WATER & WASTEWATER
Digital twins to the rescue
South Africa needs an accurate, real-time overview of its infrastructure – a single view of the truth that will help city officials make informed decisions. This is possible with digital twin technology. By Dominic Collett
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outh Africa’s water system is in trouble. In the 2020/21 financial year alone, there were over 55 800 pipe bursts and over a third of reser voirs with supply problems. Years of under funding of infrastructure replacement and maintenance have drastically reduced the lifespan of around a quarter of the countr y’s asset base. If there is one lesson that we can take from South Africa’s electricity crisis, it is that we cannot wait until it is too late before we act. And yet, it is nearly too late. By 2025, South Africa is expected to experience water scarcity. By 2030, a water deficit. With the rapid increase in urbanisation and the rising demand on our water infrastructure, we do not have the luxur y of time. We need to begin with what we do have: political will and data.
Dominic Collett, urban development engineer and smart city specialist, Royal HaskoningDHV
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IMIESA August 2021
Political will National Treasur y’s Infrastructure Deliver y Management System (IDMS) sets out systematic processes for delivering and maintaining infrastructure in the public sector. It is a thorough document that outlines government’s strategy to enhance socio-economic growth and development through improved infrastructure deliver y and unity in action. The IDMS covers ever ything from project ownership, accountability and consistency to evidence-based decisionmaking and continuous improvement in scalability, capacity and capability. It sets a solid foundation for planning and budget alignment, identification and prioritisation of infrastructure projects, and improved risk management.
Data Municipalities rely heavily on citizens to report water leaks, burst pipes, and supply or pressure issues. There are numerous channels to do this, including call centres, SMS, Twitter, or by emailing the ward councillor.
