New Stormwater outfalls in Blue Horizon Bay
SBA is currently monitoring the construction of remedial works to two stormwater outfalls in Blue Horizon Bay,
an up-market seaside settlement, approximately 30 km’s west of Port Elizabeth.
“
T
he works comprise channels and cascading
channels of gabion construction traversing
a dune and discharging via a stilling basin on
the beach,” says Greg Cummings, director of
SBA. “These 20m high x 4m wide structures
replace the remnants of severely damaged
piped outfalls and are constructed within the
resultant deep erosions. The new structures
had to be flexible to adjust to minor settlement,
without jeopardising their structural integrity.”
Because of the 50% slope of these sites, careful
planning of access for plant, materials and
labour was necessary. Gabion stone is being
chuted down to a temporary stockpile, which
is restricted in size, due to the limited working
space within the erosion scar. Gabion baskets
are being carried down by hand along
established foot paths, but clearing of
vegetation has not been permitted for
environmental and erosion reasons.
The stretch of coastline adjacent to the sites
provides a habitat for a handful of endangered
black oyster-catcher nesting pairs and so
permission was required from the local DEAET
office to temporarily gain access to the sites
for the establishment and de-establishment of
plant. In co-operation with the local conservancy and the municipality’s environmental
officer, a route via the compacted sand, below
the high water mark was plotted.
This project is due for completion at the end
of April 2007.
Hyacinth Street
outfall – partially
completed gabion
headwall to
existing pipe.
Mimosa Street
outfall – gabion
stilling basin on
beach below.
Contact Greg Cummings –
[email protected]
New reticulation for Ramaphosa Village
Service distribution box on 8m pole.
SBA has been responsible for
advertising, compiling and issuing of
tender documents for the installation
of the MV and LV reticulation and
service connections of the Ramaphosa
Village in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth.
Phases 1 and 2 consist of MV and LV reticulation
for approximately 420 erven and the installation
of service connections of nearly 300 erven.
The project encompassed:
• The preparation of bills of quantities
• Tender and adjudication
• Construction and material management
Typical Readiboard.
• The installation of MV and LV aerial bundle
conductors (ABC), transformers, connection
to substation, overhead service cable,
strapping of cable onto poles and coiling of
cable at service distribution boxes on poles
• The installation of energy control units
(readiboards) and electricity dispensers
(pre-paid meters)
• Testing, commissioning and hand-over of the
works and
• The submission of a customer report form
and certificate of compliance (CoC) for each
service connection.
In spite of unexpected problems like cable theft,
excessive rainfall and the addition of formal
houses to the initial contract, this project was
completed only four months later than originally
expected.
Contact Carsten Klotz – [email protected]
11