy self-sufficient in the near future, and around 60 000 tonnes of dried waste sludge is sold each year for landscaping purposes.
gas monitoringAs a result of the size of the plant (E-PRTR reporting) and the com-mitment of the Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY) to the protection of the envi-ronment, it was necessary to monitor or to model gaseous emissions. At the beginning of the E-PRTR reporting re-quirements (2007), HSY modelled the annual gaseous emissions based on grab samples. However, monitoring was relatively simple to implement because the plant is enclosed under-ground and a gas exhaust system was already in place. Initially, a portable FTIR analyser from Gasmet was hired
Viikinmäki emissions control centre
wastEwatEr casE study
july/august 2014 39
for a short period to assess the plant’s emissions and for research purposes. However, as Mari Heinonen, process manager at Viikinmäki, reports: “The gas emissions data were very interest-ing but they were not representative of the annual emissions, and posed more questions than they answered.
“We therefore purchased a contin-uous emissions monitoring system (CEMS) from Gasmet, which was in-stalled in late 2012 and we now have our first full year’s data for 2013.
“Very little data has been published on the GHG emissions of wastewater treatment and, as far as we are aware, Viikinmäki is the only plant in the world conducting this type of mon-itoring, so our data is likely to be of major significance.”
The Gasmet CEMS employs an FTIR spectrometer to obtain infrared spec-tra from the waste gas stream by first collecting an ‘interferogram’ of the sample signal with an interferometer, which measures all infrared frequen-cies simultaneously to produce a spectrum from which qualitative and quantitative data are produced. For example, the CEMS at Viikinmäki continuously displays emissions data for CH4, N2O, CO2, NO, NO2, and NH3.
Over a number of years, Gasmet has established a library of FTIR reference spectra that now extends to simul-taneous quantification of 50 gases or identification of unknowns from
a collection of 5 000+ gases. This means that it is possible to reanalyse produced spectra with the instru-ment’s PC-based software (Calcmet) and thereby to identify unknown gases – a major advantage of FTIR.
Whilst FTIR is able to analyse an enormous number of gases, the tech-nique is not suitable for noble gases, homonuclear diatomic gases (e.g., N2, Cl2, H2, F2, etc) or H2S (detection limit too high).
Gasmet's FTIR technology was cho-sen for the Viikinmäki plant because of its ability to monitor multiple gases simultaneously. However, Mari Heinonen says: “The system has performed very well, with very little maintenance required. Zero point calibration with nitrogen (back-ground) just takes a few minutes each day and is fully automated. Water vapour calibration is conducted at least once per year, but under normal circumstances no other calibration is necessary.”
With the benefit of the monitoring data, Mari Heinonen has calculated the annual emissions for methane to be around 350 tonnes, and for nitrous oxide around 134 tonnes. This means that the emissions per cubic meter of wastewater
equate to 3.5 g of methane and 1.34 g of nitrous oxide. Looking forward, Mari believes that it will be possible to use the gas monitoring data to improve process control: “Traditional monitoring/control systems focus on concentrations of oxygen, nitrate and ammonia in the water, but if we detect high levels of N2O gas for example, this may indicate a problem in the process that we can use as a feedback control.
“The monitoring data for gaseous nitrogen compounds (N2O, NH3, NOx) complements water analysis and provides a more complete picture of the nitrogen cycle in the treatment process.
“Clearly, further research will be required, but this work may indicate a need to consider the fate of nitrog-enous compounds beyond just those in the wastewater. The removal of nitrogen from wastewater is a key objective, but if this results in high N2O emissions the process may need to be managed in a different way.”
The facility monitors emissions of greenhouse gases to combat climate change
71921 Veolia ZLD Ad.indd 1 2014/06/04 4:05 PM
july/august 2014 41
Pump efficiency: the key to successA contract to upgrade Mangaung Metro Municipality’s Maselspoort low- and high-lift pump station has been awarded.
tHe 12-moNtH contract, which began in September 2013 and aims to ensure the plant continues supply-
ing 34% of Bloemfontein’s treated water, comprises mechanical and electrical upgrades.
The improvements comprise re-placing four low-lift vertical turbine pumps with two low-lift centrifugal self-priming pumps, the motor sets and associated pipe work; and two high-lift split-casing centrifugal pumps take the place of five hori-zontal centrifugal pumps.
Each low-lift pump has the equivalent capacity of two of the dated pumps, effectively providing a combined capacity equivalent to the four replaced pumps. The duty pump will be controlled remotely by DOL (direct online) and the other by variable speed drive (VSD), allowing the operator to regulate pump speed while monitoring delivery flow.
Sump and pipeworkThe low-lift pump sump will be changed from a dry to a wet well sump requiring additional suction pipework. “In order to tie the new piping in to the existing pipework infrastructure, installation will take place in conjunction with a section of the discharge pipework,” says Michael Haig, lead engineer, Veolia Water Solutions and Technologies South Africa.
The high-lift split-casing centrif-ugal pumps, which join an existing refurbished pump, will run on VSDs to regulate them according to water demand. As part of the contract, the refurbished pump will have its impeller replaced and motor
size increased to bring its capacity in line with the two new ones. “The pumps and motor operation will be installed with features that enhance maintenance effi-ciency and overall system reliability, while pump and motor operations will be remotely monitored,” says Haig.
Additional requirements“The high-lift pump-suction pipe-work remains primarily the same,” comments Thabo Mogadima, busi-ness development manager, Veolia Water Solutions and Technologies South Africa. “The only exceptions are that the weir needs to be ex-tended and suction pipe replaced.” The contract also calls for new pump legs to tie in to the existing header pipe and, according to Mogadima,
an unconfirmed possibility of replac-ing the existing header pipework. “We feel that the maximum design pressure, which is just under 30 bar, may create overburden on the cur-rent header pipework,” he explains.
The upgrade, due for comple-tion in August this year, includes soft-starter and variable-speed drive installation, power supply and switchgear modernisation, as well as replacing appurtenant valves.
Veolia has been retained for a five-year monitoring and maintenance contract to meet specific MTBF and MTTR requirements.
Inside the pump house. Maselpoort's low- and high-lift pump station
The high-lift centrifugal pumps, which join an existing refurbished pump, will run on VSDs to regulate them according to water demand
wastEwatEr
tel +27(12)803 [email protected]@eftec.co.za
297x105.indd 1 2014/04/30 8:15 PM
tHe uPgRAde of the Caesar's Dam water treatment works in the Addo region is in its final stages and will alleviate the problem. Gibb is currently involved in the final phase of the project. The scope of work on the
project, which commenced in August 2012, is valued at some R13.7 million and includes the upgrading of the Caesar's Dam water treatment works in Addo. The upgrading of the water treatment works is part of the Paterson Bulk Water Supply pro-ject aimed at supplying water to Paterson and its surrounding areas, catering to an estimated population of 8 680 people. Thulani Gumede, design engineer at Gibb, says the town needs at least 250 m3 of water per hour, but the water treat-ment works currently only pumps 145 m3 per hour.
“The town currently obtains all of its potable water from groundwater, extracted from boreholes. The water is supplied via five boreholes located outside the town, but only four boreholes are used for domestic consumption as the fifth borehole is contaminated. The upgrade will alleviate the prob-lem of the town obtaining its water from boreholes, which remains largely inadequate and a health risk.” Gibb’s scope of work includes the upgrade of two raw-water pumps with the combined capacity of 266 m³ per hour and a standby pump, the upgrading of 50 m of rising main from 150 mm diameter to 250 mm diameter, a new concrete clarifier and a set of rapid gravity sand filters, and the upgrade of a chemical storage and dosing system.
The upgrade of the water supply is expected to contribute positively to agricultural activities in the area, which have, over the past year, been severely affected by the water shortage. This has had a concomitant negative effect on employment sustainability and job creation in the area.
The upgrade of the Caesar's Dam water treatment works is critical because the municipality has considerable ecotour-ism and agricultural potential. The Addo Elephant National Park is an important economic driver in the area, while the Sundays River Valley – which the Paterson town forms part of – is regarded as one of the key production areas for citrus and deciduous fruit farming in South Africa.
Boosting supplyThe town of Paterson in the Eastern Cape is facing water shortages due to the increased water demand.
wastEwatEr
july/august 2014 43
tel +27(12)803 [email protected]@eftec.co.za
Upgrade of the Paterson water supply project
44 july/august 2014
wastEwatEr
assessing perfomance and complianceInappropriate wastewater technology choices compromise quality and sustainability of service delivery in municipalities, Jay Bhagwan of the WRC explains.
tHe fINdINgS fRom a Water Research Commission study done in partnership with the South African Local
Government Association indicates that 44% of the studied wastewater treatment plants may have opted for less suitable, even inappropriate, technologies when considering their resource base capacity to manage and provide effluent quality require-ments, whereas 33% technology options were questionable.
Over the past decade, much attention has been devoted to the
engineering, scientific and techno-logical aspects of wastewater treat-ment in South Africa. More recently, attention has been redirected to assess the performance and compli-ance status of wastewater treatment facilities; to identify the challenges and root causes that underpin poor performance, in particular by mu-nicipal institutions. When examined, it has been found that the existing systems failed due to poor main-tenance, lack of skilled operators and lack of capacity; not due to the technology itself.
The study considered a nation-al representation of municipal wastewater treatment facilities and assessed these in terms of the appropriateness of their technology choices in relation to the current abil-ity of the municipality to implement and administer such choices. The objective of the study was to assess the consistency between the various aspects of regulation, design and management as crucial elements in sustainable technology selection and implementation. It was therefore a ‘quick and dry’ analysis of technology considerations, which allowed for a selection of 18 municipalities.
Poor technology choice would be influenced by insufficient funding or fund allocation within munic-ipalities to institute effective and adequate preventative maintenance programmes and procedures. Many municipalities seem to follow a reactive maintenance approach, whereby assets are run to failure. The lack of funding can be ascribed to a host of root causes, including low tariffs which are not cost re-flective, lack of ring-fencing of the functional cost involved in waste-water treatment, inappropriate and unnecessarily expensive technology choices as well as billing and revenue collection difficulties.
When applying the 44% statistic to a comparative national base (consist-ing of 850 municipal plants), it would
ABOVE Jay BagwanBELOW Amanzimtoti Waste Water Treatment Works
july/august 2014 45
wastEwatEr
assessing perfomance and compliancetranslate to approximately 374 plants that potentially have unsuitable technologies in place. This number is significant enough to support further investigation and measures to mit-igate this as a key risk to sustainable and improved performance in the municipal wastewater services sector.
Existing works are often inadequate for the demands that are being made upon them, most often in terms of physical loading or suitable treatment processes. A combination of different factors contribute to poor perfor-mance of chosen technologies like increased service provision, often via housing development (inadequate long-term and integrated planning), and unplanned extraneous flows allowed to enter the wastewater system thereby placing an artificial hydraulic and chemical load onto the infrastructure (lack of by-laws or im-plementation thereof to adequately regulate industrial effluent, storm-water ingress, potable water losses and so on).
Sophisticated wastewater systems require more maintenance, more skilled operators and more energy and finances to operate and main-tain. In many of the small towns, municipalities have revenue bases that are not sufficient to cover the costs of operation and maintenance. The blind drive for achieving uni-form compliance for wastewater discharge is not solving the problem in the long term, but is rather fuelling the problem.
The study indicates that there has been a history of problems, often relating to aspects such as sewer pipe blockages, ageing of the sewer infrastructure, vandalism of cables at sewer pump stations, design issues and a maintenance backlog, but that these were being addressed by the municipality.
The inception of the Department of Water Affairs' wastewater services regulation programme has iden-tified innovative approaches and appropriate technologies to ensure that sustainable choices are made
by municipal decision-makers. The Green Drop incentive-based regula-tion initiative is excellent. However, the licensing issues are compro-mising the regulatory initiative and require attention.
According to the project leader, Dr Marlene van der Merwe-Botha, there is a vast range of adequate technol-ogies that are available to deliver against almost any specification set. “The competing demands for other services and infrastructure in munic-ipalities result in an unsustainable and destabilised environment, and therefore calls for regulators and decision-makers to make trade-offs. Thus, the selection needs to consider the sensitivity of the catchment and the revenue base of the municipality, the ability to attract specialists or the right skills to manage the systems,” says Van der Merwe-Botha. “The overreli-ance of municipalities on consultants is another big problem. Consultants have a myopic vision driven by business princi-ples and, thus, the broader principles of society, environment and economy may not necessarily be en-capsulated, which all municipalities should strive to achieve.
“ M u n i c i p a l i t i e s should request their advisors to provide them with a cost/benefit comparison between different wastewater technol-ogies, with details pertaining to each of the main drivers.” Additionally, there needs to be greater scrutiny – by the approvers of capital funds in various departments – of the
proposed technologies, on a mu-nicipality and catchment basis, the WRC study points out. Regulators need to take a holistic and strategic view of the implementation of the
proposed technologies, based on the sustainability of the business of water services, and adopt design princi-ples appropriate to rural and small municipalities, providing leadership through their sector support and approval units.
Sophisticated wastewater systems require more maintenance, more skilled operators and more energy and finances to operate and maintain
Elster Kent Metering (Pty) Ltd
PO Box 201, Auckland Park 2006
JOHANNESBURG Tel: (011) 470-4900 Fax: (011) 474-0175
DURBAN Tel: (031) 266-4915 Fax: (031) 266-9521
CAPE TOWN Tel: (021) 511-8465/6 Fax: (021) 511-8446
BLOEMFONTEIN Tel: (051) 430-2603 Fax: (051) 430-6165
PORT ELIZABETH Cell: 082 458-3439
Copyright © Elster Group. All RightsReserved. Elster and its logo, aretrademarks of Elster Group. Thecompany's policy is one of continuousimprovement and the right is reserved tomodify the specifications without notice
www.elstermetering.co.za
8360/6/2012 Vital Connections
The V110 KSM incorporates all the advanced
engineering attributes of its popular cousin, the PSM,
plus its engineering-plastic body makes it unlikely to
be stolen. Having no second hand value virtually
eliminates the potential for theft. While the tough, UV-
stabilised, engineering-plastic body repels undesirable
interest, its internal mechanism is unsurpassed for low
and high flow accuracy in any position. Over the last
six years every component in our meters has been
refined and improved for greater accuracy and
longevity. For the full story on our V110 KSM meter
range, visit our website or call our offices.
Often copied, never equaled.
The world’smost popularwater meterwins moreenthusiasts
july/august 2014 47
PanEl discussion
products that will be launched shortly.
What are the standards set for water meters in South Africa and are there non-compliant ones being installed? Domestic water meters must comply with SANS 1529-1:2006 and must be approved in terms of Section 18 of the Trade Metrology Act of 1973 and Regulation 80 of Part II of the Trade Metrology Regulations to Class B/C/D specification. All water meters offered must be tested and sealed by an authorised official in a SANAS (SANS 10378:2005) accredited laboratory. Elster also has one of the few local accredited test facilities that can accommodate bulk meters up to 300 mm. Yes, there are occasionally chancers in the industry and Elster has, on numerous occasions, brought illegal meter installations under the authorities’ attention.
Any further thoughts that you might want to share with our readers? Yes, our business mission statement is to offer a broad range of high-quality, leading-technology water management solutions to customers in all key markets, with an optimised internal structure and highly effective supplier, logistics and distribution business partners for the benefit of all stakeholders.
How does South Africa measure up in terms of
water meters installed and technology suited to end use compared to the rest of Africa and other developing nations? lB South Africa is the leader in both meter installation and the use of suited technology in Africa. We have more constant and cleaner water supplies than many African countries. In most African countries, water supplies are interrupted when water reservoirs run dry during some parts of the day, which causes tremendous damage to meters and the rest of the reticulation system.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing this industry today? Major challenges include optimised distribution of water resources, together with educating all consumers on water conservation and the impact of leaks on our water resources. Also, the ability to accurately measure these resources is challenging, especially the control of quality revenue-enhancement products and solutions against cheap imports that are not suited for African conditions.
Finally, Gauteng’s acid mine water is a ticking time bomb but we are confident that sufficient
action is being taken to resolve this crisis.
How do water meters help to conserve water, especially in a water-stressed country such as South Africa? To measure is to know. The water engineer must have accurate information on his system in order to control leaks. System maintenance is crucial and it is very important to get consumers to trust readings in order to pay for their usage.
Please give me a breakdown of your product and how it fits into the development of a working and up-to-date water infrastructure plan in Southern and South Africa Elster’s brass PSM meter has been around for more than 50 years. The Polymer KSM meter is also the first polymer-produced water meter in South Africa; both these meters have often been copied, but never perfected. Elster has the only locally designed and produced prepaid meter that has seven projects running longer than 11 years and 154 projects in total. These projects are installed in South Africa and across borders as far as the Caribbean. Our new H5000 Woltmann-type hybrid bulk meter with its extra-wide measuring range is unchallenged in the market.
The H5000 is the only bulk meter on the market that has the measuring range capable of replacing a combination meter and is the world’s most accurate commercial turbine meter, providing the widest measuring range for a single-
element technology. The electronic register
pre-equipped for AMR/AMI with pulse, encoder, Aquabus, M-Bus,
L-Bus outputs and a 15-year battery life put this meter at the top of bulk metering, globally.
does elster Kent have a unique technology that sets it apart from its competitors? Elster spends $100 million annually on research and development, which is evident in our various world-leading solutions, including our hybrid and smart metering solutions. Our local R&D division then optimises these solutions for South African and African conditions.
A typical world-leading product is the Elster H5000 Hybrid Woltmann Meter, the next generation of Woltmann (turbine) bulk water meters. With a range of important features, H5000 represents the very highest performance in bulk-flow water metering, making it ideally suited to both billing (improved revenue) and water distribution applications (conservation). Available in five sizes from DN 40 to DN 150 for flow rates between 40ℓ/h and 200 m3/h, the H5000 operates at a maximum working pressure of 16 bar.
The Elster Q200 SmartMeter with full electronics is the only smart meter that is available with a replaceable battery.
Any special projects or products you would like to mention? We had a bulk meter replacement project in Ekurhuleni municipality that utilised the H5000 meters extensively. The project has a payback of less than one year. Elster believes in changing the goalpost all the time and therefore has some exciting new
Leon BassonSales and marketing director
ELSTER KENT METERING
Elster Kent Metering (Pty) Ltd
PO Box 201, Auckland Park 2006
JOHANNESBURG Tel: (011) 470-4900 Fax: (011) 474-0175
DURBAN Tel: (031) 266-4915 Fax: (031) 266-9521
CAPE TOWN Tel: (021) 511-8465/6 Fax: (021) 511-8446
BLOEMFONTEIN Tel: (051) 430-2603 Fax: (051) 430-6165
PORT ELIZABETH Cell: 082 458-3439
Copyright © Elster Group. All RightsReserved. Elster and its logo, aretrademarks of Elster Group. Thecompany's policy is one of continuousimprovement and the right is reserved tomodify the specifications without notice
www.elstermetering.co.za
8360/6/2012 Vital Connections
The V110 KSM incorporates all the advanced
engineering attributes of its popular cousin, the PSM,
plus its engineering-plastic body makes it unlikely to
be stolen. Having no second hand value virtually
eliminates the potential for theft. While the tough, UV-
stabilised, engineering-plastic body repels undesirable
interest, its internal mechanism is unsurpassed for low
and high flow accuracy in any position. Over the last
six years every component in our meters has been
refined and improved for greater accuracy and
longevity. For the full story on our V110 KSM meter
range, visit our website or call our offices.
Often copied, never equaled.
The world’smost popularwater meterwins moreenthusiasts
LEFT Elster H5000 Hybrid Woltmann MeterRIGHT Q200 SmartMeter
PanEl discussion
smart metering by installing meters which offer an
add-on upgrade path to smart metering
• capacity to adopt and sustain more sophisticated smart metering systems.
What are the standards set for water meters in South Africa and are there non-compliant ones being installed? Two regulatory standards are applicable:• Trade Metrology Act of 1973• SANS1529-1 and SANS1529-9.Generally, these standards and regulations are adhered to.
Any further thoughts you might want to share with our readers? Prepaid electricity-vending systems are generally accepted and are workable, whereas the long-term reliability and return on total capital investment on prepaid consumer water-dispensing systems is debateable. Capital costs are high, the end-point equipment is complex, and maintenance costs are high. The latest smart-meter and smart-grid technologies offer a lower initial capital outlay and more accurate metering over an extended maintenance-free period of 10 years or more. Furthermore, prepaid water systems are unfortunately prone to tampering. This is frequently a consequence of consumers being cut off due to non-payment.
tell us about a recent international project highlight Sensus has been selected to install 8 000 iPERL smart meters over the next four years in Syndicat des Eaux de Basse-Vigneulles et Faulquemont (SEBVF), France. The roll-out will increase meter
How does South Africa measure up in terms
of water meters installed and technology suited to enduse compared to the rest of Africa and other developing nations? BB South Africa is on par with most sub-Saharan countries but lagging behind countries like Algeria and Morocco.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing this industry today? The lack of skilled personnel to implement and sustain the latest smart meter/grid and prepaid technologies.
How do water meters help conserve water, especially in a water-stressed country such as SA? A commonly used phrase, “to measure is to know”, is applicable. Before any non-revenue water intervention strategy is contemplated, measurement of isolated zones and districts within the network inflows into the reticulation system and outflows to consumers is necessary.
Without this information, it is not possible to identify critical loss areas, or to develop a coherent intervention strategy. Metering is the starting point, irrespective of the age or condition of the network.
Please give me a breakdown of your products and how they fit into the development of a working and up-to-date water infrastructure plan in South and Southern Africa Sensus South Africa is a subsidiary of the global Sensus Group, which is active worldwide and is one of the largest manufacturers of water meters and affiliated data management tools in the world.
Sensus is the world’s largest manufacturer of bulk water meters in sizes DN 40 – DN 800.
The revolutionary Sensus iPerl domestic smart meter
offers utilities an unrivalled
performance in terms of a 15-year maintenance-free service life while
maintaining its original supreme
accuracy performance. The
meter is equipped with the latest data management and radio frequency
data transmission technology, making
it ‘future proof ’. Its low-flow accuracy
is not equalled by any manufacturer. This
provides groundbreaking leak detection capabilities.
A ‘smart meter’ is essentially a ‘dumb meter’ if not supported by an effective data transmission system and meter data management software. Sensus manages some of the largest systems worldwide with over 80 million end points already linked to Sensus smart grid solutions.
does Sensus have a unique technology that sets it apart from its competitors? Yes. The iPerl is a world first in measurement accuracy, with a 15-year maintenance-free service life and smart grid compatibility.
Also, the Sensus Flexnet long-range radio data communication system offers an advanced smart grid capability, which is not only capable of water management, but can incorporate both electricity and gas.
Any special projects or products you would like to mention? Sensus is a partner is a consortium providing the radio frequency communications technology for the Great Britain Smart Metering Programme. It will initially cover 33 million households and businesses – the largest smart grid project of its kind in the world today.
How does Sensus assess which water meters should be placed in which conditions? Primary factors to be considered are:• water quality: poor water
quality might require inferential meters, which are less susceptible to stoppage and wear than volumetric meters
• funding available: lack of funding might necessitate taking the interim step to
Basil BoldManaging directorSENSUS
LEFT iPerl offer a world first in measurement accuracy
48 july/august 2014
july/august 2014 49
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Sensus iPerl Ad2013(1).pdf 1 8/18/13 5:20 PM
PanEl discussion
readings from 400 per day to 2 000, giving more visibility on usage and network conditions to consumers and utilities.
SEBVF has eight deep underground boreholes and supplies 84 municipalities, with a combined population of 41 500 people. It wanted to move to a new technology to overcome difficulties in reading hard-to-reach
meters, whilst reducing the time needed to take meter readings. The renewal of its meter fleet to comply with new regulatory requirements, which requires a meter exchange every 15 years without calibration and to inform the end users of their potential overconsumption,
presented the ideal opportunity to consider
a new technology.SEBVF engaged with Sensus,
whose iPerl solution was the
only one capable of measuring
very low flows with no degradation in measurement accuracy over time.
It provides better leakage detection and an increased meter-reading speed, thanks to wireless technology and advanced communication options integrated into the end point.
iPerl end points will provide SEBVF with:• major time savings for meter
readings, increasing daily meter readings by radio from 400 to 2 000
• detection of leakages in order to alert the end users, preventing water loss and incurred costs.
More and more, the requirement to move to smarter water metering is
becoming apparent. The need for accurate billing coupled with time-consuming access issues makes the change to smart metering the ideal way forward. The cost efficiencies that can be achieved with smart water metering not only benefit the consumer, but benefit the supplier who – for example in South Africa – will be able to accurately bill and collect revenues more effectively. The iPerl smart water meter is at the cutting edge of smart water meter technology. It is our flagship technology and is increasingly being embraced throughout the USA and Europe.
LEFT Standardised equipment is also available
“iPerl offers utilities a guaranteed 15-year maintenance-free service life.” Basil Bold, managing director, Sensus
50 july/august 2014
Market leading innovators in the �eld ofprepaid water metering and electronic
�ow limitation devices
Market leading innovators in the �eld ofprepaid water metering and electronic
�ow limitation devices+27 (31) 700 4143 | [email protected] | www.utility-systems.co.za
PanEl discussion
by ICASA for radio communications.
Any special projects or products you would like to mention? We have a number of large and very successful projects running in Durban, Cape Town, Mogale City, Ilembe District Municipality, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and elsewhere in South Africa, but the prepaid project implemented by Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company has been especially successful.
How does utility Systems assess which meters should be placed in which conditions? It is our belief that conventional meters need to be enhanced by the addition of our WMD in order to upgrade what are referred to as “dumb metering” installations to smart/prepaid meter installations in any application where revenue collection needs to be enhanced, or where flow restriction ought to be implemented due to wasteful, indigent or delinquent consumers.
What are the standards set for water meters in South Africa and are there non-compliant ones being installed? The standards are set by the NRCS and by and large all water service providers do install meters that comply with their standards.
Any further thoughts that you might want to share with our readers? Water metering technology and the whole
How does South Africa measure up in terms of
water meters installed and technology suited to end use compared to the rest of Africa and other developing nations? PR South Africa is the market leader in Africa in this field and especially in the fields of smart and prepaid water metering.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing this industry today? The provision
of funding to replace old and leaking infrastructure and to fund the purchase of meters.
How do water meters help to conserve water,
especially in a water-stressed country
such as South Africa? Smart and prepaid meters do help to conserve water in a number of ways. They help to identify leaks, educate consumers on wastage of water, reduce unaccounted-for and non-revenue water and improve water authority revenues. The implementation of prepaid water metering especially improves revenue collection and significantly reduces wastage.
Please give me a breakdown of your product and how it fits into the development of a working and up-to-date water infrastructure plan in Southern and South Africa. Our water management device when fitted to a pulse output water meter is able to offer the water utility either electronic flow limitation or STS (standard
transfer specification) based prepayment.
The device has an in-built radio
that enables
the utility to upload data on consumption, leaks and tampering, and so providing it with all the information required to run a fully integrated demand-based water metering solution. The reduction in water consumption that occurs after the implementation of our systems reduces the institutional capacity needed by water service providers. This means fewer dams are required as well as less treatment and pumping of water that is not going to be paid for by end users.
does utility Systems have a unique technology that sets it apart from its competitors? Yes, it is not only the first NRCS (National Regulator for Compulsory Standards) approved electronic flow-limitation device but also the first STS- and NRCS-approved prepaid water metering system. The system is also approved
Peter RodsethManaging directorUTILITy SySTEMS
TOP LEFT Mobile data collector with WMD
july/august 2014 51
Market leading innovators in the �eld ofprepaid water metering and electronic
�ow limitation devices
Market leading innovators in the �eld ofprepaid water metering and electronic
�ow limitation devices+27 (31) 700 4143 | [email protected] | www.utility-systems.co.za
PanEl discussion
issue of data management is undergoing a long-overdue and much-needed quantum leap. Given the global water scarcity, it is becoming more and more important for water service providers to look at innovative ways of reducing water wastage and increasing revenue collection. Conventional metering is no longer able to provide the solution and water utilities have to increasingly look to being able to control the flow of water to consumers’
houses and to improve ways of collecting revenue. Water utilities have historically been conservative and slow to adopt new technologies, but they no longer have the luxury of time to consider adopting them. It has to happen now if we are to avert a global crisis.
“The reduction in water consumption reduces the institutional capacity needed by water service providers.” Peter Rodseth, managing director, Utility Systems
RIGHT Prepaid water and bulk metering solutionsTOP RIGHT User interface unit and Water Management Device (WMD)
SAVING WATER. SAVING LIVES.
523 Church Street • Provisus Building • 1st Floor • Arcadia • Pretoriat +27 012 440 9885 • f +27 012 440 9751 • email [email protected] Motaung, Executive Sales & Marketing Manager • t 072 736 2995www.lesira.co.za
The only meter that gives the ability to:• Operate as either conventional
or prepaid• View your current and previous
month water bill• View your remaining free water• View your available credit (Rands)• Purchase credit from your cell
phone or convenient stores• Detect your property leaks• Electronically lock your meter
july/august 2014 53
PanEl discussion
of non-payment of water services as well as built its
capacity through training of employees for maintenance of the entire system.
How does lesira-teq assess which meters should be placed in which conditions? Municipalities know their customers’ needs and because of our meter’s multiple functional modes, the same meter can cater for all municipal customers’ needs, economic class and conditions.
What are the standards set for water meters in South Africa and are there non-compliant ones being installed? Lesira-Teq is ISO 9000/9002 accredited and controls the assembly of meters and then tests each meter in compliance to a stringent code on a test bench approved for this purpose by SANAS. Our water meter has also been fully certified in accordance with SANS 1529-1:2003 and complies with all the requirements stipulated by SANS1529-9:2003, for meters with electronic read-outs. Our suppliers of electronic boards have ISO 9002 accreditation and our suppliers of battery packs work to military specifications for high-reliability applications, such as electronic metering.
How does South Africa measure up in terms
of water meters installed and technology suited to end use compared to the rest of Africa and other developing nations? ld South Africa is emerging from a history where efficient service delivery was only enjoyed by a few and therefore needed immense effort and innovation to come up with tools capable of improving services to cover the entire populace.
Though South Africa is far advanced in comparison to most of our counterparts in the continent, we are currently the 30th driest country in the world and lag behind in terms of water conservation technologies.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing this industry today? The biggest challenge facing our industry today is how best to contribute to the country’s water conservation efforts. Our industry needs innovative products that can help educate our citizenry on the importance of water conservation. We need meters with functionalities that will enable end users to interpret numbers so as to contribute to a culture of water conservation on a large scale in our country.
How do water meters help to conserve water (especially in a water-stressed country such as South Africa)? We have seen in most projects we have participated in that after a few months of meter installations, the usage drop between 40% to 50%, which reflects a responsible consumption when a user is able to view the remaining free basic water, leaks in the property and also loading credit up front.
Please provide a breakdown of your product and how it fits into the development of a working and up-to-date water infrastructure plan in Southern and South Africa Lesira-Teq provides a comprehensive range of state-of-the-art intelligent water meter technology in South Africa. Our water meter is completely unique and has a totally integrated design, which offers multiple modes of operation in one, consisting of:• pre-paid mode• conventional mode• post-paid mode• flat-rate mode• property leak detection• indigent audit system.
does lesira-teq have a unique technology that sets it apart from its competitors? Lesira-Teq has introduced into the industry a water meter that is user friendly and not just a series of numbers that remain a mystery to end users. Our water meter does not only provide the end user with easy access to important information about their water use but it also educates the end user on how best to manage and preserve water. Our intelligent meter – unlike the common conventional meter – has benefits to end users in that it:• enables the end users to detect
any leaks within their water pipe systems that may not be obvious to them
• enables the end user to monitor their water usage throughout the month and therefore helps them to save water
• enables the end user to check their balance the comfort of their own homes avoiding the long queues at the pay points
• enables the enduser to activate usage of their emergency water at a time of their own choosing
• enables the end user to load water in accordance to their water needs
• is user friendly, enabling the end user to read and understand their own water meter data
• enables end users full access to the meter; they can lock it and open it at their own convenience in that way they are able to prevent water wastage
• has the functionality to inform those with the benefit of ‘free water’ how many litres they have remaining.
Any special projects or products you would like to mention? In the Rustenburg Local Municipality, Lesira-Teq installed 6 383 intelligent meters and provided 36 months, site support for Lethabong Township. It is a project that has had major positive impacts for both the community and the municipality. The project created employment for members of the community and provided economic opportunities for local contractors. As a result of the implementation of this project, the municipality has been able to eradicate a culture
naphtali MotaungMarketing managerLESIRA-TEq
RIGHT Dual functionality on water use and water management
54 july/august 2014
Cape Town: 021 510 4266 / 021 510 8408Johannesburg: 011 609 4647 / 011 609 6336
[email protected] www.precisionmeters.co.zaLEVEL 2
‘When the Bottom Line counts’‘Order your
water meters from
South Africa’s fastest growing
water meter company with their stocks of
NRCS TYPE APPROVED
brass or plastic water meters’
ASM LXH 15mm Brass
ASM LXH 20mm BrassASM LXHS 20mm Plastic
ASM LXHS 15mm Plastic
PM Water & Sanitation Ad Jul 14.indd 1 7/7/14 11:17:26 AM
july/august 2014 55
PanEl discussion
within the company to enable us to give solid advice and good after-sales service.
Any special projects or products you would like to mention? Besides working on local projects we are busy with projects across Africa, in Tanzania, Liberia and Chad.
How do you assess which meters should be placed in which conditions? This is dependent on a few factors such as water quality, flow rate, pressure and where the meters are to be installed.
What are the standards set for water meters in South Africa and are there non-compliant ones being installed? I sit on the WMMA and we do our best to monitor non-compliance in the country. The main policing arm, NRCS, also battles with this because to comply as a water meter manufacturer one must have NRCS-type-approved meters and a SANAS-accredited laboratory as a starter. Any manufacturer/supplier outside of these parameters is outside of the law. I believe that there are meters in the ground in SA that are non-compliant but we can only battle against this if we see them in the field. Meters with a SA number are the compliant meters as a rule of thumb. There is always talk of cheap Eastern meters in the market but one must be corrected in that most products today have some Eastern components and the water meter industry does not differ much. Remember, some of the best R&D in the world comes from the East.
Any further thoughts that you might want to share with our readers? Yes, next time you turn on a tap, think: water conservation!
How does South Africa measure up in terms
of water meters installed and technology suited to end use compared to the rest of Africa and other developing nations? mH Regarding South Africa in terms of basic water meters installed for RDP housing and the catch up we are attempting to do to the housing backlog, I think we are not as far as we could have been. I think, generally, we are ahead of our neighbours in Africa technology-wise, taking into account that most water meter technology emanates from Europe or the East. Regarding the use of new meter technology, we are way behind Europe and the rest of the world. I also believe that a lot of the technology that is used at present in certain areas is not correctly thought through and that some companies will sell anything into the market to make a buck without any care or after sales service. One needs to follow up their business deals with good after sales care and technical help.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing this industry today? The unacceptable attitude of late or non-payment of construction
products supplied to some utilities throughout the country. This is a serious problem that creates an economic domino effect throughout the industry. I believe that the water meter industry is not united enough and that too many products are thrown into the market without any forethought and then sold to end users who, without technical knowledge, unwittingly spend huge budgets on the wrong products. The knock-on effect is wasted man hours and money spent. Lastly, theft in our industry of brass components is a major concern. We are not keeping up with basic and essential river-water cleaning in our country and the imminent fracking in the Karoo is questionable regarding groundwater. The unpredictable rand and labour unrest at the mines is detrimental to many industries and water meter manufacturers are no exception.
How do water meters help to conserve water, especially in a water-stressed country such as South Africa? Water meters do not conserve water, but rather monitor the flow of water to the end user. There are cases in rural areas in South Africa where communal stand pipes are installed with water meters and the taps are left on
with water running 24/7. The actual conservation of water is a far bigger issue in that its more to do with building dams, looking after our rivers and making people aware of the need to conserve what we have.
Please give me a breakdown of your product and how it fits into the development of a working and up-to-date water infrastructure plan in Southern and South Africa. Precision Meters carries a complete range of mechanical, domestic and bulk, as well as electronic domestic and bulk, meters. It is dependent on the quality of water and flow rate that will decide on what meters to use in different conditions. Our domestic meters, which are type approved, and having a SANAS-accredited laboratory in Cape Town help us fit the bill for local South African RDP projects at reasonable prices. Our agricultural meters for farms and electromags for mines all play a part in the present infrastructure with the forethought to many more advances in the future from our company.
do you have a unique technology that sets you apart from your competitors? Precision Meters is a relatively young, up-and-coming company, with its main focus being service and quick delivery. Presently, you could not call anything that is being traded in the water meter industry as unique, as most manufacturers/suppliers deal in very similar products. We are however proud that we can – at this time in our young existence – compete with other brands and have the technical ability
Michael HardmanChief marketing officer
PRECISION METERS
FAR LEFT Brass ASM LXH 20 mmLEFT Plastic ASM LXHS 20 mm
Cape Town: 021 510 4266 / 021 510 8408Johannesburg: 011 609 4647 / 011 609 6336
[email protected] www.precisionmeters.co.zaLEVEL 2
‘When the Bottom Line counts’‘Order your
water meters from
South Africa’s fastest growing
water meter company with their stocks of
NRCS TYPE APPROVED
brass or plastic water meters’
ASM LXH 15mm Brass
ASM LXH 20mm BrassASM LXHS 20mm Plastic
ASM LXHS 15mm Plastic
PM Water & Sanitation Ad Jul 14.indd 1 7/7/14 11:17:26 AM
56 july/august 2014
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E N V I R O N M E N T A LS O L U T I O N S
mintails pioneers amd solution
Mining company Mintails has pioneered a tailings water treatment (TWT) process that can be applied successfully to the problem of acid mine drainage (AMD) in the Western Basin, reports Gerhard Hope.
tHe uNPRecedeNted rainfall in the Western Basin earlier in the year, with 200 mm reported
in a single 24-hour period, ended up overwhelming the capacity of the Rand Uranium treatment plant to deal with the uncontrolled decant from the 17 Winze and 18 Winze shafts in particular. “To really make an impact on the
future treatment of AMD and reduce the void levels, you need to push the treatment to a level that is maintain-able, sustainable and manageable,” says Mintails CFO Eddie Milne, at 18 Winze on the West Rand. This means a treatment capacity of 60 Mℓ to 70 Mℓ a day, while Rand Uranium’s current capacity is only 30 Mℓ a day.
“Over the long term, it is about closure mining. This means closing
off the void by either halting the ingress of rainwater, or backfilling mined material into the void,” says Milne. So severe is the problem that Mintails argues in its ‘Approach to Closure Mining’ briefing document that “the Western Basin should be considered a national disaster area because of the AMD flows that have breached environmental critical levels.”
mininG watEr
mininG watEr
july/august 2014 57
uncontrolled decantThe mining company recently hosted a site visit to the Winze shaft area in order to demonstrate the extent of the uncontrolled decant of what is essentially diluted sulphuric acid from abandoned underground workings. This comprises what is termed a ‘void’.
Jan Jacobs, general manager of operations at Mintails, explains that there were originally 12 different reef outcrop-pings on the company’s current mining-right area, of which four or five were mined extensively, thereby creating a void. This dips about 30°, all the way to where it is intersected by the Witpoortjie Fault.
“It is a massive aquifer that has filled up over a relatively short period,” says Jacobs. “The last shaft closed down in 1998, and was overflowing by 2002.” The problem with this water in the void is that, if left unmanaged, it decants to the surface in the form of highly toxic AMD, which is charac-terised by a low pH, together with a high concentration of dissolved heavy metals.
major impactThe decant from the Winze shaft area flows into the Tweeloopies Spruit, which eventually goes underground and then re-emerges in the area of the Sterkfontein caves. “It has quite a big impact on the Cradle of Mankind heritage site. From there it ends up in the Limpopo River,” says Jacobs.
OPPOSITE The barren tailings stream ultimately ends up at the West Wits pitBELOW Unprecedented rainfall in the Western Basin has resulted in an upsurge of decant from the 17 and 18 Winze shafts
mininG watEr
58 july/august 2014
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Despite the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) dramatically ramp-ing up the high-density sludge treatment plant at Rand Uranium, the heavy rains have meant it has barely coped with the void recharge rate of 27 Mℓ a day. “After the latest rainy season, we are back to square one,” says Jacobs. This means that all the effort and expense that has gone into reducing the level to date
has been rendered null and void. However, Mintails is so confident about its proprietary solution to this problem that it is “in advanced discussions” with the DWA to adopt its process.
The TWT process uses AMD that is abstracted from the void and neutralised so that it can be used as process water to mine tailings in the form of slurry. It is a particularly el-egant solution that uses the source of one environmental headache, namely AMD, to treat another environmental hazard, the numer-ous tailings dumps that litter the Johannesburg mining landscape.
tailings disposal facilitiesAt present, the mining company has rights to about 100 million tonnes worth of tailings disposal facilities, known collectively as the Randfontein Cluster. The major-ity of these dumps are clustered
around the upper regions of the Wonderfontein Spruit, which drains a highly impacted area focused on the Lancaster Dam.
Jacobs says that more than 80% of the mining company’s total water usage at present comprises treated mine water, compared to a zero base only five years ago. This is believed to be the highest uptake of safely processed AMD in the mining industry to date.
The resultant slurry is pumped back to a processing plant, where it is blended with ore at the mills in order to boost the run-of-mine throughput and thereby increase the profitability. The subsequent blend of recovered tailings slurry and crushed ore forms the feedstock for the carbon-in-leach process. Mintails currently operates a 30 Mℓ-a-day water treatment plant, but has plans to commission a second 350 000 tonne-a-day plant, which
ABOVE Converting all surface-striking reefs into opencast mining will reduce the ingress of rainwater, which results in AMD
mininG watEr
july/august 2014 59
will increase its capacity to 70 Mℓ to 75 Mℓ a day. “That is the biggest AMD treatment plant there will be,” says Jacobs.
Barren tailings streamThe barren tailings stream is finally disposed of at the West Wits pit, where the long-term plan is to treat it to grey-water standard for use elsewhere in the economy. Jacobs cautions that such a strategy will only fly if the DWA and Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) collab-orate on a regional closure plan for the mining industry, involving one massive tailings dump, as opposed to the 300 dotting the landscape at present.
“This is the only way that such a closure strategy can work: it is about partnerships. If we can forge a partnership with the DMR, we can enforce it. However, we need high levels of cooperation in order for us to be able to achieve this,” argues Jacobs.
Once the tailings have been removed, the site is rehabilitated for future use. Mintails is currently running a nursery project that “feeds directly into our requirements for closure mining. Once we have removed the tailings dam from the surface, what happens to the land at the bottom? You need to reha-bilitate, so having a plant-and-tree nursery within the area is important for our vision, and it supports the objectives of the West Rand District Municipality and Mogale City,” com-ments Milne. “When we enter into a project like this, it is essential that it is sustainable and creates opportu-nities for both the community and the employees.”
Hydraulic miningMilne explains further that the tail-ings dumps themselves are removed by means of hydraulic mining, with the resultant slurry transported to the processing plant via pipeline. Such has been the success of this approach that Mintails has been able to report a 99.72% success rate of all tailings recovered in this manner, with an ultimate target of achieving a <0.25% spillage rate.
Apart from recovering gold from
tailings dumps, Mintails also has to contend with a number of sur-face-striking reef outcroppings in its mining-right area. In general, each of these outcroppings has a hole to the surface every 100 m, due to ear-lier, shallow mining operations that deployed natural ventilation. Not only does this mean that the area is rife with artisanal mining, but that such illegal activities have rendered it geotechnically unstable.
The solution proposed by Mintails to this particular problem is to remove all surface-striking reefs by means of opencast mining, spe-cifically in the form of a long and narrow pit that can be backfilled si-multaneously from one end. This not only eliminates the entry points for illegal miners, but also reduces the ingress of the rainwater that results in AMD.
community consultationIt has not been an easy road for Mintails, which had its Kagiso mining operation suspended by Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu following protest activity by the local community. “We are engaged in further consultation, and have established a community
engagement forum,” says Jacobs. We are planning on entering into a memorandum of understanding with the local community in terms of mining in the area. It is going to take time to address some of the legacy issues we are faced with.”
Despite such challenges, Mintails continues to forge ahead with its closure-mining approach, which it upholds as a long-term solution to the myriad problems, both envi-ronmental and social, faced by the mining industry in South Africa.
“The recent decant from 17 and 18 Winze shafts offers an opportunity to rethink the logic underpinning the solution that has been used until now, by showing that government cannot solve these complex prob-lems alone. Mintails wants to be part of the solution, rather than being part of the problem confronting society as a whole,” it concludes in its briefing document.
What is closUre Mining?Not yet in widespread use in the Witwatersrand, closure mining is being pioneered by Mintails as an adaptive response to changing circumstances. This maximises benefits to society over time, as the historic externalities of mining, now manifesting as constraints to future development, are dealt with systematically in par tnership with key stakeholders.
ABOVE Mintails aims to build a second gold-processing plant
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TM
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www.sbstanks.co.za
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Contact us today for professional service:
Industry Leaders in Water StoragIndividual tanks up to 3.3 megalitres
ofessional engineersRapid onsite consLow maintenanceReady for opera ommissioningInstalla t safe working heights
Tank content not in direct contact with tank wallsFreespan dome roof with no internal columnsCost eff eTried & trusted for more than 14 yearsManufactur ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System
5334
mininG watEr
Bespoke water storageAssisting water storage provision to mining companies throughout South Africa continues to be a challenge, reports Maryke Foulds.
AccoRdINg to StRuctA Technology Director for Prestank Rodney Cory, the product has proven itself
as a hygienically safe, cost-effective and reliable way to store water for communities, commercial sectors, private sectors and even for person-alised storage. “We are one of the preferred suppliers of water storage tanks to municipal authorities and mines because we are known as a supplier who always strives to de-liver our water tanks on time, within budget, adhering to the best quality standards,“ says Cory.
Recent Prestanks fabricated and installed for mines are as follows:
• Venetia mine A recent water tank was provided to the De Beers Venetia mine in January 2014. This Prestank is an elevated water tank on a 22 m stand with a 200 000ℓ capacity. The tank has been fabricated according to the strictest quality specifications of Anglo American.
• Kriel colliery Two ground-level water tanks were provided to the Kriel colliery, namely a 500 000ℓ and a 55 296ℓ one.
• Sishen iron ore mine A 155 296ℓ ground-level tank was provided to Sishen iron ore mine.
• Impala Platinum Two water tanks, both 103 000ℓ, were provided to Impala Platinum Shaft 20.
• Anglo American Structa provided a tank of 10 000ℓ to the Isibonela colliery in Witbank.
All products are manufactured according to SANS guidelines and meet South African hot-dipped galvanising requirements.
There are many benefits to choosing Prestank:• It facilitates construction of a range
of sizes and configurations to meet the specifications and needs of the client.
• The profile panel sections provide excellent strength properties and are structurally sound for storing water. The stand is designed strictly in accordance with SANS 10160 for wind and SANS 10162 for structural steel work. Elevated tanks mounted on steel towers above ground level have an aes-thetically pleasing appearance.
• It facilitates easier handling and transportation over long distances to remote areas, regardless of the final dimensions of the assembled unit.
• Assembly on-site is quickly achieved without the need for sophisticated tooling methods.
• Minimum maintenance is required.• Access to the water tank can be
restricted by means of a lockable, ventilated access cover.
The thickness of the hot-dip gal-vanising coat is applied within a range of 80 to 100 µm. This is more than five times the thickness of zinc on pre-galvanised corrugated steel cylindrical tanks. The purpose is to ensure extended maintenance-free life in situations where water with aggressively corrosive properties is required to be stored.
60 july/august 2014
BELOW Cost-effective and reliable Prestank on-site
mining water conservation food & beveragefire prot municipal
A premium product made by SBS Water Systems (Pty) LtdTanksTM
TM
+27(0)860 482 657
www.sbstanks.co.za
[email protected] Search: SBS Tanks
Contact us today for professional service:
Industry Leaders in Water StoragIndividual tanks up to 3.3 megalitres
ofessional engineersRapid onsite consLow maintenanceReady for opera ommissioningInstalla t safe working heights
Tank content not in direct contact with tank wallsFreespan dome roof with no internal columnsCost eff eTried & trusted for more than 14 yearsManufactur ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System
5334
mininG watEr
Beyond water useStringent environmental legislation has resulted in on-site dust suppression systems playing a role of continued importance in the African mining industry.
PRetoRIA-BASed I-Cat is a leading environ-mental solutions company that specialises in the development of products and services that ensure environmental compliance for its indus-
trial clients. Non-executive director Professor Jan du Plessis notes that dust suppression has evolved from an optional minimal-compliance system into a fundamental necessity in the local mining sector.
“Dust is a pervasive problem that undermines the health of workers, impacts negatively on the surrounding environ-ment and substantially reduces the lifespan of machinery. It can damage even the most sophisticated equipment and technology. It is, therefore, imperative to effectively control dust on a continuous basis with objectives that reach far beyond legislative compliance,” he explains.
Numerous variables can be associated with excessive dust generation in the mining sector, however, the main con-tributor is widely recognised as haulage roads with large volumes of traffic. Other operational processes such as blasting, drilling, dumping and loading are also major con-tributors. Although water is the most commonly used dust suppressant, it is severely limited in its effectiveness, states du Plessis. “Using only water to control dust is a perpetually
BELOW I-Cat is able to ensure efficient dust control for its clients
july/august 2014 61
62 july/august 2014
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costly task that offers limited dust suppression. The futility of wasting time, money and precious water resources is increased as the water quickly evaporates and dust is again released into the environment.”
Through its commitment to con-tinuous research and development, I-Cat is able to ensure efficient dust control and full environmental com-pliance for its clients, through inno-vative and cost-effective products that assist with surface stabilisation, while ensuring a significant reduc-tion in water usage.
dust-suppressant productsRDC 20 is a water-soluble anionic polyelectrolyte polymer that is exclusively developed by I-Cat. It is an innovative formulation of blended emulsified copolymers and ionic modifiers. When sprayed onto the road surface, RDC 20 forms a durable cross-linked matrix. The matrix binds fine soil parti-cles into larger, heavier particles, which are less prone to become airborne. RDC 20 is used on tem-porary roads, as it is a cost-efficient means to improve road and dust conditions exponentially.
Du Plessis reveals that I-Cat has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from mines where the product is applied, and especially where I-Cat is contracted to manage the dust control on mine roads. “The overall ambient dust at our largest operation in the Northern Cape has improved by more than 40%, when compared to the readings prior to I-Cat managing the secondary roads at the mine. This is an extraordinary
achievement that would not be possible without RDC 20.”
misting systemsThe DustMonster range of machin-ery minimises the effects of dust by creating an ultra-fine mist that attracts dust and encapsulates the airborne particles, before driving them to the ground. The units are fully automatic, easily adaptable and portable. “With its rugged 44 Kw motor and user-definable 359˚ oscillation, the DustMonster boasts a throw of more than 100 m, thereby ensuring that its dust-trap-ping atomised mist has a coverage area of 2.6 ha,” adds Du Plessis.
I-Cat is also the exclusive local dis-tributor of the Scrub Mist System – a technologically advanced mist-noz-zle system developed and manufac-tured in the USA. Du Plessis reveals that the most notable advantage of the Scrub Mist System is the fact that it boasts ecologically neutral technology. “This technology breaks down water drops between 50 to 200 microns, thereby neutralising and controlling dust at the source of emission via the grouping of dust el-ements into larger agglomerations.”
green solutionsGreenGrip is a natural, polymer–based, gravel-road sealant. It is an environmentally safe alternative to chemically based products for semi-permanent gravel roads on mines and residential areas. The solution produces a durable, smooth and dust-free surface with fewer maintenance intervals. GreenGrip is water soluble and is
also easily incorporated into rou-tine dust-suppression procedures with no requirement for special equipment or handling precautions. For permanent dust roads, I-Cat supplies a bitumen-based dust sup-pression solution called GreenBit.
camera-based technologyWater and fuel are precious com-modities in opencast mines, and spillage and overfilling are a major challenge in the industry. In order to overcome this costly and wasteful trend, Du Plessis points out that I-Cat developed the E-CAM system with intergrated RFID, a cam-era-based technology that assists water bowser operators in lining up 85 000ℓ water bowsers at the filling points located across the mine.
“In the past, this tedious task in-volved the driver regularly climbing out of the vehicle before aligning it with the filling point. The element of human error often resulted in misalignment and spillage. I-Cat’s E-CAM camera technology ensures pinpoint alignment without the driver having to set foot outside of the bowser. This substantially reduces the risk of spillage, and also leads to significant time and cost savings,” he continues.
I-Cat was established from humble beginnings in 2007, and today the company boasts a complement of internationally recognised clients from across Africa. In addition to its dust-suppression solutions, I-Cat also offers clients environmentally sustainable services in the fields of water solutions, environmental management solutions, carbon solutions, and agro-forestry and fire solutions.
Looking to the future, Du Plessis is optimistic of continued growth. “Environmental compliance is more important than ever before and, given the rapid acceleration of growth across all major industries in Africa, demand for suitable products and services is set to increase. I-Cat has established itself as a proven market leader over the years. As a result, the company is recognised as a preferred supplier to the industry, and has placed itself in a strong position to achieve future growth,” he concludes.
DustMonster boasts a throw of more than 100 m
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discharge to Elburgspruit under controlThe Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) has to provide short-term solutions to AMD challenges in Gauteng.
tHe Imc comPRISeS the Ministers of Water and Environmental Affairs, Mineral Resources, Finance,
Science and Technology, as well as the Minister in the Presidency re-sponsible for National Planning. The IMC is co-chaired by the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs and the Minister of Mineral Resources.
This project is aimed at imple-menting the short term action plan in the Western, Central and Eastern Basins of the Witwatersrand Goldfields, as recommended to the Inter-Ministerial Committee by the team of experts, chaired by the CEO of the Council for GeoScience. The short-term action plan is to prevent decant in the Western Basin and breaching of the environmental critical level (ECL) in the central and eastern basins. The construction of
the Central Basin AMD treatment plant has come to completion and the IMC co-chairpersons themselves witnessed the lowering of the new pumps into the mine void. The pumping, treatment and release of the AMD from the plant com-menced on 12 May 2014.
The operation of the plant was implemented in two phases:As expected, the discharge from this plant has an effect on the Elsburgspruit River, the river into which treated AMD is released. As such, it is necessary to keep down-stream users, as well as other inter-ested and affected parties informed of the following:• the full capacity to 84 Mℓ/day was-
be reached on 30 May 2014• the treated AMD is not harmful to
the end users• the quality of the treated AMD is as
per Table 1.
Water qUalitY variaBle
average Water qUalitY across
all three Basins
hds plant eFFlUent standard
Sulphates 4 344 mg/ℓ 2 400 mg/ℓ
pH 4 6 - 9
Iron 768 mg/ℓ <1 mg/ℓ
Aluminium 35 mg/ℓ <1 mg/ℓ
Manganese 127 mg/ℓ <3 mg/ℓ
Uranium 0.2 mg/ℓ 0.05 mg/ℓ
BELOW Installation of AMD solution at Central Basin
TABLE 1 Chemical levels of the AMD before and after treatment
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storage options for mining sitesSBS Tanks recently held an appreciation dinner for their dedicated staff, suppliers and clients. The event was the first such annual event and was held in SBS Tanks’ new, bigger and better facility in Maxmead, Pinetown, in KwaZulu-Natal.
VARIouS SuPPlIeRS sponsored awards to acknowledge SBS's dedicated staff members for various attributes and contributions to SBS Tanks. The award
winners were:• The Travel Dynamix Award for Client Support
– Edga Mnyaiza• The Process Steel and Tube Award for
Outstanding Commitment on the Job – Charmaine Israel
• The Steelbank Award for Continuous Excellence – Mark Hawkins
• The BMG Award for Inspirational Leadership – Sipho Ngubo
• The Chris Leah Award for Innovation in the Workplace – Edga Mnyaiza
• The MPower Consulting and Training Award for Quality Excellence – Terri Turner
• The BTL Engineering and Project Management Award for Technical Excellence – Bruce McPhail.
SBS also took this opportunity to announce their newly certified SABS ISO 9001:208 Quality Management Systems, with delegates from the SABS attending to hand over the esteemed SABS ISO flag and certificate. SBS Tanks is a leading supplier in the manufacture and installation of premium-quality Zincalume panel liquid storage tanks. With a strong work force of 56 perma-nent employees, SBS is big enough to deliver, yet small enough to care.
Left to right – Chris Leah, SBS Tanks director; Ron Pillay, SABS operations manager; Delayne Gray, SBS Tanks director; Mava Gwagwa, SBS Tanks director; and Heiner Freese, SBS Tanks director
Why don’t you contact us today?t 011 929 7000 f 011 929 7031 [email protected] www.erwat.co.za
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