PROJECT
41
By AECOM SA
The project brief called for an alternative to the
European service station concept, to create a
state-of-the-art retail fuel site that challenges
the traditional view of a service station being a
modular square box. Looking at the convential
design, AECOM realised that they had scope to
push the boundaries. Their multidisciplinary
approach also allowed more innovation in their
construction methodology.
The site on the N4 highway is close to the town of
Kroondal in the North West Province and is the first
lightweight steel retail fuel station in the group’s network.
The project is the group’s largest capex outlay on a retail
fuel site in decades.
The project commenced in September 2017 and was
completed in October 2018. Delivery of the project was
delayed due to unforeseen site conditions, abnormal
rainfall, and community protests.
One of the most challenging elements of the design was
the software modelling of the lightweight steel design.
Continuous design reviews were required to ensure
clashes would be kept to a minimum and that alignment
with the architect’s design would be achieved.
WET SERVICES OF THE PROJECT
Water source
The water source was the key contributing factor in the
selection of a water-efficient design; the recycling of
grey water, and the use of borehole water. A municipal
water connection was not immediately available and
the process to obtain such a connection was a long,
drawn-out process. Therefore, other water sources, such
as borehole water and recycling of grey water, were
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
incorporated into the design, which will later become
a supplementary water supply to the municipal water
supply for the facilities.
Construction of the
domestic water and grey
water storage tanks.
System/design intent
• Water
The design intent was to use the municipal water supply
for domestic drinking water purposes on both the
east and west building facilities. The urinals and WCs
would receive recycled/treated grey water for flushing
purposes. The goal was to reduce the use of the scarce
freshwater resource (municipal water) and at the same
time reduce the cost of the municipal water bill.
There is an existing borehole with sufficient yield that
has been considered into the design of the water supply.
The borehole water requires treatment, and pending
budget approval and the timing of the municipal water
connection, this phase is yet to be implemented. Once
approved, a water treatment plant will be constructed,
and the borehole water will supplement the municipal
water supply. The intention is to eliminate the risk of
municipal water interruptions/shortages.
• Sewer
The area has no bulk water-borne sewer connection, and
therefore it was necessary to construct a sewer treatment
plant on site. The raw sewage must be treated to a level
that is acceptable to the Water Use Licence Agreement
(WULA) document. The water is treated for reuse into the
building ablutions for toilet and urinal flushing, with the
safe excess discharged into the natural water courses.
System operation
There are three sectional steel storage tanks, namely
domestic water; recycled water, and fire water. The
domestic water storage tank of capacity 116m 3 will
May 2019 Volume 25 I Number 3