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Hydro politics in the Russia-Ukraine war
It is telling that one of the first actions Russian forces took in their invasion of Ukraine was to blow up a dam on the North Crimean Canal (NCC), allowing water to flow back into Crimea.
Crimea was part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (SFSR) until 1954, when the Soviet authorities transferred it to the Ukrainian SFSR as part of the larger Soviet Union. The NCC was built on the Dnieper River in 1975 to provide Crimea with water for agriculture and domestic use.
After Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014, the canal became a transboundary feature. As a retaliatory action, Ukraine blocked the canal and water flow to Crimea, cutting off 85% of Crimea’s water and leaving two million people water-stressed.
At the same time, more Russians were moving to Crimea, attracted by the warmer climate, leading to even more pressure on these resources. Without water from the NCC, Crimea’s arable land has shrunk, from 130 000 hectares in 2013 – already a fraction of Soviet-era levels – to 14 000 hectares in 2017.
While this latest war is rooted in a fractured political history, it is obvious that a water shortage heightened tensions. Conflict over water is apparent around the world; Iran’s multiple water disputes, Pakistan’s tireless fight over water with India, and violent water tensions in Mali are a few examples.
Dhesigen Naidoo (former CEO of the Water Research Commission), who now sits on the Presidential Climate Commission and is the lead: Climate for the Institute of Security Studies, mentions conflict as a potential climate change threat (page 18).
Eventful month
Over the past few weeks, we have had the State of the Nation Address, the National Budget Speech, as well as the Water and Sanitation Summit. It is hopeful to hear government’s recognition that businesses create jobs. It was heartening to hear President Ramaphosa refer to water as “the country’s most precious resource”. I am looking forward to more information released around the proposed National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency in the next few weeks.
Also, the National Budget Speech has seen money allocated towards:
• Clan William Dam (R2.1 billion)
• Lepelle Water Board (R1.4 billion for the Olifantspoort and Ebenezer plants)
• Umgeni Water Board (R813 million for the Lower uMkhomazi Water Supply Scheme).
Did anything interesting come out of the Water and Sanitation Summit? I didn’t think so, but then Dan Naidoo, chairman of WISA, had a different opinion. After hearing him out, I agree with him (page 9).
Regarding government, this edition features two passionate individuals from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). Mark Bannister, chief engineer, gives an update on the DWS’s progress with regard to SDG 6 (page 14) and Wally Ramakopa, director: Dam Safety, gives an overview of his department (page 53).
COVER OPPORTUNITY
You said it in WASA
The opinions and statements shared by thought leaders in the water industry with Water&Sanitation Africa.
“It was heartening to see people from all spheres of government and different industries attend the recent National Water and Sanitation Summit. Water and sanitation management cuts across multiple government departments, ministries and business sectors, and the water industry cannot solve this crisis alone.” Dan Naidoo, chairman of WISA
“YWP afforded me an opportunity to build my network globally, increase my knowledge, soft and leadership skills, as well as gain recognition, exposure and most importantly strong professional relations.” Ashton Mpofo, national lead, YWP
“We regularly need to ask ourselves if we have properly determined the skills needed in the sector to ensure the future sustainability of water supply in the country. The water sector must look to the future when assessing what skills are required.” Mpho Mookapele, CEO of the EWSETA
“When people ask me, ‘Are we going to meet SDG 6 by 2030?’ I always say, ‘Yes, of course we are,’ but we all need to play our part – this is a ‘sector programme’ not a ‘DWS programme’. We either win together or lose together, and it is very much the Department’s intention to win. While progress is not as quick as we need it to be, as a sector, we must prioritise our actions, accelerate the process, and align ourselves with SDG 6 and the National Water & Sanitation Master Plan – we still have eight years to achieve this goal, and it’s up to all of us whether we achieve it or not.” Mark Bannister, chief engineer and coordinator: SDG 6
“The water sector is a victim of climate change, but it is also a victim of itself. It is a victim of not doing the right planning, not empowering people, not making investments. South Africa can turn this around. We can turn climate change into an opportunity to simultaneously improve the quality of life for the poorest of the poor while creating fertile ground for industrialisation and entrepreneur development in South Africa, Africa and the developing world.” Dhesigen Naidoo, senior advisor: Adaptation at the Presidential Climate Commission and lead: Climate at the Institute of Security Studies
“Water scarcity is becoming one of the most critical risks threatening social and economic development throughout the world. Access to appropriate quality and quantities of water can either impede or enable economic growth, and affects the supply chain of most companies – not only those for which water is a primary input or production requirement. Unfortunately, South African companies can no longer rely on government to consistently supply the quality and quantity of water they need.” Chester Foster, GM, SBS Group
“Without the Nooitgedagt supply scheme, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) would have run out of water some years ago, with disastrous consequences for all. Nooitgedagt will ensure that NMBM will not run out of water entirely should the western supply fail completely due to the persistent drought – but will, instead, be able to provide a large portion of the metro with a continued supply of quality potable water, albeit at lesser quantities than current demand.”
Kevin McRae, COO, AfriCoast
“Water reuse is increasingly becoming a part of different companies’ sustainability plans. But in South Africa, water security is the primary driver. Manufacturing plants and other businesses cannot afford to come to a grinding halt every time a municipality is unable to supply water. The cost of potable water in South Africa, compared to the cost of potable water in Europe, is very cheap. So, while sustainability and water security are drivers for water reuse in South Africa, there is little motivation for cost savings. However, as water becomes increasingly scarce – with growing populations and the economy – and as water pollution intensifies, the cost of water treatment will rise and water reuse will become an obvious choice.” Miles Murray, director: Business Development, Veolia Services Southern Africa
“Contaminated land is not rare, and almost every industry must deal with it. Industrial sites have traditionally been built on the outskirts of towns and cities, but urban expansion has seen many housing projects being built on or next to industrial areas. Today, many industrial sites are in the centre of towns and cities.”
Lindsay Shand, principal environmental geologist, SRK Consulting
PAGE
“Even though South Africa is struggling to deal with water security, it is slow to embrace a circular economy. This is because there is an incorrect perception that a circular economy requires a lot of redesign and investment. Small, deliberate changes can help drive sustainability and ultimately achieve a circular economy – without losing focus of the primary treatment goals.”
Megan Schalkwyk, process engineer, Umgeni Water
PAGE
“The politicisation of water prevents its effective management, where technically sound decisions are often overruled. Many politicians (even councillors and mayors) have unchecked powers, where they suspend water tariffs close to elections. If water utilities are poorly governed, there will never be improved quality of service. It is critical to have autonomous regulation agencies as well as a mix of PPPs. Poor water governance impedes social and economic development, as water is crucial to the growth of a country.” Osward Chanda, director: Water & Sanitation, African Development Bank
“With growing evidence of incidents of vandalism of water infrastructure across the country, we must raise the question: should our large dams be national key points? By affording adequate protection to dams and pump stations, we can to some extent alleviate water shortages and not use our strained fiscal resources to replace infrastructure that has been destroyed by vandalism.”
Wally Ramokopa: director: Dam Safety Regulation, Department of Water and Sanitation
PAGE
How safe is your
DRINKING WATER?
Potable water is one of the most important resources in the world. It is therefore essential to test for a number of parameters in order to keep the public safe and prevent damage to treatment processes and the environment.
Each person requires at least 20 to 50 litres of clean, safe water a day for drinking, cooking and simply keeping themselves clean.
There are a variety of parameters that are measured at a drinking water plant, which can vary based on whether the source is surface water or groundwater.
Electrochemistry parameters:
• pH
• conductivity
• ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) like fluorides and nitrates.
Chemical reagent-based parameters:
• chlorine
• phosphate
• iron
• fluoride
• nitrate
• hardness
• manganese.
Hanna offers a wide range of testing equipment for water plants. It also stocks the necessary probes, including ISEs, and solutions used for calibration and maintenance.
Measuring turbidity
Turbidity, in its simplest form, is the amount of cloudiness in the water. It is a benchmark water quality parameter across all environments – from municipal drinking water facilities to environmental monitoring. The primary
goal of drinking water treatment is to remove and reduce turbidity.
This can vary from a river full of mud and silt, where it would be impossible to see through the water (high turbidity), to spring water that appears to be completely clear (low turbidity).
Turbidity is an optical measurement that indicates the presence of suspended particles. It is measured by shining light through a sample, and quantifying the suspended particle concentration.
The more particles that are in a solution, the higher the turbidity. It is important to note that while turbidity correlates with suspended solids, measuring turbidity is not the same as measuring total suspended solids (TSS). TSS measurements are gravimetric, which quantifies the mass of the solids suspended in a sample, performed by weighing the separated solids.
As one of the most common and intuitive qualities of water, turbidity is the first thing we notice about water. Is it cloudy or clear? However, behind the cloudiness lies some important implications. Turbidity can affect everything from how water is disinfected to the quality of our lakes, oceans and streams.
Measuring chlorine
Chlorine is a common chemical used by many due to its disinfection, oxidation and bleaching properties. Chlorine is used to disinfect and keep bacteria from growing in swimming pools, drinking water and food processing.
HI97711 – portable photometer
• Advanced portable, waterproof photometer that measures free and total chlorine in water (up to 5 mg/ℓ). It has an innovative optical system that offers superior performance in
HI98703 Turbidity Meter
HI97711 Portable Chlorine Photometer
accuracy, repeatability and speed of measurement.
• No warm-up time is required before taking measurements. This compact, waterproof meter is extremely userfriendly with a tutorial mode that graphically walks the user through performing a measurement graphically, step by step.
Measuring pH
The words pH stands for ‘potential of hydrogen’, referring to the amount of hydrogen found in a substance (water, in this case). pH is measured on a scale that runs from 0 to 14. A solution with a pH greater than 7 is considered basic, or alkaline. A pH of 7 is considered neutral, meaning there is a balance between acid and alkalinity. The pH level of 7 or less, indicates the solution is acidic.
HI98191 – professional portable, waterproof pH/ORP/ISE meter
• This meter is designed for universal applications.
• It combines all the features of a benchtop into a portable IP67-rated waterproof enclosure, making it one of the most versatile meters on the market.
• Selecting the appropriate sensor will automatically update the ion charge for slope calibration, and can be calibrated up to five points, with the choice of seven standards and five custom standards (choice of units).
• This meter allows an extensive choice of measurement units (ppm, ppt, g/ℓ, ppb, µg/ℓ, mg/mℓ, M, mol/ℓ, mmol/ℓ, % w/v, user) and has an expanded measuring range of 1.00 x 10-7 to 9.99 x 1 010.
• A backlit, graphic LCD provides an easy-to-read display even in low-lit areas.
• A combination of dedicated and soft keys allows for intuitive operation in a choice of languages, while the extended battery life of 200 hours assures long operation.
• The log-on-demand feature allows users to store up to 300 sample that can be later transferred to a PC with the HI920015 USB cable and HI92000 software.
HI98x Series of professional portable meters
The HI98x Series of portable meters offers a rugged solution for obtaining laboratory-grade results in the field. A wide range of single- and multiparameter measurement models means that you can find a meter to use in any space. This professional, waterproof meter complies with IP67 standards. All logged data can be transferred to a PC with the HI920015 USB cable and HI92000 software. It is designed for universal applications, with the performance and features of a benchtop meter.
HI98191 – measures pH, ORP, ISE, and temperature
• There are 15 different standard ISE sensors pre-programmed in the meter.
• It offers five-point calibration with seven standard buffers and five custom buffers.
• All the necessary accessories are supplied to perform measurements.
• It is able to store up to 300 samples, with 200 hours of battery life.
HI98192 – measures conductivity, TDS, resistivity and salinity
• It offers seven memorised standards and up to a five-point conductivity calibration.
• Up to 400 log-on-demand samples or 1 000 lot logging samples can be stored.
• It can withstand immersion in water at a depth of 1 m for up to 30 minutes.
• All three stages of USP method required for EC measurement of ultrapure water can be performed.
• This stainless steel, four-ring EC/TDS probe has an internal temperature sensor and 1.5 m cable.
HI98494 – multiparameter Bluetooth®, portable, waterproof pH/EC/ OPDO meter
• This is a microprocessor-based multisensor probe.
• Data logged in the meter can be transferred by Bluetooth® to a smart device with the Hanna Lab App.
• It measures up to 12 parameters and monitors up to 12 different water quality parameters (six measured and six calculated).
• It is designed to withstand the knocks, drops and spills of real life.
• The IP67 body ensures top performance in any environment.
HI801 IRIS visible spectrophotometer (benchtop)
The HI801 IRIS visible spectrophotometer offers a compact benchtop design with an advanced optical system, which is used in almost any sized space, while providing accurate and consistent photometric laboratory analysis.
• Unlike photometers, IRIS measures all wavelengths of visible light, not just pre-specified wavelengths, for complete method compliance and accuracy.
• It features precise wavelength selection between 340 nm to 900 nm.
• IRIS is used in industries like professional laboratories, water treatment facilities and wineries.
• The device is pre-programmed with more than 80 commonly used chemical analysis methods to help you get started.
• Methods are easily updated by connecting to a computer or flash drive.
• For added versatility, each method can include up to 10 calibration points, five different wavelengths, and up to five reaction timers.
• A user’s preferred methods are easily accessed directly from the home screen to save time.
HI98191
HI801 Iris
NAVIGATING THE COURSE
In keeping with the nautical theme of WISA’s last conference in 2020 – ‘All Hands on Deck’ – we have chosen ‘Navigating the Course’ as our 2022 conference theme.
By Dr Lester Goldman, CEO, WISA
Since 2020, we have navigated a pandemic, an election and new leadership. It is now time to reflect on the current position that our sector is in and plot the course to the desired destination. The conference will reflect on the journey since 2020, discuss where we want the sector to be (across all aspects of the business – management, technology, research and innovation, infrastructure, environment, and professionalisation) and devise a plan on how we will get there.
While our last conference was strictly online, we are excited to announce that this conference will be a hybrid event. Delegates and WISA members have the choice to experience the convenience of participating and viewing the conference online or attending the in-person event and networking with their colleagues in the flesh.
The ‘Navigating the Course’ theme is forward-thinking, action-oriented and positive. The conference will have the following subthemes:
• Don’t abandon ship: SDG 6 – We leave no one behind
Reaching the goals of SDG 6 in providing water and sanitation services, listening to our customers’ needs and those of vulnerable communities that are unserved.
• Rocking the boat: Rethinking sanitation
Rethinking sanitation in a circular economy – reuse, resource and energy recovery, off-grid solutions and reinventing the toilet.
• Running a tight ship: Improving water efficiency and demand management Improving water-use efficiency and demand management across all sectors of water users – mining, agriculture, industry and municipal.
• Batten down the hatches: Climate change is here Adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change.
• Learning the ropes: The Fourth Industrial Revolution Harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
• Toe the line: Governance and regulation
Management and regulatory issues – Blue and Green Drop, professionalisation of the sector, addressing skills shortages, managing stakeholders (regulators, elected political decision-makers, trade unions, civil society) effectively, developing capable institutions.
• Stemming the tide: Groundwater and water quality
Addressing environmental water quality and sustainable groundwater issues. We look forward to welcoming you all at our conference from 28 to 30 September at the Sandton Convention Centre.
ARE THE RIGHT PEOPLE sitting at the table?
It was heartening to see people from all spheres of government and different industries attend the recent National Water and Sanitation Summit. Water and sanitation management cuts across multiple government departments, ministries and business sectors, and the water industry cannot solve this crisis alone.
By Dan Naidoo, chairman, WISA
We need to engage the public, as well as a broad range of stakeholders from the public and private sector more regularly and directly to change their behaviour towards water.
There must be a meeting of minds. We can no longer work “just in the water sector in isolation”; we need to bring key people (like the ministers of Finance, CoGTA, Labour, Salga, and others) around the table when discussing the water crisis. It is impossible to solve the water crisis without considering funding mechanisms and it is impossible to grow the economy without addressing the water crisis.
While there is a lot of good work being done in isolation, we don’t seem to be having conversations with the right people. We need to expand our audience.
A promising appointment has been Dr Sean Philips as the director general for
the Department of Water and Sanitation. He is an engineer with vast experience in our sector. Our new minister is also passionate and committed.
The water sector needs to have simple conversations with the new minister, director general and municipal councils. We need to focus on the simplicity of what needs to be done and understand that not everybody needs to be brought into every discussion. People can lose interest with complex discussions. We need to clearly show where the priorities lie and where quick wins can be achieved. We need to engage with all concerned in a meaningful way.
There are so many problems in the water sector, and when new people are on board, we tend to ‘steamroll’ our agenda, while we should be able to explain quite simply our key risks and immediate solutions with confidence.
The politics of water
South Africa is blessed with some of the best water scientists and engineers
in the world. While there are plenty of knowledgeable and capable people to tackle the water crisis, the sociopolitics of water hampers their ability to implement sound scientific policies and projects.
Furthermore, unstable coalitions in municipalities hinder service delivery. This is ironic, given the fact that the inability of local governments to react to the water needs of communities has already become a major cause of service delivery protests.
To address this crisis, the right technical people need to be appointed in the relevant technical positions and the service providers and contractors must be equally appointed to meet the technical solutions required.
In conclusion, I am excited for the 2022 WISA Conference, and I do hope to see new people from different parts of the economy and from different government ministries attend the event.
END OF A YOUNG WATER PROFESSIONALS ERA
A global pandemic, countless lockdowns and various mandates have made it extremely difficult for most to conduct business and activities as easily as before, including the small group of passionate young professionals who volunteer within the WISA Young Water Professionals (YWP) network.
When the new YWP leaders for the 2020-2022 cycle were elected in the beginning of 2020, nobody foresaw the impact Covid-19 would have on their two-year term.
However, despite the struggles and adversity, this group still managed to accomplish their mandate of empowering young water professionals as part of WISA, shifting their traditionally in-person event to various online platforms with minimal disruption.
Here are the stories of four leaders about their experiences in YWP. They will begin to step down from their positions within the coming months to make way for a new generation of leaders.
Niel Louw – YWP Gauteng Provincial Lead
Having been part of the YWP Gauteng provincial chapter for since 2016, I have often felt that the organisation has now become an integral part of me and my identity. The camaraderie and passion
for the water sector within YWP for me was unparalleled compared to anything I could find in the workplace or elsewhere, which is why I relished the opportunity to take up the role of Gauteng provincial lead in 2020.
Even during the height of a global pandemic, I am extremely proud of my team, the national organising committee as well as all the provincial chapters – but especially my own Gauteng chapter for the various events, workshops and publications we produced over the last two years, all with the goal of promoting and enhancing the impact of young professionals within the South African water sector.
I am equally filled with joy to see the incredible young people who have joined YWP in the last two years. Their passion, drive, and commitment are commendable and inspiring, which is why – now that my term as lead is over and I am no longer considered young anymore – I am confident in leaving YWP in the hands a new generation of YWPs who I know will carry this organisation to even greater heights.
Amanda Mngeni – YWP Eastern Cape Provincial Lead
Ashton Mpofu – YWP National Lead
Anya Eilers – YWP Western Cape Provincial Lead
Niel Louw – YWP Gauteng Provincial Lead
Amanda Mngeni – YWP Eastern Cape Provincial Lead
My experience of working directly with people in diverse professional settings made me seek support and experience within the water engineering field. One of my primary motivations to join YWP is that water crises are a serious issue in many parts of the South Africa. Therefore, I felt that joining YWP would assist me in discovering the causes and effects of national water crises and – most importantly – the solutions to the crises.
I have participated in various YWP events, where I had the opportunity to learn, network and grow other skills such as seeking sponsorships and coordinating meetings and events. During this period, I learnt how to perform my duties accurately, consistently and within tight schedules, under pressure, independently and in teams.
I was pleased to form part of a group of enthusiastic young engineers. The knowledge gained and skills obtained assisted me in seeking innovative water-scarcity solutions that meet the high standards of sustainability.
Anya Eilers – YWP Western Cape Provincial Lead
My YWP journey started in 2015 when I attended a YWP conference. The excitement was tangible as I was presenting at my first conference. The event brought together such a diverse group of young professionals from all water backgrounds. I remember meeting the young and vibrant organising committee and wondering how I could become a part of this team.
While I have always been somewhat involved with YWP, 2019 truly marked the start of my journey. I had recently returned to South Africa and a rather quiet Western Cape branch, and I took this as a good opportunity to take up a leadership position in the committee. At the beginning of 2020, I was excited to officially start the term and all the events that we would host. And then Covid-19 threw a spanner in the works.
Organising events and seminars virtually was difficult, and not being able to meet in person initially took a toll on the dynamics of our committee, but we eventually made it work. The greatest lesson that we learnt from our term was to start small. At our first brainstorming session, we all arrived with big dreams and plans, but the reality of implementing these, particularly in a Covid environment, proved quite different. We then decided to take a step back and slowly start building our vision and plan. We ended up not implementing all the great ideas we had, but what we did do was meaningful and impactful, and we grew both as a committee and individuals.
To anyone who is considering joining the YWP committee, I say just do it. Being a part of this network has opened many doors in my career journey and has equipped me with soft skills that I would have never nurtured otherwise.
Ashton Mpofu – YWP National Lead
Being part of the YWP family has been an interesting journey over the last four years. It has come with many lessons, experiences and personal
development in an unimaginable way. It is a journey that has played a huge role in my career development as a water professional.
YWP afforded me an opportunity to build my network globally, increase my knowledge, soft and leadership skills, as well as gain recognition, exposure and most importantly strong professional relations.
The 2020-2022 YWP leadership committee was arguably privileged to work under the pandemic, as this taught us many other unique and essential skills such as adaptability, critical thinking, tech-savviness, creativity and innovation. Additionally, we learnt to be tolerant, patient, kind, humble, better communicators, and we developed emotional intelligence. Through the organisation’s planning and activities, YWP members are actively encouraged to be true actors, initiators and agents of change in the water sector. The organisation provides a unique platform to influence, motivate, inspire and shape the future of the water sector through engaging the future custodians of our country. Being part of YWP is an immense opportunity to be the voice of young people and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be at the forefront of solving water insecurity and immense challenges faced by YWPs and the youth in general.
I encourage young professionals to join YWP and volunteer as office bearers of the organisation. There is no better place to be an agent of change and shape the future of our water sector than as part of a group of likeminded individuals at YWP.
BULK WATER STORAGE SOLUTIONS
Skills development empowers the water sector
The EWSETA is mandated to drive skills development in two of South Africa’s most critical sectors – energy and water. This is achieved through research to determine the skills demand; the facilitation and coordination of skills development programmes to respond to sectoral challenges; driving excellence through quality assurance; and fostering an ecosystem in the energy and water sectors that creates inclusive economic development.
Given the challenges facing South Africa’s energy and water sectors, many of which are impacted by a lack of relevant and sufficient skills, the EWSETA has a key role to play in building capacity for the short and long term in these two critical sectors.
The challenge facing the EWSETA is a big one. To fulfil its role and meet its objectives, the EWSETA requires a focused approach and fearless and bold leadership. At a young age, Mpho has proved herself to be the leader that will see the EWSETA leaping towards its ultimate goal of building an ethical,
capable and relevant workforce for the energy and water sectors to ensure economic growth and sustainability through these sectors.
Passion for the public sector
If anyone understands the challenges faced by South Africa’s youth, particularly those born and raised in rural parts of the country, Mpho does. She was born and grew up in Zeerust, a small village in the North West.
Her passion for the development of the country, and its young people, has served as the driving force for her dedication to the public sector. In living what she describes as her true purpose, she constantly reiterates the importance of service and being lucky enough to serve the public sector to the best of her ability – reinforcing actionable solutions – and being a role model for young people in the country.
National Water and Sanitation Summit
Hosted by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, a diverse contingent of water and sanitation
In idiomatic terms, ‘the hot seat’ refers to a position that holds the responsibility for making tough decisions and the accountability for an organisation or group’s actions. Success within this context requires a courageous and resilient individual. Mpho Mookapele, CEO of the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA), has the strength and courage to take up that seat.
stakeholders gathered at Gallagher Estate in Midrand in mid-February. The event sought to craft lasting solutions to challenges facing the sector to ensure water security and dignified sanitation in the country.
Mpho was given the opportunity to address the summit. She highlighted ongoing challenges that negatively impacted the sector:
• There is a lack of – or inadequate participation by – levy-paying employers in the EWSETA’s annual Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) process, which aims to determine a consolidated picture of the ‘real’ skills required in the sector. While the submission of a WSP entitles an employer to access Mandatory Grant Funding to drive employee training, this process fulfils a critical research function in terms of determining skills demand to serve and grow the sector. A lack of meaningful sector participation in this process means that the information being submitted by a small percentage of the sector results in skewed skills demand data for the country.
• An important mandate for the EWSETA is qualification development and realignment to meet the specific needs of the sector. Without active industry participation, irrelevant or mismatched skills are being rolled out that result in the sector not benefiting from trained graduates and leading to high graduate unemployment. Once again, industry participation is key to identifying the qualifications and skills programmes needed to meet sector skills demand. Mpho appealed to stakeholders at the summit to work with each other and the EWSETA to address the skills development challenges facing the sector. "We regularly need to ask ourselves if we have properly determined the skills we need in the sector to contribute to future
sustainability of water supply in the country.” The water sector must look to the future when assessing what skills are required.
“The perceived inability to address the challenges we face can no longer be an excuse. We have the money and we have the people; what we need now is action to drive what is a critical enabler to water security and effective sanitation for all,” she added.
Minister Mchunu echoed those views when he motivated the importance of government not working in isolation and that the views and inputs from experts and other stakeholders in the sector are critical in coming up with an inclusive and comprehensive plan.
The EWSETA fully agrees with the Minister’s view on sectoral collaboration. “Our people are tired of us talking and making
MPHO MOOKAPELE – PROFILE AT A GLANCE
• 37 years old
• Born and raised in Dinokana, Zeerust, North West province
• Completed a year of architectural studies and realised she was better suited to a business career than a creative one
• Completed a BCompt Honours in Accounting at the University of Johannesburg and went on to join Ernst & Young to serve her articles
• Qualified as a CA in 2011
• Worked in London to gain practical experience
• Returned to SA and joined the public sector technical team at Ernst & Young where she became intricately involved in strategy formulation for public entities
• Joined the EWSETA in 2016 as Chief Financial Officer
• Appointed acting CEO for the EWSETA in 2018
• Selected as the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) Top 35-under-35 in 2019
• Appointed as the EWSETA CEO for five-year tenure in November 2020
endless promises – they want concrete solutions, they want clean water, they want dignified sanitation from us, and we are constitutionally mandated to provide these basic services to them,” he said.
The EWSETA is committed to assisting the country in meeting its water needs.
Mpho Mookapele, CEO of the EWSETA
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has a mandate to coordinate and implement SDG 6 in South Africa by 2030. WASA catches up with Mark Bannister, chief engineer and SDG 6 coordinator at the DWS, to find out about its implementation and progress.
LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that have built upon the successes and setbacks of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
SDG 6 relates to ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. South Africa’s DWS, as the custodian of water resources, is the leading agent for SDG 6. All the planning, collecting of data and reporting completed for SDG 6 is the responsibility of the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu. Reporting is coordinated through Stats SA as the custodian of statistical information of our country.
“When people ask me, 'Are we going to meet SDG 6 by 2030, I always say, ‘Yes, of course we are,’ but we all need to play our part – this is a ‘sector programme’ not a ‘DWS programme’. We either win together or lose together, and it is very much the Department’s intention to win. While progress is not as quick as we need it to be, as a sector, we must prioritise our actions, accelerate the process, and align ourselves with SDG 6 and the National Water & Sanitation Master Plan (NW&SMP) – we still have eight years to achieve this goal, and it’s up to all of us whether we achieve it or not,” says Bannister.
SDG 6 targets and indicators
He adds that, from an operational perspective, South Africa is one of the best-performing countries on the continent. “The UN is excited by our SDG 6 organisational structure,
“When people ask me, 'Are we going to meet SDG 6 by 2030?' I always say, ‘Yes, of course we are’. But we all need to play our part – this is a ‘sector programme’, not a ‘DWS programme’. We either win together or lose together and it is very much the Department’s intention to win.”
– Mark Bannister, chief engineer, DWS
TABLE 1
SDG 6: Targets and indicators
SDG 6 targets
SDG 6 is divided into eight targets that reflect the water cycle:
6.1: Drinking water – achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
6.2: Sanitation hygiene – achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations
6.3: Wastewater and water quality – improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimising release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
6.4: Water use and scarcity – substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
6.5: Water management – implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate
6.6: Ecosystems – protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
The targets have to be implemented through:
6a: International cooperation – expand international cooperation and capacity-building support
6b: Community participation – support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management
SDG 6 indicator
SDG 6 has 11 indicators (black) that will be used to measure the progress made on each target. In addition to the 11 targets, South Africa has proposed additional targets (in blue)
6.1.1 Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services
6.2.1 Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services, including a hand-washing facility with soap and water
6.3.1 Proportion of wastewater safely treated
6.3.1 (DWS) Proportion of water containing waste lawfully discharged
6.3.2 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
6.3.2 (DWS) Proportion of bodies of water complying to water quality objectives
6.4.1 Change in water-use efficiency over time
6.4.2 Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources
6.5.1 Degree of integrated water resources management implementation (0-100)
6.5.2 Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation
6.6.1 Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time
6.6.1.1 (DWS) Change in the spatial extent of water-related ecosystems over time, including wetlands, reservoirs, lakes and estuaries as a percentage of total land area
6.6.1.2 (DWS) Number of lakes and dams affected by high trophic and turbidity states
6.6.1.3 (DWS) Change in the national discharge of rivers and estuaries over time
6.6.1.4 (DWS) Change in groundwater levels over time
6.6.1.5 (DWS) Change in the ecological condition of rivers, estuaries, lakes and wetlands
6.a.1. Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance that is part of a government-coordinated spending plan
6.b.1 Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management
in particular our independently initiated five cross-cutting Task Teams in support of the eight SDG 6 targets covering issues such as climate change and water and sanitation interlinkages between the other 16 SDGs.”
The SDG 6 programme continually measures the gaps that exist within its respective eight targets and 11 indicators. As these gaps change, the Target Task Teams provide recommendations for transformation and influence specific programmes/ projects to keep the programme on track in meeting the 2030 deadline. It is important to recognise the link between sustainable development and other relevant ongoing processes in the economic, social and environmental fields, such as the National Development Plan and NW&SMP, which the SDG 6 programme positively influences.
“Closing these gaps is a collective responsibility for the whole sector; each and every stakeholder in the business of water and sanitation – whether the private sector, civil society, mining, agriculture, government, research institutions – is responsible for closing the gaps,” explains Bannister.
SDG 6 Working Group
The DWS has developed the SDG6 Working Group to coordinate activities related to the eight targets of SDG 6, besides inclusion of the other 16 SDGs.
“The national and regional roll-out is in full swing,” explains Bannister. “However, a great operational structure is not enough – the performance of SDG 6 depends entirely on the performance of the sector and the implementation of tangible projects on the ground that actually close the SDG 6 gaps.”
Key Task Team objectives
• Interrogate and, where necessary, further develop or domesticate methodologies for reporting on the SDGs.
• Collect data and report on trends towards achieving the SDGs.
• Provide inputs to country reports and other SDG reports by researchers.
• Monitor the current status and quantify the target gaps towards achieving the 2030 goal.
• Identify potential interventions/ tangible projects for the sector to implement in order to close gaps.
• Ensure sector alignment between the NW&SMP and SDG 6.
• Support water and sanitation needs of the other 16 SDGs.
“Working on SDG 6 has been rewarding and inclusive, whereby experts from different parts of the business have been brought together to achieve a common goal while sharing their expertise and knowledge in specialist areas among the team. It certainly makes a positive impact on staff morale for those involved within the programme,” says Bannister.
To help mobilise the sector in their responsibility towards achieving SDG 6, the DWS has introduced a cross-cutting Task Team – the Water and Sanitation Sector Leadership Group (WSSLG) – in support of the eight targets and including representation from different sector components to inform, coordinate, monitor achievements and give instruction to the sector. The WSSLG meets every quarter to discuss progress on each of the targets, share interventions made by the different sector components, and explore new opportunities that can positively influence the target objectives and actions pursued by the sector to close the gaps.
According to Bannister, members of the Task Team (comprising broad representatives from the sector) should preach the key messages and mobilise others within their area of expertise to deliver projects aligned with the NW&SMP and the SDG 6 programme, so that their interventions contribute towards closing the gaps. “If every single organisation and role player makes a little positive difference towards achieving SDG 6, then this will add up to one big movement in the right direction,” he notes.
“I cannot overemphasise the massive role the WSSLG plays in the process. If SDG 6 is the game of soccer and the DWS is the coach, then the WSSLG are the players on the field without whom there is no game. The sector’s performance is indeed the SDG 6 programme performance. The sector’s actions and achievements are those that will ultimately close the gaps by 2030.
“The SDG Working Group influences drivers for change and one of the key instruments for this change is the NW&SMP. The themes in the NW&SMP align themselves to the SDG 6 targets”, explains Bannister.
Water and sanitation being central to the success of the other 16 SDGs initiated the creation of the SDG
Interlinkage Task Team, which has developed a tool to gather the water and sanitation needs of each SDG and translate these needs into projects that influence positive change through the NW&SMP.
Monitoring and evaluation system
There is a great deal of work still to do, including the development and implementation of an improved monitoring and evaluation system to oversee the progress in achieving SDG 6 and its positive impact towards the other 16 SDGs.
“The DWS relies heavily on data from Stats SA and the General Household Survey for reporting on 6.1 (safe drinking water) and 6.2 (safe sanitation). However, additional quality data is required through the 144 water services authorities and their water and sanitation development plans, which are currently not performing well in this regard, nor providing the data we need. Local government must raise their standards here.”
It all comes down to funding and action by the sector
It has been estimated that the total infrastructure funding gap to achieve the SDG 6 water and sanitation access targets varies between 32% and 34% (R43 billion to R47 billion per annum).
The remaining funding gap varies between 32% and 34% (R43 billion to R47 billion per annum).
“In order to meet SDG 6 by 2030, the entire water sector will have to work together and find innovative methods of securing finance to address the funding gap and using available money as efficiently as possible,” maintains Bannister.
Without full financial commitment and action from South Africa’s stakeholders, the country will struggle to meet the SDG 6 requirements. If there is only a partial financial commitment, then there will be only partial achievement of the SDG 6 goals. Total success of this programme requires a consolidated and integrated effort by all.
“Yes, we will achieve SDG 6 if we wish to do so; however, we must each walk the talk and make it happen,” states Bannister.
All SDG 6 reports by the DWS can be accessed here:
TWO SIDES
of the climate change coin: threat and opportunity
The impacts of climate change on water in South Africa exacerba te existing waterrelated challenges; however, climate change also presents an op portunity to completely revolutionise the way we manage water, wastewater an d sanitation.
By Kirsten Kelly
During the 2022 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned the impact of climate change on South Africa. “We live in one of the regions of the world that is most affected by climate change. We frequently experience droughts, floods and other extreme weather events associated with global warming. Recently, floods
have affected a number of provinces including KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape. These floods have caused enormous damage to infrastructure and livelihoods.”
Threat
The water crisis risk is connected to natural disasters, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse. Unfortunately, Southern Africa is a climate change hotspot. It has also long been known
that the region is warming drastically – at about twice the global rate of warming.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its sixth report, predicting that extended dry seasons with severe droughts will increase in frequency in South Africa, with projected increases in fire conditions and higher average wind speeds. We will see an increase of average tropical cyclones and floods
and a decrease in annual rainfall. Rising ocean levels will threaten groundwater resources.
Furthermore, the World Bank estimates that as many as 86 million Africans will be forced to migrate by 2050 due to the effects of changing weather patterns. People dependent on agriculture and fisheries, for instance, will move to more habitable areas to escape extreme conditions such as water scarcity, flooding, heat stress and rising seas.
A significant number of these people have either migrated or will migrate to South Africa, exacerbating resource insecurities due to increased demand for already depleted resources. Climate change is also driving urbanisation trends within South Africa.
Policy
Fortunately, in the last year, South Africa has made important strides in the fight against climate change. For the first time, South Africa’s climate targets are compatible with limiting warming to 1.5°C. This is the goal that all countries agreed to as part of the Paris Agreement, and is essential to prevent the worst effects of climate change.
At the international climate conference in Glasgow last November, South Africa struck a historic R131 billion deal with the EU, France, Germany, the UK and USA. To ensure that South Africa is able to derive the full benefit of this and other partnerships, President Ramaphosa has appointed Daniel Mminele, former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank, as head of the Presidential Climate Finance Task Team to lead the mobilisation of funds for a just transition.
The Presidential Climate Commission has been established, with a mandate to support a just transition to a sustainable, inclusive, resilient and low-carbon economy. “The Presidential Climate Commission has developed strategies around organising for a robust adaptation response to climate change in the form of the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS). Furthermore, the Climate Change Bill will soon be tabled in Parliament, which will give impetus to implementing the NCCAS,” says Dhesigen Naidoo, senior advisor: Adaptation at the Presidential Climate Commission and lead: Climate at the Institute of Security Studies.
National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
“In my opinion, the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan needs a significant upgrade to better incorporate the current and future impact of climate change on the water system,” adds Naidoo.
When there is low rainfall and drought conditions, water availability is automatically lower and less accessible for many people. Additionally, infrastructure is unable to cope with excess water (i.e. flooding).
“For example, the specifications of our road systems must be updated to cater for the rainfall patterns that have been experienced in South Africa over the past few years. While we continue to receive the same amount of rain in a season, it is packed into short, high-intensity bursts. This causes potholes,” explains Naidoo.
He states that South Africa still regards surface water as its major source, while largely ignoring groundwater and making insufficient investments in water recycling, reclamation of water from polluted waters, and smarter sanitation systems that use less or no water.
“The NCCAS addresses these issues, focusing on suitable water
Dhesigen Naidoo, senior advisor: Adaptation at the Presidential Climate Commission and lead: Climate at the Institute of Security Studies
storage systems, infrastructure, and accelerating the resilience of the water system by encouraging alternative water sources. It looks at empowering all major stakeholders as well as ordinary citizens to adapt to and mitigate climate change,” says Naidoo.
An innovative policy and regulatory environment, modern infrastructure and human capital with new competencies are needed to better manage water, wastewater and sanitation. “We need to encourage the digitalisation of the water sector, as well as create a national water observatory that brings together important water-related datasets and information, including past research and current monitoring data, to enable big data analytics and the more sustainable management of water resources. Real-time information is needed to manage water systems. Data on water levels, leaks, water storage, changes in weather patterns, water quality and pollution are
essential to better manage water,” maintains Naidoo.
Opportunity
“South Africa has a wealth of scientific talent; many of our scientists are used as an international resource for climate change. In addition to this, we are well positioned to develop a significant water private sector that has the potential to set up a local manufacturing base and supply goods and services to empower water and sanitation services. This can be a catalyst for economic growth. South Africa could export many of these technologies,” explains Naidoo. He adds that climate change can be used as an accelerator that directs investment into the water sector to improve water security levels. It can be a catalyst in driving wastewater treatment plants to become wastewater power stations by utilising biogas. As the capacity of the water industry increases, new engineers, technologists, data
analysts and behavioural scientists are trained and developed. This will create growth in other industries.
Investments in resilience and adaptation can promote green industries. When paired with investments in health, education, the digital economy, innovation and sustainable infrastructure, this has tremendous potential to create climatesmart jobs, boost economic growth, and meet all of the sustainable development goal targets.
“The water sector is a victim of climate change, but it is also a victim of itself. It is a victim of not doing the right planning, not empowering people, not making investments. South Africa can turn this around. We can turn climate change into an opportunity to simultaneously improve the quality of life for the poorest of the poor while creating fertile ground for industrialisation and entrepreneur development in South Africa, Africa and the developing world,” Naidoo concludes.
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Data published by UNICEF reveals the close relationship between water and natural disasters ̶ 74% of natural disasters between 2001 and 2018 have resulted from floods, storms, heatwaves, droughts and other weather-related events.
The situation appears to have deteriorated even further during the past two years. The US has recorded the most named tropical storms in one season and the most storms that made landfall. South Africa’s neighbour, Mozambique, now frequently experiences heavy tropical storms, some even reaching down the coast to KwaZulu-Natal.
Preparing for climate change
Water is a major part of preparing for climate change. The impact of changing weather patterns ultimately affects the distribution and availability of water. Climate change is an opportunity for us to revisit how we use water and improve the processes, infrastructure and attitudes that determine our relationship with water.
Better water management will help protect communities from the worst of climate change and help reduce and even reverse the phenomenon.
To encourage the relationship between water and a better climate, there are several ways different people can help:
• Reduce non-revenue water – Nonrevenue water erodes income through
THE THREAT OF GLOBAL WARMING IS A THREAT TO WATER
Rising temperatures impact water cycles, increasing the intensity of rainfall and the severity of drought.
By Chetan Mistry
leaks, poor metering and water theft. Modern technologies can help discover leaks, improve metering and limit unauthorised use.
• Invest in water monitoring – Though we scrutinise energy bills and count every watt of usage, we are often less picky about water consumption. This creates big inefficiencies that leave money on the table for companies, individuals and municipalities. Digital technologies greatly enhance our ability to track every drop.
• Educate on water use – Educating water consumers on better practices, including water recycling, can make a huge difference.
• Invest in better irrigation – Agriculture is crucial for national resilience, and less water means more expensive yet less food on our tables. Most irrigation techniques can waste as much as half of the water they use. Deploying better techniques, such as drip irrigation and recycling wastewater for irrigation, is already improving water resilience in drier countries.
• Deploy greener sanitation systems –Sanitation often uses chemical agents that can contaminate local water ecosystems. Water can be reclaimed by investing in greener sanitation systems such as ozone and UV light, and improving wastewater systems.
• Replace inefficient pumps – Outdated pumps consume more power than modern alternatives. Unlike new pumps with variable-frequency drives,
traditional pumps will run continuously regardless of flow rates or water requirements, consuming a lot of unnecessary energy.
• Reclaim and revitalise natural water systems – Human efforts to manage and reuse water pale compared to the impacts of wetlands, aquifers, rivers and forests. If we protect, rehabilitate and recharge such systems, they will make a massive difference in both water availability and reducing temperatures.
• Recycle water – From self-made home systems reusing greywater for gardens to large-scale wastewater recycling using anaerobic and aerobic ponds to create drinking water, water recycling is one of our greatest tools to improve water resilience.
Global warming threatens water, but we can fight back. By everyone doing their part to conserve water, we can turn the tide against climate change.
Chetan Mistry, strategy and marketing leader, Xylem
While sea, sand and sun are what most people associate with Durban, the city is building a reputation as a climate change champion. Durban was the first city in Africa to release its climate action plan, which includes strategies to conserve and manage its ecological resources, especially river systems.
ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY takes the lead on riverine management
Durban, a coastal city within KwaZulu-Natal, contains 18 major river systems, some of which extend far inland of the city boundary. Over the past 30 years, deteriorating river water quality and more frequent flooding have caused escalating costs to the city, businesses and its citizens.
project manager: Municipalities and Urban Development, AFD.
“AFD is a member of the C40 Cities Finance Facility, and a co-funder of CICLIA (Cities and Climate in subSaharan Africa) –a financial facility to provide project preparation funds.”
The protection and management of its river systems is a central pillar in Durban’s climate change action plan, as human health and safety risks are being increasingly linked to poor riverine management.
Partnership
EThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) has formed a partnership with Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to help with the implementation of its Transformative Riverine Management Programme. AFD is a member of the C40 Cities Finance Facility, and a co-funder of CICLIA (Cities and Climate in sub-Saharan Africa) – a financial facility to provide project preparation funds.
“In less than 18 months, the plans are coming together, and Durban’s innovative solutions may be replicated in cities around the world,” says Zoé Ramondou,
Projects falling within the TRMP represent powerful partnerships between EMM, external partners like AFD and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), civil society groups, and communities. The pilot projects embarked upon to date, with support from the C40 Cities Finance Facility and GIZ as implementing agency, include a strong focus on community involvement, capacitybuilding and skills development.
Climate change risks
“Alternating cycles of drought and floods have driven informal settlements into flood plains, resulting in extreme vulnerability and loss of life and property. The projected impacts of climate change on Durban’s water systems include declining water quality, more intense flooding, reduced water availability and food security. When combined with blocked rivers and streams and settlements in vulnerable, flood-prone areas, the impact of a changing climate can be disastrous,” adds Ramondou. Because rivers are dynamic systems that are constantly responding to human and biophysical impacts, river management
Durban was the first city in Africa to release its climate action plan
Because rivers are dynamic systems that are constantly responding to human and biophysical impacts, river management needs to be responsive to changes
needs to be responsive to changes. Ramondou explains that the vast range of factors influencing the performance and liveability of riverine corridors includes solid waste like littering and dumping, sand mining, the status of riparian vegetation, the attenuation of surface run-off (through natural and artificial wetlands, canalisation or diversion measures), pollution, and discharges from wastewater systems. “This also means that, for any project’s success, it is vital to have the buy-in of all stakeholders, including communities and concerned citizens,” says Ramondou.
“The TRMP combines ecosystem restoration, adaptation to climate change, and the creation of economic opportunities for low-income populations. It encompasses the employment of community cooperatives and the training and employment of local community members to assist with river health maintenance, waste management, monitoring and community awareness. There has also been a focus on building skills and capacity in beneficiary
AGENCE FRANÇAISE DE DÉVELOPPEMENT
communities extending beyond riverine management actions. This includes helping people making a living from waste upcycling and recycling while improving the health of their local rivers,” says Ramondou.
Insights and learnings from EMM’s riverine management experiences so far are being leveraged to hone its TRMP going forward, with the ultimate goal of transforming some 7 400 km of riverine corridors. Three projects that have delivered valuable information on the establishment, implementation and planned upscaling of transformative riverine management projects are the Sihlanzimvelo Project, the Aller River Pilot Project, and the Green Corridors Green Spaces Project.
The Sihlanzimvelo Project is led by EMM’s Roads and Stormwater Maintenance Department. The objective of the project is to remove litter, waste and invasive plant species from stream areas to reduce stormwater blockages and create employment for cooperatives formed by local residents. The community cooperatives employed through the Sihlanzimvelo Project have been given the core skills needed to establish and run a cooperative, remove alien invasive plants, and comply with health and safety regulations. The community assessors play a wider role in creating awareness and behaviour change in the surrounding communities. This project was started in 2012 and its implementation is ongoing. The Aller River Pilot Project is led
Agence Française de Développement (AFD) implements France’s policy on international development and solidarity. Through its financing of NGOs and the public sector, as well as its research and publications, AFD supports and accelerates transitions towards a fairer, more resilient world. It also provides training in sustainable development (at AFD Campus) and other awareness-raising activities in France.
Its teams are at work on more than 4 000 projects in the field, in the French overseas departments and territories, in 115 countries and in regions in crisis. AFD strives to protect global public goods – promoting a stable climate, biodiversity and peace, as well as gender equality, education and healthcare. In this way, it contributes to the commitment of France and the French people to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Alternating cycles of drought and floods have driven informal settlements into flood plains, resulting in extreme vulnerability and loss of life and property
by the Kloof Conservancy, a communitybased organisation promoting environmental protection awareness. The objective of the pilot project is to restore sections of the Aller River with a focus on water quality improvement and invasive species removal. It has a focus on training and empowering youth representatives through the Eco-Champs programme to undertake education and clean-up campaigns. The project was initiated in 2016 and is ongoing.
The Green Corridors Green Spaces Project is led by the Green Corridors NPC, an EMM-supported special-purpose vehicle, working on community upliftment through the creation of a green spatial economy. The objective of the project is to enhance local quality of life, living environments and sustainable livelihoods. This project was initiated in 2010 and its implementation is subjected to an annual review of its memorandum of agreement with the municipality.
EMM is building a case for upscaling riverine management to encompass all rivers in its jurisdiction. The latest development is a new study – supported by AFD and funded through CICLIA – that will be integrated into the TRMP.
“Durban is a pioneer city in Africa and worldwide when it comes to recognising its climate change vulnerabilities and prioritising solutions at a high level. Now, it is developing innovative riverine management solutions that will be highly replicable and can improve the climate resilience of many other cities and the well-being of communities around the world,” says Ramondou.
The Umgeni River mouth in Durban
Can your business operate WITHOUT WATER?
Property developers, business owners, managers, as well as health and safety officers need to ensure that sufficient resources – including human resources –are allocated and effectively managed to reduce the risks posed by fire and water interruptions, regardless of the cause.
To do this, an effective and sufficient backup water supply must be implemented to keep operations running when water is unavailable. Businesses also need to install a fixed fire protection solution – complete with water storage tanks – to protect their assets. To remain sustainable and manage the impact of escalating water costs, business owners also need to implement measures to reduce their dependence on municipal infrastructure and water consumption.
According to a report by the CSIR, South Africa’s industrial businesses use 2.5 billion litres of water per year, making up more than 13.3% of total water use. Gauteng, closely followed by the Western Cape, is in the lead with the highest water consumption, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
Over the past two years, South African businesses have had to navigate the Covid-19 outbreak as well as riots and looting. Regardless of their industry or geography, companies now place a high value on business continuity. Decision-makers have had to readjust and reframe how they approach unforeseen events.
Limit water risk
“Water scarcity is becoming one of the most critical risks threatening social and economic development throughout the world. Access to appropriate quality and quantities of water can either impede or enable economic growth and affects the supply chain of most companies –not only those for which water is a primary input or production requirement. South African companies cannot depend solely on municipal water supplies, and need to ensure they have a backup plan,”explains Chester Foster, GM, SBS Group.
Business leaders must consider the many factors that have intensified the looming water shortage, including recurrent droughts, urbanisation, population growth, inadequate supply solutions and deteriorating municipal infrastructure.
“Consider risk exposure – water interruptions due to maintenance, the threat of water restrictions, as well as fire and arson risks – and then establish what the value of an installation of backup water storage and fixed fire protection solutions will mean to your business,” adds Foster.
Other considerations to limit risk include the implementation of a rainwater harvesting solution and investigating access to groundwater supplies to provide backup water. Additional water supply sources are mainly groundwater, desalinated seawater in coastal areas, and
wastewater reuse for the distribution of new supply between regions.
“SBS water and liquid storage solutions can be used for all of these applications. We have a credible history of successful applications across the last quarter of a century and have developed a comprehensive range of liquid storage solutions for any size operation, including fire sumps for fixed fire protection solutions to ensure we cover all sectors of industry,” Foster concludes.
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The SBS Group is a manufacturer of the SBS Tanks range of backup water and fixed fire sump storage solutions.
SBS works with key players in the water security sector to maximise return on water storage investment infrastructure and limit water security and fire risk exposure. Get in touch today – visit www.sbstanks.com for more information or call 086 048 2657.
Chester Foster, GM, SBS Group
THE FLOW MUST GO ON.
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NOOITGEDACHT WATER SCHEME
The Nooitgedagt/ Coega Low Level Supply Scheme (NCLLS) increases the supply of treated water (sourced from the Gariep Dam) from an average of 70 Mℓ/day to 160 Mℓ/day for Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM). Phase 3 – the last phase of the scheme – is nearly complete.
By Kevin McRae
NEARING COMPLETION
Initially, the NCLLS was to be implemented as a single project under multiple contracts. However, due to funding constraints, the scheme had to be implemented in phases.
Phase 1: On completion (1993), Nooitgedagt Water Treatment Works (WTW) had a capacity of 70 Mℓ/day and a hydraulic peak capacity of 84 Mℓ/day. A fourth pump was added to the pump station, boosting pumping output to 92 Mℓ/day with three pumps operating and one pump on standby. In 2008, two additional pulsator clarifiers were built, increasing the capacity of Nooitgedagt WTW to 100 Mℓ/day. Additional sludge lagoons and a 10 Mℓ balancing reservoir at Olifantskop Farm was constructed. There was also the implementation of bulk electrical supply to the WTW,
and the rising (1 200 mm) and gravity (1 400 mm) mains from the WTW to Motherwell and the Coega Industrial Development Zone.
Phase 2: This included the low-lift pump station building, as well as the construction of the western bank with six additional filters, and pumping equipment, electric and control systems for the low-lift scheme.
Phase 3: This comprised a complete standalone 70 Mℓ/day treatment module at the Nooitgedagt WTW, a 45 Mℓ balancing reservoir at Olifantskop Farm, installation of cathodic protection systems on both the original Nooitgedagt to Motherwell highlevel pipeline and the low-level pipeline built under Phase 1. The building of various bulk pipelines and rehabilitation of structures, as well as the replacement
of certain valves and fittings on the Motherwell to Chelsea pipeline was also included.
Nooitgedacht WTW – design
Sited on the right bank of the Sundays River, the Nooitgedagt WTW is supplied with raw water from the Scheepersvlakte Balancing Dam on the left bank via a 9.1 km long 1 470 mm diameter gravity pipeline. It is now the largest WTW serving NMBM.
The water treatment process at Nooitgedagt is conventional, comprising chemical dosing, flocculation, settling, filtration and disinfection, followed by distribution. Ultraviolet treatment is added between the settling tanks and filters to guard against Cryptosporidium and Giardia.
Designed as a zero-effluent works where dirty backwash water and settled
Kevin McRae, COO, AfriCoast Consulting Engineers
Aerial view of the Nooitgedagt WTW
sludge supernatant is collected and recycled, the Nooitgedacht WTW has water savings between 6.3 M ℓ /day and 10.5 M ℓ /day.
Starting and stopping the final water pumps to meet demand influences the water levels in the clearwells. Level sensors in the clear wells (east and west) are connected to a programmable logic controller (PLC) that in turn automatically operates the raw water inlet control valves. These valves are electrically actuated ring-needle valves that allow for fine adjustment. As the level in the clear well drops, the PLC opens the valves and the valves are throttled as the water level rises. This allows inflow to match outflow at all times and to operate the WTW close to optimum for any given demand.
Using the PLCs, chemical and chlorine dosing are proportional to flow. In this way, chemical dosing is optimised and costs reduced. Two separate dosing systems are provided. These allow for dosing with either ferric chloride or with a polyelectrolyte.
In Phase 3, conventional gravity tanks replaced the pulsator-type settling tanks used for the first two phases, allowing the Phase 3 works to operate during off-peak electrical usage times, providing additional cost savings.
The WTW operates at full capacity during off-peak times, with both the high- and low-level pumps running, while the new eastern Phase 3 module can be stopped and only the low-level pumps run with the original western modules during peak electrical demand.
The new setting tanks were designed to accommodate the new Phase 3 module that would be switched on and off without compromising treatment capacity or efficiency. The raw water has a fairly high suspended solids load that is easily settled and, therefore, bottom-entry, horizontal-upflow settling tanks were designed and fitted with lamella packs. Sludge collection hoppers were provided for the new eastern module.
During the design stage for Phase 2, the decision was taken to fit the filters with dual lateral underdrain systems. This decision was carried through to Phase 3. The original six filters were refurbished with dual lateral underdrain systems under the Phase 3 contract.
Dual lateral underdrains allow for concurrent air and water scour during backwashing and have proven to be up to 30% more efficient than the older false-floor and nozzle-type underdrain systems.
The six new filters were constructed on top of a 3 M ℓ clear well. A 1.3 m diameter gravity pipeline was installed to supply treated water to the low-level pump station.
New chemical dosing storage tanks for ferric chloride and liquid polymers, as well as all associated supply and delivery pipelines were set up. A recycling facility for filter backwash water, consisting of a circular collector reinforced concrete tank and recycle pump station, was installed.
The new sludge pond supernatant pump station and rising mains direct the settled effluent from the sludge ponds to the backwash water collection tanks. The combined effluents are then pumped to the head of works at the entrance to the flash mixer.
Groundwater
Once excavations were completed for the new filter block and clear well, groundwater appeared. This came as a surprise as no groundwater was found during any of the deep excavations in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project, and none of the geotechnical investigations – including on-site drilling – had found any signs of subsurface water.
Tests done on the water showed traces of chlorine, indicating that the water source was most likely the existing WTW. Investigations undertaken on the existing clear well showed no signs of leaks. Further investigations revealed that the dirty backwash water recovery pipe was leaking at the point it exited the structure. This was repaired and a section of the pipeline replaced. The domestic water supply to the administration building was also found to be leaking and was repaired. However, the water level in the excavation did not decrease once the leaking pipes were repaired. Further tests on the water no longer showed the presence of chlorine and it was concluded that there must be an underground water source.
The saturated soil had zero bearing capacity and dump rock placed in the
Once excavations were completed for the new filter block and clear well, groundwater appeared
Pile caps and ground beams below filters
Settling tanks under construction, with floc channels in foreground
Clearwater pipeline to pump stations
Refurbished original filter control gallery
PROJECT FACTS
• Original works was built as an emergency drought scheme and commissioned during 1993
• During construction of the original works, a temporary pump station delivered raw water to Grassridge Reservoir, where settling and chlorination took place
• The raw water pipeline to the Nooitgedagt WTW is sized for a 280 M ℓ/day average
• Nooitgedagt WTW is the largest treatment works supplying NMBM and, on completion, will have the capacity to deliver a peak supply of 210 M ℓ/day –approximately 70% of current demand
• The 45 M ℓ reservoir has an internal diameter of 75 m and a full water depth of 10.4 m
• The reservoir and associated chambers required 13 097 m 2 of formwork, 713.4 tonnes of reinforcing steel, and 4 518 m 3 of all grades of concrete
• Over 100 km of bulk steel pipelines have had cathodic protection installed under the project
• 30% SMME participation has been achieved, with over 100 small enterprises engaged on the project at different times
excavation to provide a stable working surface simply disappeared.
Additional geotechnical drilling was conducted on the perimeter of the excavation. This revealed the presence of a previously undetected pebble layer underlying the eastern portion of the excavation, which proved to be the source of the water.
Three boreholes were drilled below the excavation and fitted with pumps to reduce the water level.
The bottom of the excavation was backfilled with previously excavated material stabilised with cement. The remaining area was backfilled with unstabilised material. This provided a sufficiently stable platform for the pilling rig to operate and 102 piles – ranging in diameter from 350 mm to 900 mm at depths of 7 m to 13 m – were installed.
Funding challenges
Funding for Phase 3 is provided by the DWS. Construction spend during 2017 was initially averaging between R15 million and R20 million per month. Due to the financial crisis the DWS experienced, project budgets were slashed dramatically.
The 2017/18 budget for Nooitgedagt was reduced from R92 million to R58.7 million in January 2018. By that stage, expenditure already exceed the amount of the reduced budget.
The 2018/19 budget allocation was insufficient to maintain the full pace
of construction, resulting in constant late payments to the contractor who was unable to maintain cash flow and forced to resort to the suspension of the works.
In order to prevent ongoing claims and wasted expenditure, all parties agreed to formally suspend work on the pipelines and at the reservoir until the funding crisis was resolved. Limited work continued at the treatment works.
By February 2019, the funding crisis was resolved, and full production resumed across all sites. Unfortunately, the issue of late payments again became a problem late in 2021, leading to the contractor giving notice to terminate the contract and the suspension of the works. As of January 2022, funding issues have been resolved and the contractor has started to re-establish on-site. Final completion of Phase 3 is now scheduled for July 2022.
Conclusion
Without the Nooitgedagt supply scheme, NMBM would have run out of water some years ago, with disastrous consequences for all. Nooitgedagt will ensure that NMBM will not run out of water entirely should the western supply fail completely due to the persistent drought but will, instead, be able to provide a large portion of the metro with a continued supply of quality potable water, albeit at lesser quantities than current demand.
QFS installed a wastewater treatment plant using the Gas Energy Mixing (GEM) system. GEM uses advanced flotation technology to separate solids, fats, oils and grease from wastewater.
ADVANCED FLOTATION TECHNOLOGY tested at wastewater treatment plant
The GEM system removes higher levels of contaminants than conventional dissolved air flotation (DAF) systems, using less chemicals, while generating significantly drier sludge. Its footprint is also more than 50% smaller than a typical DAF system of similar capacity.
Wastewater feed Jar tests were carried out on 3 x 25 litre polycans of wastewater samples to determine
Clarified wastewater sample
FIGURE 1 pH vs turbidity – Optimal treatment pH for each day as a function of their respective turbidities. The optimal treatment of the pH is 6.5-7.5
FIGURE 2 Coagulant dosage vs turbidity – Optimal coagulant dosage for each day as a function of their respective turbidities
the optimal parameters for effective flocculation and clarification. Test work was performed with the aim to offer an effective solution for the wastewater treatment at the production plant.
QFS proposed a non-metallic coagulant in combination with a cationic polymer and anionic polymer. These chemicals proved to be effective to flocculate and clarify the effluent water during the test work, providing good emulsion-breaking capabilities of the fats, oils and greases, total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity removal. The coagulant, in combination with anionic and cationic polymer, works
effectively to remove the turbidity in the wastewater to create a robust floc. The floc is then entrained with the dissolved air from GEMS, enabling it to float, to create a sludge blanket with a clear water underflow. See Figure 3 for visual results of the clarified sample after treatment.
Jar test results
The colour of each graph indicates whether the primary or secondary y-axis are to be considered.
The result for day 1 is inconclusive due to a lack of improved turbidity. The optimal cationic polymer dosage
FIGURE 3 Catalytic polymer vs turbidity – Optimal cationic polymer dosage for each day as a function of their respective turbidities
FIGURE 4 Optimal anionic polymer dosage for each day as a function of their respective turbidities
TABLE 1 GEMS pilot testing schedule
for days 2 and 3, and on-site, were determined to be 6 mg/ℓ
The optimal anionic polymer dosage for day 1,2 and 3 is 3 mg/ℓ. The optimal dosage for site results is 4 mg/ℓ. The overall optimal anionic polymer dosage is therefore determined to be 3 mg/ℓ
Pilot plant tests
A sampling schedule was put in place to ensure all chemical dosing combinations were tested. All results are illustrated as % decreases with scaled colour codes showing the quality of the results. Green results indicate positive results, whereas red indicate poor results.
Samples were taken incrementally to monitor the feed and product turbidity (NTU) and pH. Samples of the raw feed and treated effluent were also taken at the end of each run for laboratory testing.
It can be observed that runs 5, 7, 9 and 11 provided the best results in terms of turbidity
FIGURE 5 GEMS pilot test results
reduction, at a range of 60-70%.
The laboratory analysis of the total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and fats, oils and grease (FOG) of the raw feed and treated effluent for each run is indicated in Table 3. The percentage decrease for each was also calculated.
The GEMS plant is designed for the removal of 60% COD and 98% TSS.
Run 7 provided the best results, with a TSS reduction of 83%, COD reduction of 61% and FOG reduction of 90%. Run 4 also showed potential with a TSS reduction of 46%, COD reduction of 63% and FOG reduction of 92%.
TABLE 3 Laboratory results
TABLE 5 Optimal dosing conditions
PROTECTING REVERSE OSMOSIS PLANTS THROUGH WATER PRETREATMENT
PROTECTING REVERSE OSMOSIS PLANTS THROUGH WATER PRETREATMENT
One of the most common types of water treatment, reverse osmosis (RO) is a separation technique that is suitable for a wide range of applications, especially when salts and/or dissolved solids need to be removed from a solution.
There are several factors to be considered when selecting an RO system: the customer’s capacity requirement (water usage), the daily production capacity of the system, and the per cent rejection for specific contaminants in the source water,” explains Anelia Hough, water treatment consultant at Allmech.
RO plants require maintenance and care to ensure they function optimally and to extend their lifespan. “Aside from regular maintenance, the best way to protect an RO plant is by pretreating water, which reduces the strain on the RO membrane – a costly component. It also helps to avoid issues like scaling and biofouling,” she adds.
Common issues
“Factors that can affect an RO system’s performance include temperature, operating pressure, back pressure, the equilibrium effect/ TDS creep, per cent recovery and, of
course, the RO membrane’s permeate production and per cent rejection ratings,” says Hough.
The most common issues in RO plants include:
• Fouling: occurs when contaminants accumulate on the membrane surface, effectively plugging the membrane. There are many contaminants in municipal feedwater that are harmless for human consumption, but large enough to quickly foul (or plug) an RO system.
• Scaling: particles are deposited on a membrane, causing it to plug. As certain dissolved compounds become more concentrated, scaling can occur if these compounds exceed their solubility limits and precipitate on the membrane surface as scale. Scaling calculations are usually only based on the silicate concentration in the feedwater.
• Biofouling: reduces actual membrane performance through microbial generation in a biofilm that forms on the membrane surface.
• Chemical damage: on an RO membrane, this means a higher permeate flow and poorer-quality permeate water. Dosing of oxidant agents, such as chlorine or hypochlorite, can reduce performance and ultimately result in the failure of the RO membranes. Use of aggressive cleaners can also cause chemical damage.
• Mechanical damage: can happen when a system is pressurised too quickly, damaging the RO membrane elements. One of the clearest signs of damage on an RO membrane is the lack of salt rejection capabilities. There is also very often an increase of permeate flow rate.
Pretreatment options “Pretreatment can help to avoid these problems. When selecting a prefilter,
Reverse osmosis is one of the most common types of water treatment
Reverse osmosis membrane material for water filtration
users should always look for a verified efficiency rating next to the micron size on the filter’s technical data sheet,” explains Hough. Pretreatment options vary:
• Multimedia filtration: A multimedia filter is used to help prevent fouling of an RO system. This type of sediment filtration is ideal for a pretreatment process to any reverse osmosis system helping to ensure long life of the RO membrane elements. A welloperated multimedia filter can remove particulates down to 20 microns. A multimedia filter that uses a coagulant addition can remove particulates down to 10 microns.
• Microfiltration: The filters used in microfiltration have a pore size of approximately 0.1 micron. Bacteria and suspended solids are the only element that can be removed through microfiltration.
• Antiscalants and scale inhibitors: There are many chemicals that can be used as antiscalants and dispersants
ALLMECH
One of the leading boiler manufacturers in South Africa, Allmech offers a wide range of electrical, gas and oil-fired boilers and related water treatment solutions. The company began in 1995 and has an established reputation as a boiler and water treatment specialist with a strong customer support system. Allmech’s water treatment solutions comprise:
• Industrial water treatment programmes and services
• Water softeners
• Reverse osmosis
• Pre- and post-water filtration
• Demin plants
to improve the operation of RO. Antiscalants are a family of chemicals designed to inhibit the formation and precipitation of crystallised mineral salts that form scale.
• Softening by ion exchange: A water softener is a filtration system that removes hardness-causing calcium and magnesium minerals from water through a process called ion exchange. Standard water softeners are cation exchange devices. Cation
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exchange involves the replacement of the hardness ions with nonhardness ions.
• Granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration: Activated carbon removes residual chlorine and chloramines by a chemical reaction that involves a transfer of electrons from the surface of the GAC to the residual chlorine or chloramines. The chlorine or chloramines end up as a chloride ion that is no longer an oxidiser.
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The GoFlow Project contributes to developing an integrated and shared knowledge base to foster sustainable groundwater use and recharge at the city-regional scale
governance for drought-prone cities
The theme of this year’s World Water Day is ‘Groundwater – Making the Invisible Visible’. As it is a vital resource in South African cities, the Water Research Commission (WRC) has funded a research project to improve the governance of groundwa ter flows for growing cities facing drought risks.
By Jorisna Bonthuys
The WRC has identified the need for research into the functioning, governance and sustainable management of groundwater for urban areas, giving special consideration to the wider catchment area that extends beyond the cities’ administrative boundaries. Research efforts are under way to establish a shared understanding between scientists, technical experts, decision-makers and water users on the implications of different climate and land-use scenarios on groundwater use and recharge in cities at risk of drought.
GoFlow Project
Called the GoFlow Project, it focuses on governing groundwater flow for growing cities facing drought risks in the context of the water system as a whole. It started in April last year and will conclude in March 2023.
A research team has been put together comprising:
• team lead Dr Anna Taylor from the African Climate and Development Initiative at the University of Cape Town (UCT)
• Dr Ffion Atkins from UCT’s Department of Environmental and Geographical Science
• Dr Christopher Jack from UCT’s Climate Systems Analysis Group
• two master’s students.
The GoFlow Project is considering governing groundwater flows in the City of Cape Town (Cape Town and surrounds) and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area (Gqeberha and surrounds). Researchers are conducting urban water metabolism analyses for the study areas, focusing on the two metropolitan and neighbouring municipalities sharing key water sources.
Researchers are quantifying the urban water cycle’s anthropogenic components (bulk supply, consumption and wastewater) and hydrological components (precipitation, evapotranspiration, run-off and recharge), and highlighting knowledge and data gaps.
They will also explore urban water recharge processes under a range of likely hydrological shifts (long-term trends) and extremes (magnitude and frequency of drought), as well as urban planning and land cover scenarios for 2040-2060.
Current institutional arrangements for existing governance are being analysed and multi-stakeholder ‘Learning Lab’ engagements around the applicability of the urban water metabolism analysis and these scenarios are being facilitated.
Learning Labs are spaces that provide platforms for solving complex
problems. These spaces allow opportunities to assess the approach within the larger context of integrated urban water management and water-sensitive urban design. During the Learning Labs, decision-makers and stakeholders have the chance to unpack future climate risks and explore actions based on contextual concerns and opportunities.
It is a relatively new field of work that combines groundwater’s biophysical and governance aspects at the cityregional scale.
Background
Growing urban settlements face growing urban demand and, consequently, particularly severe water provision shortfalls during droughts. In this regard, the recent multiyear drought in Cape Town (2015-2017) offers valuable insights that could help prepare other urban hubs for the realities of climate change and increased water risk. Evidence suggests that a significant part of this multiyear drought may be attributed to climate change. Therefore, more events of this nature can be expected and pose significant challenges for future water supply and the management of available resources, including groundwater.
Cape Town is not the only urban hub dealing
The recent
“The need for strengthening groundwater governance became apparent during the 2015-2018 Cape Town water crisis. Many industrial, commercial, residential and government actors turned to groundwater extraction at a rate previously unseen. However, this approach raised concerns over the lack of appropriate monitoring of all users (and inadequate usage reporting) and general oversight of groundwater systems.”
– Dr Anna Taylor, African Climate and Development Initiative, UCT
with water security issues. In recent years, other metropolitan areas, such as Nelson Mandela Bay, and smaller municipalities in the Western Cape have been under significant stress concerning their water resources. Of the eight metros in South Africa, seven implemented water restrictions in 2016/17 due to low dam levels.
“Patterns of growing urban water demand and increasing drought risk intersect in the context of infrastructure development and maintenance constraints as well as delays in many municipalities. In South Africa, the governance and regulation
of groundwater are generally weak. More work is needed to strengthen it based on solid evidence and sustained engagement between stakeholders. Observational data is also scant or inaccessible for many aquifers in and around city regions. Projections of future conditions are also either not available or at a scale not suited to groundwater resource planning,” says Taylor.
“The need for strengthening groundwater governance became apparent during the 2015-2018 Cape Town water crisis. Many industrial, commercial, residential
and government actors turned to groundwater extraction at a rate previously unseen. However, this approach raised concerns over the lack of appropriate monitoring of all users (and inadequate usage reporting) and general oversight of groundwater systems,” she highlights.
Therefore, the GoFlow Project will contribute to long-term and multiactor efforts to build an integrated and shared knowledge base to foster collaborative and sustainable groundwater use and recharge at the city-regional scale.
Previous work
The project is building on another WRCfunded project on urban groundwater development and management, published by hydrogeologist Helen Seyler and her collaborators in 2019. Seyler and her team pointed out that decision-makers must reflect planned groundwater use in metropolitan municipalities in integrated development plans (IDPs). In addition, the capture and protection zones of current and future wellfields, and recharge zones in some cases, should also be delineated in their spatial development frameworks (SDFs). The researchers also suggested that groundwater support for the functioning of green infrastructure (including key wetlands) should be reflected in SDFs and linked to appropriate protection measures, especially land-use controls.
The GoFlow Project will explore how urban water metabolism and governance analysis (including various climate and urban scenarios) can help foster coordination and negotiate
The theme of this year’s World Water Day is ‘Groundwater – Making the Invisible Visible’
multiyear drought in Cape Town offers valuable insights that could help prepare other urban hubs for the realities of climate change and increased water risk
The current study is considering governing groundwater flows in the City of Cape Town (Cape Town and surrounds) and the Nelson Mandela Metro area (Gqeberha and surrounds)
compromises between urban growth and groundwater protection, and inform the review of IDPs and SDFs to incorporate urban groundwater use and protection adequately.
The research team will work closely with scientists at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and WWF-SA on potential synergies with their work to better understand the city’s groundwater system.
UWC researchers have done work on aquifer recharge in Cape Town, especially in Atlantis and Philippi. In addition, WWF-SA is building a groundwater monitoring network using citizen science that will help to inform the management of groundwater abstraction in the greater Cape Town area. A pilot was completed with funding from AB InBev and is now being scaled up.
In the Nelson Mandela Bay area, the project will build on earlier research that considered high-yielding groundwater areas around Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and ongoing work relating to the Coegakop wellfield and water treatment works.
Urban metabolism framework
The concept of urban metabolism is being used to evaluate urban water resource management. It includes all aspects of the urban water cycle (rainfall, evapotranspiration, groundwater recharge, bulk water supply, treated effluent discharge, and storage).
“The framework provides a bigpicture perspective on how urban areas consume and transform water. It involves integrating many data types that comprise anthropogenic flows
(bulk water supply, treated effluent and groundwater abstraction) and hydrological flows (spatial distributions of rainfall, evapotranspiration, run-off and recharge) of the urban water cycle,” explains Taylor.
“Furthermore, the framework provides a powerful way to conceptualise and quantify the magnitude and direction of the various water fluxes in the cities. It employs an urban water mass balance approach to quantify all water fluxes within and outside the defined system boundary (usually a city region). The researchers will use this framework to explore a dynamic compromise between the benefits of urban groundwater use and the problems caused by such use within the context of increasing extreme hydrological events,” she adds.
This framework is used as a vehicle for researchers to assess the performance of the urban water cycle against water management goals and evaluate the impact of urbanisation on hydrological flows. This information is helpful to explore the potential to use alternative water sources (e.g. stormwater, rainwater harvesting, wastewater and decentralised groundwater abstraction) for managed aquifer recharge or other uses.
The researchers plan to understand how stakeholders can use an urban water metabolism and governance framework to facilitate an integrated analysis and multi-stakeholder engagement process. Such a process is needed to compromise between the benefits and costs of urban groundwater use (especially for managing extreme hydrological events).
Actors and institutional arrangements will be mapped out and relevant
stakeholders will be engaged in each of the two city regions in a series of Learning Labs. Researchers engage with city officials to identify ways to feed their results into the city’s water strategy, including actions to manage the proportion of groundwater in the supply mix.
Urban water supplies are sourced from catchments outside metropolitan boundaries, shared with several other municipalities and agricultural users. As a result, there is often a misalignment between hydrological boundaries (such as a watershed) and the administrative and technical boundaries that govern water resources.
The urban water metabolism framework provides flexibility to address this by being built around data that adequately represents a chosen system’s anthropogenic and hydrological flow parameters.
Shared knowledge space
A strong theme in the research about groundwater is the need to link monitoring and modelling to management decisions (which the urban water metabolism approach aims to do) and combine adaptive (risk) management with governance.
The main outcome of this project will be an improved understanding of how decision-makers can use an urban metabolism framework to facilitate an integrated analysis and multi-stakeholder engagement process to determine a suitable compromise between the benefits of urban groundwater use (especially for managing extreme hydrological events) and the problems caused by such use.
Contaminated land:
issues and practical considerations
The contamination of land by hazardous substances may involve contaminated topsoils or subsurface soils that can leach toxic chemicals into nearby groundwater or surface water – affecting plants, animals and humans.
By Kirsten Kelly
This can be the result of historic or current site activities, including incidents during the manufacturing, handling and storage of hazardous substances,” says Lindsay Shand, principal environmental geologist at SRK Consulting. “Various activities have the potential to contaminate land, such as manufacturing, mineral extraction, abandonment of mines, waste disposal, accidental spills,
Contaminated land is not rare, and almost every industry must deal with it. Industrial sites have traditionally been built on the outskirts of towns and cities, but urban expansion has seen many housing projects being built on or next to industrial areas. Today, many industrial sites are in the centre of towns and cities. Contaminated land is required to be declared to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) under Part 8 of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (No. 59 of 2008; NEMWA).
Shand adds that resolving land contamination issues requires a detailed understanding of the chemistry and geology to fully comprehend and contextualise the risks associated with the contamination. It is also vital to
develop a robust site conceptual model that describes the potential receptors at risk and forms the basis of the remediation action plan (RAP). This RAP informs the remediation order issued by the DFFE.
Issues and practical considerations
Water stewardship: Soil, groundwater and surface water are closely interlinked. Water stewardship provides the necessary integrated systems approach for the management of these resources.
“Water stewardship encourages one to consider the catchment area and understand your water use, as well as contamination risks to the immediate environment and catchment area. It improves the management of contamination risks, operations and water,” states Shand.
Lindsay Shand, principal environmental geologist, SRK Consulting
Surface water quality sampling at a lake
Photo credits: SRK Consulting
Soil remediation and chemical treatments: “In order to formulate a remediation plan, one needs adequate data from a site assessment. There is no ‘quick fix’ to a contamination problem that has developed over a long period of time,” adds Shand.
“While good chemical treatment processes are available, they need to be utilised carefully. One must make sure that the chemical treatment itself does not have a negative effect on groundwater or soil chemistry. Remediation can take time to achieve its goals,” she says.
SRK uses a team of geologists, geochemists, microbiologists, hydrogeologists and engineers to find the best possible solution, or combination of solutions, to any contamination problem. “There are many options available, such as natural attenuation, where, for instance, microbial populations in the soil are developed to contribute toward pollutant degradation,” explains Shand. “There are also engineering controls like barriers to prevent fresh groundwater from coming into contact with polluted groundwater, by diverting the polluted groundwater into a sump and treating it either in situ or at a wastewater treatment works.”
Linking of sciences: Dealing with land contamination is a complex matter, and requires collaborative efforts of physical, chemical and biological scientists
to work in interdisciplinary teams. “Many of the sciences cross over and it is important to consider the bigger picture,” states Shand.
Due diligence: For developers, due diligence is paramount, first to establish whether there is any contamination of the site intended for development, and then to investigate the most appropriate mitigation options. Understanding the actual risks allows for a tailored approach in controlling these liabilities.
“Often, land contamination teams are not consulted at the beginning of a project when it is critical to test for contamination, as this affects future site planning and management. Land contamination specialists can conduct site assessments to help identify where contamination risks may lie. This can lead to considerable cost savings if it can guide a developer to certain, more suitable, land-use types. It may be that at a parking lot, light industrial land use may be more appropriate than digging into contaminated areas for residential purposes – which may require more onerous contamination management procedures,” says Shand.
Regulations: Contaminated land is managed under the NEMWA, in accordance with guidance from the DFFE in the Framework for the Management of Contaminated Land. An environmental site assessment will determine if the land is contaminated and the extent of the
risk. Once authorities are notified of the contamination and potential risks, the landowner will receive a remediation order where they are then required to undertake an additional assessment or to implement the proposed remediation.
Stakeholder involvement: “It is critical to develop good relationships with all stakeholders when dealing with land contamination. Contamination that has extended to third parties can derail project timelines and result in reputational damage. By being proactive and forming engaging relationships, one begins to build trust,” adds Shand.
Offering
SRK has extensive experience in land contamination and uses a multidisciplinary team to:
• undertake due diligence work where the level of contamination risk is determined through soil surface water and groundwater surveys, as well as through risk assessment and modelling
• notify and liaise with the authorities about appropriate remedial alternatives to be considered
• reduce environmental and health risks through the identification and implementation of costeffective remediation strategies based on extensive technical and regulatory knowledge
• conduct groundwater modelling
• provide on-site supervision and monitoring.
SRK Consulting undertakes water quality risk assessments and audits
– pictured here is a tailings facility
SRK Consulting has undertaken contamination site assessment soil sampling in Cape Town
ABUNDANT WATER REUSE OPPORTUNITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA
While there is extensive scope to expand water reuse in South Africa, it is by no means a new concept for the country. In 2001, a water recycling project was commissioned in KwaZulu-Natal where Veolia was awarded a 20-year operations and maintenance contract.
We have recently submitted a tender for another 20year concession. Presently, the plant treats domestic and industrial wastewater to near potable standards for sale to industrial customers for direct use in their processes. The new tender includes the additional supply of potable water for the local community,” says Miles Murray, director: Business Development, Veolia Services Southern Africa.
Currently, the plant features Veolia technologies such as the Multiflo clarifier and Hydrex water treatment
chemicals. Multiflo offers an efficient process for removing total suspended solids (TSS), colour, algae and heavy metal co-precipitates. It can also be used in the softening process, as well as the polishing process to remove pesticides, organic matter and new emerging pollutants. Hydrex water treatment chemicals protect water treatment systems against scale deposition, corrosion, fouling and biological problems.
Over the past 20 years, Veolia has been responsible for the plant’s wastewater catchment, conveyance, trade effluent control, preliminary and primary treatment, secondary and
tertiary treatment, reclaimed water reticulation and utilisation.
It is South Africa’s first water reuse plant, one of the first water-related public-private partnerships (PPPs) of its kind, and the first to adopt a new contractual model for financing new infrastructure. The project is managed under a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) model.
The total cost of the project (construction for the new tertiary plant, purchase and upgrade of the municipal utility assets used for the project, and piping system) was around R72 million. Veolia, together with other partners, provided all
Martin Kotze, project development manager, Veolia Services Southern Africa
Miles Murray, director: Business Development, Veolia Services Southern Africa
There is no single, specific technology for water reuse
the funding needed for the project. Veolia shoulders the risks of meeting the water quality needs by the two industrial users. Therefore, the municipal utility has not incurred any extra capital cost for the taxpayers.
The plant pays the municipal utility an annual management fee and a fee for the lease of the land, as well as a levy per cubic metre to reflect the cross-subsidisation income from the industrial users – who have signed water purchase agreements.
The private industries using the water benefit from a saving of 52% in water tariffs by reducing the amount of potable municipal water consumed; the municipality and the local community benefit from the freeing up of scarce potable resources for human use; and the environment benefits from a 10% reduction of wastewater discharged into the ocean, mitigating pollution impacts.
Practical considerations
“These types of projects can take close to a year to create a concession agreement and fine-tune the financial modelling. Then the plant almost always needs to be upgraded to achieve water reuse. A company will recoup the capital investment after a few years, so it is important to take a long-term view when structuring PPPs and BOOT agreements for water reuse,” explains Murray.
Martin Kotze, project development manager at Veolia, adds that extensive water and wastewater sample and collection analysis is a pivotal part of a water reuse plant’s success. “There is little point in investing millions of rand into a plant and only analysing one water and wastewater sample. This does not account for seasonal variability or inconsistencies on certain days of the week. For instance, a factory floor may be washed down with water on a Friday and the factory may only manufacture a certain product on a Sunday. This will all have an impact on wastewater, and it is important to understand these parameters before designing a plant.
“Water treatment cannot be an afterthought. There needs to be adequate space to build a plant as well as space for maintenance (removing
pumps). There also needs to be adequate time to build a plant,” he says.
Water reuse technologies
There is no single, specific technology for water reuse. Water reuse involves several processes/technologies (like clarification, reverse osmosis, evaporation and chemical treatment); the combination of which is customised to suit each individual case’s requirements.
“The municipal water treatment market mostly uses standard primary and secondary treatment with large basins, clarifiers and a membrane plant, with either ultrafiltration, ultraviolet purifier or advanced oxidisation at the end,” adds Kotze.
According to Kotze, mine water and wastewater treatment solutions from Veolia help mining companies reduce their effects on the environment with economical mine process water and wastewater treatment technologies.
At a gold mine in South Africa, Veolia supplied mine water treatment boilers for metallurgical operations. The mining company’s site is also maintained with chemicals and technical support from Veolia, where acid mine water was affecting the environment and surrounding communities.
There is another water reuse plant near Jeffreys Bay where the wastewater contains organic matter from milk, yoghurt and cheese residues. The aim
Veolia is well established in Southern Africa, with water reuse plants in both Namibia and Botswana
Veolia can help companies comply with zero effluent discharge standards
Reverse osmosis membrane trains
A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE SUCCESS
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• Pipes
• Culverts Manholes
is to reuse the treated water for non-food production applications, such as cooling, garden watering and cleaning. The facility includes an acidification tank, anaerobic digester, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis skids, as well as a biogas boiler.
Orion purified water technology is used for water reuse at a pharmaceutical company in Port Elizabeth. It offers softening, reverse osmosis and continuous electrodeionisation technologies that can be fully or partially hot-water sanitised. Orion can reduce overall water and energy consumption through a reuse cycle and the introduction of more energy-efficient pumps.
Veolia is well established in the Southern African environment, with water reuse plants in both Namibia and Botswana.
The Veolia difference
“If reused water is worked back into a production process, it needs to be within certain parameters. Veolia excels at efficiencies across pipelines, reducing downtime and equipment maintenance costs, as well as ensuring that the water is of a consistent quality within the agreed-upon parameters,” says Kotze.
He elaborates that Veolia has the necessary skills and experience and that – as a global company with a 168-year history in the water industry –Veolia technologies are trusted and recognised worldwide. This makes various certification processes a lot easier. “Our strength is that we supply an end-to-end solution. Veolia understands the entire water treatment value chain and we usually do everything in-house. The operation and maintenance of a plant is important to Veolia – we like to take ownership of an entire water treatment project to make sure it works optimally.”
Veolia also has the financial muscle with a strong balance sheet and good credit ratings to finance BOOT projects.
Drivers
our nationwide branches
“Water reuse is increasingly becoming a part of different companies’ sustainability plans. But in South Africa, water security is the primary driver. Manufacturing plants and other businesses cannot afford to come to grinding halt every time a municipality is unable to supply water. The cost of potable water in South Africa, compared to the cost of potable water in Europe, is very cheap. So, while sustainability and water security are drivers for water reuse in South Africa, there is little motivation for cost savings. However, as water becomes increasingly scarce – with growing populations and the economy – and as water pollution intensifies, the cost of water treatment will rise and water reuse will become an obvious choice,” concludes Murray.
INNOVATION USED to deter water emergencies
Umgeni Water has made a commitment through its environmental sustainability policy to work on aligning with circular economy principles.
By Megan Schalkwyk
Even though South Africa is struggling to deal with water security, it is slow to embrace a circular economy. This is because there is an incorrect perception that a circular economy requires a lot of redesign and investment. Small, deliberate changes can help drive sustainability and ultimately achieve a circular economy – without losing focus of the primary treatment goals.
At Darvill Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), Umgeni Water is embracing the change by gradually implementing projects to make a circular economy more achievable. This includes structuring activities and processes to intentionally design out waste, and keep resources in use for longer to reduce the use of additional natural resources.
Darvill WWTW
A biological nutrient removal plant of the Johannesburg/three-stage Phoredox configuration, Darvill WWTW is currently being upgraded from 65 Mℓ/day to 100 Mℓ/day. With this upgrade, there are two sustainability projects:
• Methane generated by the anaerobic digesters (currently as boiler fuel) will be directed to a gas-to-electricity cogeneration plant. This project is presently in the feasibility phase.
• A 2 Mℓ/day direct reuse plant is in the final stages of commission. Currently, sludge generated by the anaerobic digesters is directed to an external commercial enterprise for turf grass manufacture.
The reuse plant will treat the final effluent from the WWTW to potable water quality standards. The objective of establishing the plant is to investigate the complexity, efficiency, life-cycle costs
and adaptability of the technology in the South African context. A component of this plant is also a demonstration plant to serve in educating and engaging with the public and water sector stakeholders on reuse and establish a buy-in strategy. Umgeni Water and the Water Research Commission are working together on this project and are aiming to add value at a national level.
Since the analysis of contaminants of emerging concern is not readily available in South Africa, Umgeni Water is also in the process of establishing a laboratory for the monitoring of some of these constituents.
Daphnia
Daphnia, although often called a water flea, is actually a freshwater crustacean closely related to shrimp. Umgeni Water will be testing the ability of Daphnia to treat final effluent to a similar quality as that achieved by conventional reuse technology.
Biotechnology, even if merely to polish poor-quality effluent, has lower operating costs, requires less operator intervention and consumes less energy compared to conventional technology. In collaboration with the University of Birmingham, who hold a patent for this technology, Umgeni Water will be evaluating the process at full scale. The expected gains in this type of process are reduced energy use, capital and operating costs – thus leading to lowering greenhouse gases, which will eventually contribute to climate change. Umgeni Water is testing different technologies to ensure the solutions used will promote public safety, economic viability, technical flexibility and sustainability.
Umgeni Water will be testing the ability of Daphnia to treat final effluent to a similar quality to that achieved by conventional reuse technology
At Darvill WWTW, Umgeni Water is gradually implementing projects to make a circular economy more achievable
Darvill WWTW is known for its egg-shaped digesters
Megan Schalkwyk, process engineer, Umgeni Water
Compact
80 GHz level sensor with in-head display
ONE SENSOR for all applications
Users no longer have to choose the right level measuring instrument from a multitude of options. The VEGAPULS 6X offers more safety and self-diagnosis, new radar chip technology, new application possibilities and simpler adjustment.
Traditionally, the search for a suitable radar sensor begins with a number of questions:
• Which frequency would work best for a particular application?
• How might the properties of the media being measured and installation environment (temperature, aggressive chemicals, weather) influence the measurement?
• Will a standard process fitting be sufficient, or would special materials that meet the highest requirements be the right choice?
• Is the sensor measuring over great distances?
• What about wind?
Choices
Traditionally, customers choose from the large variety of radar sensors that are currently on offer. Because the areas of application are becoming more multifaceted and processes more complex, the buyer needs a good understanding and overview of what is on offer on the market. It takes the right know-how, experience and time to avoid making costly bad investments and get a reliable measuring system. Choosing an instrument can be a laborious process and often involves a lot of questions and product research. Fortunately, the VEGAPULS 6X is a sensor for all applications. “Ultimately, it’s not the sensor that counts, but what the users can achieve with it in their individual applications. Users want to choose the best possible solution that will meet their desired goals as quickly as possible,” explains Florian Burgert, product manager, VEGA.
With VEGAPULS 6X, selecting the right frequency or determining the DK value of the medium are no longer obstacles, because choosing the right sensor specifications has become much easier. The new configurator asks for the type of application and then quickly determines which sensor version is required. The entire procedure consists of just a few mouse clicks. Of course, an advisory discussion with a VEGA radar specialist is still a good alternative to the configurator.
Customers can even order a sensor that has been factory-calibrated, customer-specific – down to the last detail – which only has to be installed and connected.
Safety
The VEGAPULS 6X is equipped with a comprehensive safety concept. Functional safety is guaranteed, as it conforms with all the requirements of SIL (safety integrity level). With cybersecurity, the VEGAPULS 6X conforms to IEC 62443, which fulfils the strictest requirements for the security of system access and communication control. It thus guarantees comprehensive process security, right through to the control system. There is also a selfdiagnosis system that continuously monitors the function of the sensor and recognises if it has been impaired in any way, thus contributing to higher plant availability and sensor performance.
VEGA has also designed a unique radar chip that
is especially characterised by its low energy consumption, high sensitivity, scalable architecture and universal applicability. The radar antenna system and the chip are connected directly to each other, without any cable, for maximum performance.
In the future, the user will no longer have to worry about the technology, frequency or instrument version – the measurement will simply work.
There is now only one radar sensor –but it is suitable for all applications
VEGA has introduced a second generation of its internally developed radar chip – one that sets new standards in performance and safety
FINANCING WATER SECURITY
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has an active water sector portfolio of 94 operations worth US$4.3 billion. WASA asks Osward Chanda (OB), director: Water & Sanitation at the AfDB, questions about the financier’s recently approved water strategy – 2021-2025: Towards a Water-Secure Africa – and its role in providing water security for member states.
What role does water security play in inclusive growth and development in Africa?
OB The UN’s Water and Sanitation Linkages across the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development report highlights the links and interdependencies between Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on water and sanitation and other SDGs. It emphasises how water and sanitation support the social, economic and environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Society, the economy and the environment require water in sufficient quantities at a suitable quality.
Improvements in access to safe drinking water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in homes, healthcare facilities, schools and workplaces, and improving ambient water quality are essential for reducing multidimensional poverty, improving
nutrition, improving health and education, achieving gender equality, improving work opportunities, and overcoming inequalities. Furthermore, water is essential in building resilience to climate change.
How does the AfDB plan to boost water security on the continent?
The AfDB’s five-year strategy aims to increase water security in Africa, and to foster its sustainable, green and inclusive socio-economic growth and development. We are focusing on:
• integrated sustainable water resource management
• strengthening the delivery of WASH services
• increasing the availability of sustainable water resources for food production and improved nutrition
• sustainable development of water for energy in terms of hydropower potential.
The bank uses both financial and non-financial instruments to assist in achieving water security in Africa and this is achieved through various partnerships.
What non-financial instruments does the AfDB use?
We scale up and disseminate knowledge and analysis on water and sanitation.
Osward Chanda, director: Water & Sanitation at the AfDB
This puts policymakers and water managers in a better position to facilitate increased water efficiency and implement more effective interventions. Knowledge aids in better water governance and sound policies.
Specialised, skilled people from the AfDB engage with policymakers, water managers and the private sector across the continent. This assists with the design and implementation of the projects and programmes that we finance, and ensures that all issues are addressed.
The AfDB partners and engages with institutions, associations, universities and other centres of excellence for knowledge. We assist with information capture and undertake countrywide water and sanitation assessments where we report on infrastructure, governance, policies, legislation and institutions that are managing and regulating water.
Furthermore, the bank supports regional knowledge initiatives and programmes.
With our experience in mobilising resources and promoting coordination between countries and donors, we avoid duplication and ensure that we are aligned to a country’s priorities and can efficiently address needs on the ground. We then also highlight areas where there is little support.
What more can be done to ensure that water projects reach bankability status?
While finance is available, few water projects on the continent reach bankability status.
Typically, a project will not be ready to be financed if there is a lack of data to inform the design of a project, little to no long-term financial planning, and if there are weak government structures and institutions.
The AfDB also promotes partnerships with the private sector. Countries need to understand the value that the private sector can bring in providing water and sanitation services. A publicprivate partnership (PPP) provides less risk than a project that needs to be 100% funded by a development bank. We believe that PPPs hold promise in attracting finance.
Through the Africa Water Facility, which is hosted and managed by the AfDB, we provide grants for project preparation and expert technical assistance to implement innovative water projects and raise investment for these projects throughout Africa.
What are the problems the water industry is facing?
The rapid increase in population, particularly in the urban areas, compounded by the immediate needs of industries and developments puts pressure on water. The water sector is simply not growing at the same pace as the population and the economy.
Very few countries are planning for population growth. In most cases, the water sector is operating at a backlog where they have insufficient resources to provide services.
Climate change is another serious challenge experienced by the water
industry, where there are prolonged droughts and storms that destroy infrastructure and livelihoods. Building resilience in the water sector is crucial. We need to plan and implement solutions that mitigate and reduce the impact of climate change and variability.
An additional issue is the politicisation of water. This prevents the effective management of water where technically sound decisions are often overruled. Many politicians (even councillors and mayors) have unchecked powers, where they suspend water tariffs close to elections. If water utilities are poorly governed, there will never be improved quality of service. It is critical to have autonomous regulation agencies as well as a mix of PPPs. Poor water governance impedes social and economic development, as water is crucial to the growth of a country.
As stated previously, the financing of water and sanitation projects is also a challenge. But before a country even considers financial assistance for new water infrastructure, it is important to efficiently manage its existing funds. Public funds need to be used efficiently and effectively by government; if they are wasted, it is difficult to attract additional finance.
Another issue is that there is often a lack of partnerships and collaboration within a country and/or region.
Approximately 90% of Africa’s rivers are transboundary. It is vital to mobilise resources and promote coordination
Water Analysis made easy
between regions and countries to avoid duplication of projects and programmes.
What is the future of water in Africa?
The circular approach to water resource management is gaining traction. Water is used, treated and recycled. Wastewater and sewage will be viewed as a resource. A large portion of investments will be directed towards water reuse. There is also an increased emphasis on using technology to better manage water.
One Stop Shop for Drinking & Waste Water
I also think that the payment methods for water will change. Presently, we are used to paying our bills at the end of the month. However, purchasing water on a ‘pay as you go’ basis – where people can purchase water on a weekly or daily basis – is becoming a more sustainable option.
These types of innovations come from the private sector, as it will always do all it can to drive down inefficiencies and increase revenue collection. The role the private sector plays within the water and sanitation industry will expand.
Decentralised water and wastewater plants will increase in popularity. Many of our water and wastewater distribution systems are kilometres long. It makes more sense to treat water and wastewater closer to the location where it is needed.
The water industry needs a pragmatic approach that veers away from traditional methods. Africa is unfortunately off-track in its progress towards achieving SDG 6 and every effort must be made to scale up the delivery of basic water and sanitation services to ensure the targets are met by 2030.
SOME WATER AND SANITATION PROJECTS FUNDED OR CO-FUNDED BY THE AFDB:
• The Sumbe Water Supply, Sanitation and Institutional Support Project (Angola)
• Lesotho Highlands Water Project (Lesotho)
• Water Sector Reforms and Institutional Capacity Development Programme (Sudan)
• Zanzibar Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project (Tanzania)
• Gabal El-Asfar Wastewater Project (Egypt)
• Transforming Rural Livelihoods in Western Zambia Project (Zambia)
• Urban Water and Sanitation Improvement Project in Oyo and Tara (Nigeria)
• Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (Sierra Leone)
• Mzinba Integrated Urban Water and Sanitation Project (Malawi)
• Projet D’assainissement de Younde Phase II (Cameroon)
• Premier Sous-Projet D’assainissement des quartiers peripheri (Burkina Faso)
The fourth precast concrete reservoir in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is nearing completion.
This reservoir will cater specifically to the anticipated doubling in demand for water due to several planned new large developments in the Pam Brink and Dal Fouche suburbs. Work on these developments will commence shortly after the finalisation of the construction of the Pam Brink reservoir and related infrastructure.
Professional team
• The precast system was approved by Tango’s Consultants, which was appointed as the design engineer for the construction of the reservoir and to supervise the works programme.
• Infinite Consulting Engineers collaborated with Tango’s Consultants in the design of the system and to ensure that the various aspects of the works integrated seamlessly, with no delays, and to approve and accept liability for the concrete structure.
• Anita Building was the principal contractor and was also tasked with the earthworks and site terracing, as well as the construction of the inlet and outlet chambers and all inter-related pipe work. The company was responsible for training a large group of subcontractors and locals from poor communities located within the project footprint to work on less onerous aspects of the works programme.
• Corestruc assisted with concrete design and application as well as rigging and erection.
• Coreslab and another approved manufacturer produced the various precast concrete systems.
Concrete technology
By harnessing precast concrete technology, the various trades were able to work simultaneously to save on construction time. The
precast concrete elements were produced during the earthworks and construction of the floor.
If conventional methods were used, work would first commence with the construction of the concrete floor slab and then the walls. The most complex and time-consuming aspect of the build – namely the reservoir roof – would be left as one of the last items in the construction programme, with work on its supporting columns only able to commence once the wall had reached a predetermined height.
The roof and walls were erected in three months after the cast in situ floor, bases for the precast concrete roof structure and ring foundation for the prefabricated wall were completed.
In order to assist with quality control, the precast elements were manufactured in the factory. Self-compacting concrete was used to manufacture elements that contain significant reinforcing where conventional vibrating pokers could not be used. Trial mixes were prepared and tested for strength and durability, while also taking into consideration the workability of the concrete.
Working in a controlled environment, Coreslab was able to ensure the perfect dosages of admixtures in order to avoid overdosing that may delay early strength development. Early strength development was imperative for uninterrupted production.
The circular wall comprises 170 mm thick precast concrete panels that were prestressed vertically
By harnessing precast concrete technology, the various trades are able to work simultaneously to save on construction time
Another focus was to maintain the perfect water-to-cement ratio to ensure concrete strength. Aggregates from suitable suppliers were also graded appropriately to avoid early concrete shrinkage.
Corestruc implemented checks and balances to ensure quality. The prefabricated elements were inspected and approved for dispatch to guarantee the accuracy of the placement of the cast in situ components. Reinforcement bar size and placement were also verified as part of the quality control procedures at the factory.
Construction
Corestruc managed the setting-out and installation of the column anchors for the precast concrete roof. By confirming the dimensional accuracies before erection, the company ensured that the beams of the roof structure fit the first time round. The precast concrete wall panels were placed and positioned in a similar manner with the assistance of permanent locating plates that were fixed to the ring foundation.
The Pam Brink reservoir has an inside diameter of 65.2 m and water height of 7.8 m. The roof column grids for the roof slab and beam span are
10.87 m x 10.87 m. The circular wall comprised 170 mm thick precast concrete panels that have been prestressed vertically. They feature 32 mm diameter polyvinyl chloride sleeves positioned according to the post-tensioning design.
Panels were placed into position and then supported by push-pull props and steel brackets at the top. Unbonded cables were then pushed through the sleeves, which were then grouted monolithically with the joints of the panels.
Grout was poured continuously in-between the wall panels and horizontal cable sleeves. To achieve the required high-strength and -flow properties, the grout had an extended pot life free of segregation. To achieve this, the water-to-cement ratio of 0:37 was manipulated with the use of admixtures, while the water temperature was reduced and controlled to act as a chiller in the mix. Furthermore, only cement that also contained an unhydrated cement that reacted with water and sealed possible leaks was used in the grout mix.
After the grout was cured to a strength of 80 MPa, the cables were stressed to 75% via six precast concrete buttress panels spaced along the perimeter of the reservoir.
The wall was then pinned by casting a 200 mm to 250 mm high reinforced kicker on the wall footing on both sides of each panel. Joints
The roof and walls were erected in three months after the cast in situ floor, bases for the precast concrete roof structure and ring foundation for the prefabricated wall were completed
Precast concrete reservoirs have a smaller carbon footprint
between the panels were grouted with high-flow, high-strength grout and post-tensioning rendered them in compression to achieve water-tightness.
Notably, unlike most conventional post-tensioned reservoir walls, which are designed to slide, a ‘slide-andpinned’ system was used. Posttensioning is undertaken when the wall is not yet fixed to the ring footing and it is, therefore, allowed to slide on a steel bearing or locating plates. The coated post-tensioned cables are not bonded to the grout, with the reservoir designed to maintain a residual compression of a minimum of 1 MPa in all directions. Horizontal reactions to the wall base were transferred to the ring foundation through the second phase cast in situ kicker. This was where the ring tension in the base was also activated to resist the reaction.
Additional post-tensioning of the lower part of the wall reduced the amount of rebar required in the cast in situ ring footing.
Other advantages of precast Precast concrete reservoirs have a smaller carbon footprint. The vertically stressed precast concrete wall panels are thinner, reducing the amount of aggregate and concrete used to build the reservoir. The hollow-core slabs, alone, reduce the carbon footprint of the structure by up to 40%, which is augmented by the use of prestressed 665 mm x 460 mm I-shaped beams. The self-compacting concrete used to manufacture the various precast concrete elements also reduces the volume of the construction material required and conserves energy by eliminating the need for vibration.
Precast technology is a safer means of constructing reservoirs, largely because the various elements are manufactured at ground level and erected on-site by a skilled and experienced team.
The fourth precast concrete reservoir in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is nearing completion
Dams are like loaded guns
The Dam Safety Office (DSO), a division of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), is responsible for safeguarding the people, properties and infrastructure downstream of dams.
By Kirsten Kelly
Like a loaded gun, a dam has the potential to cause serious harm. A loaded gun must never be left unattended, and must be owned by someone with a licence. Dams also require licences and only qualified people can design, build and assess them. One cannot own a dam without conducting regular assessments and maintenance,” explains Wally Ramokopa, director: Dam Safety Regulation, DWS.
Classification of dams
A dam with a safety risk contains, or can store more than, 50 000 m³ of water and has a wall with a vertical height of more than 5 m. All dams with a safety risk, regardless of who owns them (public or private), must be registered with the DSO and comply with legislation.
Any structure capable of diverting or storing water is classified as a dam, and so the dam safety register also includes, for example, mine tailings dumps, pollution control dams, and potable water reservoirs that fit the classification. In exceptional cases, the Minister of the DWS may also declare a dam as having a safety risk even if it falls outside the
conventional registration parameters. Once the registration information of the dam is received, the DSO then classifies the dam into one of three categories that determine the required level of control at that particular dam. The classification is based on the size and hazard potential rating of a dam.
The hazard potential of a dam is based on an assessment of the potential loss of life, potential economic loss with respect to downstream development, as well as the potential adverse impact on resource quality that may result from the failure of a dam.
Geographic information system (GIS) technology is used so that the DSO can see the position of any dam on a computer screen or on a 1:50 000 map and on satellite images in different years. Google Earth is also used. This helps the DSO assess a dam’s hazard potential by evaluating the households, property and infrastructure downstream that could be impacted should the dam fail.
The size of the dam and its hazard potential rating is used in allocating a category classification to the dam.
“There are many instances where
TABLE 1 Size classification of dams with a safety risk
TABLE 2 Hazard potential of dams with a safety risk
Water flowing over concrete spillway at Spioenkop Dam on the Tugela River
Wally Ramokopa, director: Dam Safety Regulation, Department of Water and Sanitation
these dams need to be reclassified. A dam that was built 70 years ago, for example, may not have had any people living or businesses operating downstream at the time, but this may have drastically changed over the years,” states Ramokopa.
Over 5 600 dams with a safety risk are registered with the DSO. They are owned by the DWS, other government departments (such as Agriculture and Correctional Services), farmers, mines, municipalities, water boards and individuals in their private capacity.
“The agricultural industry owns the most dams with a safety risk, while the DWS owns only 323 such dams (i.e. 6%); however, 87% of the storage capacity is in DWS-owned dams,” adds Ramokopa.
Approved professional persons
Only approved professional persons (APPs) can perform certain dam safety
INTERESTING FACTS ON SA’s DAMS
tasks. These are professional engineers, technologists or technicians who are registered in terms of the Engineering Profession Act (No. 46 of 2000), and approved by the Minister of Water and Sanitation after consultation with the Engineering Council of South Africa and the DSO.
“APPs are people who are experienced and skilled in dam engineering. For Category 2 dams, all tasks must be carried out under supervision of an APP, whereas an APP must be assisted by a professional team of experts (such as mechanical engineers, hydrologists and geologists) for Category 3 dams. For Category 1 dams, the involvement of an APP is not required but the dam owner must fulfil the requirements of the dam safety regulations, which includes completing an official application form, submitting design reports and engineering drawings, and an
evaluation of the safety of the existing development,” explains Ramokopa. There is a register of APPs on the DWS website, which makes it easier for dam owners to find people with the necessary qualifications.
Ramokopa cautions that there is only a small list of APPs. “Currently, there are fewer than 100 APPs in South Africa (approximately 1 qualified person for every 50 dams on the Dam Safety register). More than 62% of these are older than 60 years of age.”
Licensing
To perform any task at a safety risk dam (including construction, enlargement, alteration, repair or decommissioning), the owner needs to obtain a licence for construction from the DSO. This normally includes the completion of an application form accompanied by the required design reports and engineering drawings, as well as the
• Oldest dam: Upper Mpate built near Dundee in 1880. It is an earthfill embankment with a height of 18 m and crest length of 293 m.
• The big five dams are as follows:
TABLE 3 Category classification of dams with a safety risk
The Gariep Dam has the highest storage capacity (5 343 m3) in South Africa
Over 5 600 dams with a safety risk are registered with the DSO. They are owned by the DWS, other government departments (like Agriculture and Correctional Services), farmers, mines, municipalities, water boards and individuals in their private capacity
TABLE 4
A Dam in good condition and routine maintenance acceptably up to date. An evaluation interval of longer than five years can be recommended (if the owner requests it or for farmers/smaller municipalities)
B Dam in reasonable condition but not complying to modern standards. Only routine maintenance and routine inspections recommended. An evaluation interval of longer than five years cannot be recommended
C Significant outstanding maintenance by normal operation and maintenance staff recommended, restoring dam to a functional state. Elementary monitoring systems like settlement beacons and flow monitoring included here
D
Significant rehabilitation recommended to restore dam components to original state – e.g. repair major erosion or cavitations, repair slope protection, reinstate crest level, refurbish outlet works or gates. Work is considered significant rehabilitation if it is outside the capacity of the normal operation and maintenance staff, the appointment of a contractor is necessary, and the work should be done under guidance of an APP. Drafting of an operation and maintenance manual and/or emergency preparedness plan and install sophisticated monitoring instruments under guidance of an APP also included here
E Upgrading recommended – e.g. increase spillway capacity, increase freeboard, provide buttress/thicken dam to improve stability or install stress cables, install slope protection, install additional drainage or grouting or water seals to reduce leakage. A licence to alter and the services of an APP will be required
F Dam unsafe. Restrictions on operation recommended – e.g. water level may not exceed a specified level
evaluation of the safety of the existing development.
All new dams also require a wateruse licence for the water-use activity to store water, as well as an environmental authorisation.
“The licensing system has resulted in a significant improvement in the documentation of dam designs, as well as a significant improvement in the quality of professional persons involved in the process. As a result, the general safety of South African dams has also improved,” states Ramokopa.
During the construction of a dam, quarterly reports must be submitted to the DSO and may be subjected to an in-person inspection. Once construction is completed (and before the dam is fully impounded), the owner of the dam must apply for a licence to impound. This involves the submission of an operation and maintenance manual and emergencypreparedness plan.
To reduce the risk of a dam failure, an APP is appointed to conduct a dam safety evaluation (DSE) on Category 2
and Category 3 dams every five to ten years.
The outcomes of DSEs determine the type of intervention/mechanism required to address any safety risks. These interventions/mechanisms could either be maintenance-related or capital-intensive where dam rehabilitation is required. Dams are then given a condition rating.
“The DSO then ensures that these directives are implemented within certain timeframes; however, it must be remembered that the owner has
The agricultural industry owns the most dams with a safety risk
a common law responsibility to always ensure the safety of their dam,” says Ramokopa.
Most dams managed by the DSO are over 50 years old. Therefore, the DWS has an ongoing Dam Safety Rehabilitation Programme (DSRP), as well as its own construction unit that can assist with implementing these directives.
Concluding remarks
Ramokopa adds that due to the changes of hydrology in catchment areas and the effects of climate on dams (increased floods, droughts and evaporation), the DWS makes a concerted effort to stay abreast of new dam technologies, including different types of materials used
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to build dams, new mechanical components and designs of spillways.
“The DWS is a member of the South African National Committee on Large Dams, which participates in the International Commission on Large Dams, comprising 84 member countries. We share all knowledge on dams through these platforms.”
With growing evidence of incidents of vandalism of water infrastructure across the country, Ramokopa raises the question: should our large dams be national key points? “By affording adequate protection to dams and pump stations, we can to some extent alleviate water shortages and not use our strained fiscal resources to replace infrastructure that has been destroyed.”
THE
DAM SAFETY OFFICE (EST. 2007) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR:
• Registration and classification of all dams
• Ensure that all dams with safety risks are designed, built and altered in accordance with appropriate standards
• Responsible for issuing licences to:
- construct a new dam
- alter, repair or enlarge an existing dam
- impound a dam
- decommission a dam
• Assessment of dam safety evaluation reports by an approved professional person (APP) for Category 2 and Category 3 dams
• Approval of APPs and custodian of the relevant register
• Dam safety compliance monitoring inspections
Wall of the Vanderkloof Dam on the Orange River. It has the highest dam wall in South Africa
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Message from our CEO, Don Coleman:
The past 20 years has been a journey filled with fun and interesting challengers. This wonderful journey has been made possible by the enthusiastic, entrepreneurial character, which has encapsulated the Spirit of our amazing team. The road we have travelled was not without its challengers, but with the positive competitive nature of our management and staff, we managed to scale each mountain that was in our way. It has been an absolute pleasure serving with our adopted family and may we take this opportunity thanking the Good Lord for his Grace and many Blessings.
May we all look forward to the next 20 years of this exciting journey.
To our Dear Loyal Customers and Suppliers. Thank you for travelling this long road with us over the past 20 years. We have been truly privileged to be included as part of your supply team. Without your success and support, we would have surely stumbled along the way. We look forward to continuing our journey with you, into a bright new future.
