30 PROJECT
Plumbing in the Karoo
By
Tanya Olckers
De Jagers Loodgieters Kontrakteurs face challenges head-on with their Murraysburg borehole and pipeline project .
The Karoo is known for its dry and semi-arid climate . It is a place that has become fixed in our collective imagination as a place without water , homes far apart from each other , and sparse animal life .
However , there are vibrant communities that call this sandy patch of our country home . One such community is Murraysburg , which needed two additional boreholes and two existing boreholes refurbished . Added to this , two new pipelines had to be installed to run from the boreholes themselves all the way to the town ’ s existing reservoirs .
De Jagers Loodgieters Kontrakteurs rose to the challenge and set about working on the project over a 16-week period . The Municipality of Beaufort West , who needed the work done , wanted measures in place that would not disrupt water during the daytime loadshedding schedule . To get this right , De Jagers chose to have a solar site placed beside the two new boreholes to ensure daytime water demands were met .
The ground levels of the area need to be at the correct gradient for the pipeline , which is something De Jagers did using its own inhouse GPS total station . Once done , the consulting engineers could incorporate the ground levels into their construction plans so that construction could get underway .
After materials were secured , the pipeline route was set out with the GPS total station and obstructions were cleared from the site . Chalking and excavation of the route could then be undertaken , with trenches then being dug so that the pipeline team could start installation .
Once installation was completed , the trench was backfilled and compacted in line with SANS standards . Scour valves and air valves were then installed , and the ground was rehabilitated , returning it to its natural state .
Testing then commenced to make sure that there were no leaks . Once satisfied , the engineers could sign off the project , and the water could be allowed to flow – bringing much needed relief to Murraysburg .
Trench .
In the meantime , while the pipeline was undergoing installation , boreholes were developed and solar sites erected . This was so that there was no delay in supplying water to Murraysburg .
Images supplied by De Jagers Loodgieters Kontrakteurs
Breaking ground .
While this is something that De Jagers is used to taking in their stride , there were some rather unique challenges that came with the project . For starters , water is scarce in the Karoo . This is something that the contractors and engineers had to keep at the back of their minds as they worked , because every precious drop counts .
As a result , leaks are treated with seriousness . Any damaged or burst pipe that occurs as a result of excavation is repaired as quickly as possible so that the loss of water is minimised .
The other challenge that the team faced was getting a section of the pipeline route through Murraysburg – with no plans of existing services to use as a reference . This made dealing with any existing water and sewer lines and electrical cables quite tricky . Many existing pipelines had to be replaced and marked for future reference .
www . plumbingafrica . co . za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline April 2024 Volume 30 I Number 2