municipalities
news
CELEBRATING WORLD WETLANDS MONTH
industry
The Water Research Commission, GroundTruth and the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa have
developed “citizen science tools” to monitor water resources. The tools are aimed at integrating civil society into
monitoring water resource management in SA’s major catchments, including trans-boundary management.
The idea is that if citizens’ knowledge of water resources is improved, this empowers them to communicate with
authorities and co-manage their resources better, and will result in greater change and better management of
resources. Citizen-based tools for monitoring of catchment and river health can create awareness, educate and
empower them to better manage activities within their community, improving habitat health and ecosystem services.
The tools were used a workshop in Pietermaritzburg in February, where their capability to
collect robust scientific data in a simple way was demonstrated. International water sector
representatives from Kenya and Unesco were among those who attended.
Willem Liebenberg
infrastructure
The South African Plastic Pipe Manufacturer’s Association (SAPPMA) has
appointed Willem Liebenberg as its new technical marketing manager.
Liebenberg will be responsible for marketing and promoting plastic piping systems. His
interaction will mainly be with consulting engineers and other bodies where piping projects
are being planned. In his capacity as professional engineer, he will assist design engineers
and others with technical queries related to all aspects of plastic piping systems.
He has a M. Tech in Civil Engineering (cum laude) from the University of
Johannesburg. Before joining SAPPMA, he was employed at Alstom S/E Africa as
the lead civil engineer, where he was responsible for managing all the construction
issues and topics relating the structural and civil engineering designs on both the
Medupi and Kusile power station projects for the Turbine Island Contracts.
During the next few months, Liebenberg says he will focus on
attaining as much technical knowledge as possible. “I aim to eventually
be one of the national experts in plastic pipes,” he says.
debate
NEW MARKETING MANAGER FOR SAPPMA
ROUNDTABLE ON MIDDLE EAST WATER
technology
A high-level roundtable on water innovation and regional cooperation in the water sector took place in London in February,
under the auspices of the Anglo Israel Association, with the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies.
The workshop examined water crises from water scarcity to water surplus. Other sessions will look at water resource
management in agriculture and the use of irrigation technologies and techniques for arid zones.
Innovation in water and wastewater treatment in the context of desalination technologies and effluent reuse, together
with public-private partnerships for water infrastructure development and energy efficiencies in large scale water
infrastructure will also be covered in the day-long roundtable.
Regional water management, specifically water agreements between Israel and Jordan and the Palestinian Authority,
was also thrashed out.
networking
ZULULAND PURIFICATION WORKS BEGIN
Despite recent rain, the drought continues to ravage parts of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. This month, Zululand
District Municipality mayor MA Hlatshwayo handed over the construction of the new Usuthu Water Purification
in Nongoma to contractor Stefanutti Stocks JV ORO Projects. The contractor was appointed late last year.
The plant is expected to take more than two years to build and will help ease water supply in
the Nongoma areas. The cost is estimated at R116-million. Construction is divided into two phases,
set for completion by 2018. Stefanutti is expected to be on site by the end of Februrary.
Hlatshwayo said construction would create job opportunities for the local community, and
handed over a contract to the construction company to build the three megalitre concrete
reservoir and access road, worth about R40-million, for the Nongoma community.
Hlatshwayo said the construction of the Usuthu water purification plant and reservoir is
a long-term programme to resolve water supply problems within parts of Nongoma.
Water Se vvRbVff