IMIESA - Volume 39, Issue 7, July 2014

The Infrastructure Development Act has come into effect as of 1 July 2014, and is intended to facilitate and coordinate infrastructure development as one of government's key development levers.

One of the proudest moments of my career occurred recently with the announcement of eThekwini Water and Sanitation as the 2014 recipient of the Stockholm Industry Water Award (SIWA).

Having been the acknowledged leader in the supply of bituminous products, Tosas is now well on its way to again becoming the number one value-added binder supplier in Southern Africa.

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Infrastructure news from around the continent

Construction of the new inlet water pipe from the eThekwini Water and Sanitation main line to the Jerome Drive reservoir in Kloof was completed ahead of schedule in earlier this year.

BRT systems are fast becoming part of the South African urban landscape. In the first part of this two-part article, the authors set about defining BRT systems, looking at their history and examining configurations, factors and options. This is the second and final part of the article - part one was published in the June 2014 edition of IMIESA.

Envirosan Sanitation Solutions is a service-oriented company with over 50 years' combined experience in sanitation improvement.

The upgrade of the Caesar's Dam water treatment works in the Addo region will alleviate the water-shortage problem the Eastern Cape town of Paterson is currently facing, due to the increased water demand.

The Vlakfontein canal system, constructed in the 1970s and situated between Standerton and Secunda, is a vitally important strategic link as it supplies water to two of the country's largest energy suppliers: Eskom and Sasol, both of which are classified as strategic users.

IMIESA asked Sephaku Cement chief executive Pieter Fourie what the South African market can expect from the country's first new cement entrant in 80 years. The resounding answer was, "We deliver."

While readymix concrete remains the single most important construction material used in Southern Africa, the sustainability of supply of all materials used in its manufacture needs to be secured to ensure that suppliers are able to keep pace with construction projects in years to come.

South African companies in the quarrying industry should consider investing in the growth of their businesses right now, as local and international economies drag themselves out of a prolonged slump and edge towards improved growth.

With the cost of delivering water increasing dramatically in recent years, water utilities need to get the most out of their existing assets, whether it is improving water quality, increasing capacity, extending the life of the asset or lowering energy consumption.

Replacing existing water meters with prepaid meters has allowed a Johannesburg local municipality to collect revenue that was previously lost due to inoperable prepaid metering systems.

In North America, trenchless pipe installation methods continue to see rapid adoption growth in municipal markets, with 71% of utilities having used trenchless methods in the past 12 months. This adoption rate is a function of improving equipment, installation experience and improved materials.

Road authorities in South Africa face many challenges in maintaining one of the country's most vital assets - its roads. Preliminary results indicate that KwaZulu-Natal's road network requires a long-term, sustained maintenance plan.

A major challenge in Africa is the ability of communities and businesses to access the water required for urban and rural human settlement as well as mining, industrial and agricultural development.

The Hartbeespoort Dam impoundment has been seriously affected by eutrophication for many years and its storage capacity has dramatically been reduced by sedimentation. To extend the scheme's lifespan, the DWA introduced a restoration process to upgrade the dam reservoir's water quality and capacity.