Sobek Says

The Constructions of the upgrade and restoration works of WITPAN Wastewater Treatment Plant is progressing with the involvement of all Stakeholders from DWA, the Matjhabeng Municipality and local community.

The Upgrade & Restoration Works Stage, which consist of the followings,

• Construction of a new balancing lagoon with  the  installation 6 settled sewage pumps with a capacity of 3000m³ /hr @15m total static head(static 7m).
• Construction of a new fully equipped grit channel with bar racks and mechanical screening.
• Conversion of the four 40mm diameter bio- filters into a bio- reactor with the construction a new fully equipped blower house with fine bubble aeration system.
• Reconstruction and upgrading two 50 m diameter bio-filter in order to perform partial removal of bCOD at higher hydraulic and mass loading by increasing their height using steel tanks.
• Converting existing 2 trickling filters to highy rate trickling filters by increasing its hight and the replacement of the stone media by plastic packing designed to allow for high hydraulic loading.
• Conversion of the 4 existing humus tanks to activated sludge system by installation of mixers.
• Construction of a ferric chloride building and providing facilities for chemical phosphorus removal.
• Construction of a flocculation channel to provide condition for fast mixing.
• Conversion of the existing 2 clarifiers into 3 horizontal settling tanks to serve as secondary settling tanks.
• Installation of 3 Waste activated sludge pumps and 3 return activated sludge pumps with one standby.
• Rehabilitation of the existing 9 anaerobic digesters for treatment of settled sludge.
• Rehabilitation of the sludge drying beds.
• Installation of steel fencing with gates for control.
• Licencing of the plant at completion of upgrade works.

Currently all The Mechanical and Electric equipment are under manufacture and shall be ready by end September 2010, while the overall progress of works from civil  contractor is presently at 35%

Sobek.

Witpan Trickling Filters

The Constructions of the upgrade and restoration works of WITPAN Wastewater Treatment Plant has commenced under the supervision of Sobek. The plant shall have an average daily capacity of 40MLD. The Upgrade process and restoration was designed by Sobek and initiated by Matjhabeng Local Municipality to address the serious health hazard imposed due to plant’s failure . The project serves Welkom and environs. The project shall address the problem of thefailure of the treatment process which rendered it totally non-functional and prone to flooding due to high ground water levels and the rise of the WITPAN water levels. Matjhabeng Local Municipality have commissioned a parallel project to reduce the Pan water level to avoid future flooding of the pan (by others).

Upon completion of the two projects, the WITPAN Treatment works shall be functional and the flooding problem is resolved. In addition, there shall be a vast improvement on the treatment process and the quality of effluent discharge to the river, as the project tackles these problems as well.

The tender submission was closed on the 7th September 2009 and the contractor, M/s Setmak Civils cc was appointed on the 12th January 2010. Setmak Civils is a BEE company, led by Mr. K.M. Setlogelo. The project site was handed to the contractor on 18th January 2010 and they since have mobilised to the site.

The tendered amount of R60, 511, 215.47 (VAT inclusive) would be funded jointly by MIG and DWAE.

The construction period set for the project is 8 months and the expected day of the rehabilitated plant’s operation commencement is the 18th September 2010.

The issue of drought and water in Western Cape is a serious crisis. When Sobek was invited to assess the gravity of the problem in the George Town, all signs of poor water management are paramount. Sobek found high water losses (both non-payment and technical losses), excessively high water pressure, and low water tariffs which encourage water waste. Simply, the water side of the municipality is not managed on commercial basis. (For more information please click here).

In general, the poor management of our water services has impacted on the water resource in several areas of the country. The indecisive policy around the method of managing water (either as economic or as a social good) has lead to increase in water losses, weak management practice and use of the poor as a shield for subsidizing the water use of the rich….

It is necessary to mention that the high unemployment rate in the country is the reason for the indecisive approach to managing water services. While the poor are ready to pay for their consumption, if they are provided water at reasonable price and at a water pressure suitable that does not cause uncontrollable leakages.

Also, the stratified method of managing the water services, between bulk and retail is impacting of efficiency of service, as the efficiency is lost between the water boards and the municipalities. Each party is accusing the other of inefficiency, and water management is done in isolation to the prevailing socio-economic natures of the communities that is being served.

We would advise that water regulator and politician to allow water boards expansions, to be provincial water companies, responsible for water services up-stream and down-stream (i.e. extraction, bulk supply and reticulation). In this case municipalities can serve only as kiosks for payments of fees. This will allow the boards/utilities to be directly responsible and accountable to the regulator and the communities, where if their boards fail they should be simply dissolved.

The haphazard authorization of water assets, in isolation of the efficiency and the commercial realities on the markets is impacting on the country’s finances and its ability to direct resources where really needed. Also the lack of technical capacities and copying policies from developed countries is not working for South Africa and actions are needed.

Nezar Eldidy

IMESA Conference 2009 In Cape Town

IMESA Conference and Exhibition 2009.

CTICC, 28 to 30 October 2009.

It was that time of the year again: The Institute of Municipal Engineering of South Africa (IMESA) Conference and Exhibition.

Sobek Engineering (Pty) Ltd, was once again in attendance with a strong display in the Exhibition and also in the Conference, by having our Executive Director, Mr. Nezar N. Eldidy as a delegate.

Sobek had a very young, dynamic and diverse team exhibiting in its colourful and vibrant stand. The stand was a talking point due to its unique interior decor which exhibited original photos of past and current Sobek projects. This show case of Sobek expertise created the perfect ambiance for our many visitors. Executive gifts such as brands bags, diaries, calculator clip boards and conference sets were made available to our guests as souvenirs of their visit to our stand at IMESA.

From the Sobek perspective, the Exhibition was a great opportunity to network; make new acquaintances; catch up with friends and clients and introduce our company to those in attendance.

We greatly appreciate the attention and admiration we received from all stakeholder representatives who attended the Conference. We do hope that you too, got better acquainted with Sobek Engineering and enjoyed our company.

We are looking forward to enhancing initiated relations with you in the future. See you again in East London in 2010!

You can view a photo gallery with IMESA Conference pictures IMESA Conference Pictures.swf