Modernising water infrastructure: what will it take to address the water challenges in Africa?

JOHANNESBURG, SA,  Water is a critical resource and has a tremendous impact on Africa’s development. Unfortunately, climate change, together with a soaring population, has led to an increase in the demand for water – a demand that in many countries, outstrips the available resources. As the availability of water declines, the facilitation of water for domestic consumption, agriculture and other uses is becoming critical, as is the modernising of water infrastructure to meet the growing demand. Bear in mind that Africa is a continent with 1.2 billion people, and a…

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What are the most common ways water is wasted?

  South Africa’s lopsided water supply prompts it to focus on reducing water wastage. Modern technology can help reduce wastage, but it also requires fundamental operational changes. Some of the common ways water is wasted are ageing infrastructure; insufficient water management; not using water-related data; poor water recycling; and outdated irrigation techniques. By addressing these elements, communities can help protect and improve their water resources.   JOHANNESBURG, SA – South Africa is among the more water-stressed countries in the world. It has abundant water resources in some areas, but many parts…

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Stefanutti Stocks Ghana successfully completes AME Project at Newmont’s Ahafo Mine

Stefanutti Stocks Ghana, a subsidiary of Stefanutti Stocks (Pty) Ltd – an industry stalwart and South Africa’s foremost listed construction group – has added another successful African project to its track record, with the completion of a major plant expansion project for mining client Newmont Gold Ghana. The project achieved commercial production on schedule and within budget in October 2019. Ahafo mine, located in the Brong-Ahafo region of central Ghana, is one of the largest gold mines in the Republic of Ghana and in the world. The project objective was…

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Bringing critical power distribution out of the dark

As the trend towards digitisation becomes pervasive across many industries and operations, the benefits offered to power distribution systems should not be overlooked. However, due to the aging infrastructure of facilities such as hospitals, airports, wastewater treatment plants, etc., electrical distribution has not been keeping up with the latest digitisation trends. As such, most facility teams are still working “in the dark” by not leveraging available, proven IoT-enabled power management technology to its full potential to achieve optimal performance, safety and regulatory compliance.  Manage complexity By using the right digital…

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South Africa’s Real Water Crisis: Not Understanding What’s Needed

A serious multi-year drought in parts of South Africa’s Northern and Eastern Cape provinces has seen a number of small towns threatened by total water supply failures and livestock farmers facing financial ruin. In other parts of the country, heatwave conditions and the late onset of rains have caused local supply failures. Although the dams that supply most of the main urban areas are still at reasonable levels, there are growing fears that the country may be witnessing the start of a major drought. Cape Town’s experience of extreme “Day Zero” supply restrictions only adds to…

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The advantages of a rubber lined pump for wet sand applications

Mark Doyle, Global Product Manager for Linatex® Rubber, looks at the process of pumping fine aggregates and explains why rubber is the most suitable wear material for this application. The construction aggregate industry transports slurry in various forms, from fine sand to coarse aggregate. Fine particle sand can be extremely abrasive and often rapidly wear down a slurry pump. The properties of coarse aggregates that can affect the performance of the pump are size, shape and surface texture, and gradation of particle sizes, with fine materials developing excessive friction in…

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Realigning water industry assets in digitally enhanced operations

Digital transformation is blending information and operational technology for asset performance improvements that reduce costs, optimise efficiency and improve conservation in the water and wastewater operations. “This opportunity comes at a time when water is recognised as a limited, high-value resource,” states Jacques Squire, Water and Wastewater Segment Leader at Schneider Electric South Africa. “The United Nations projects that if current water usage trends continue, by 2030 the world will have only 60% of the water it needs. This pending scarcity compounds pressures already mounting in the industry.” Industry pressures…

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Gauteng could be SA’s next Day Zero region, agriculture forum hears

Gauteng is the next potential Day Zero region in South Africa if it is hit by another drought, according to Mike Muller, adjunct professor at the University of the Witwatersrand School of Governance. Speaking at the Agri SA Water Symposium in Somerset West on Monday, he said a report on what to do to avoid Day Zero in Gauteng was already brought to the attention of authorities in the province a year ago. Prioritise farming “The Cape Town water crisis showed agriculture’s importance for the regional economy. Society recognised this…

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Water pollution an ‘invisible threat’ to global goals, economists warn

It’s an issue affecting both rich and poor countries. Kim Harrisberg, Thomson Reuters Foundation  /  The World Bank report warns of the ripple effects of water pollution on the health, economies, education and agriculture of rich and poor countries alike. Picture: Shutterstock Water pollution threatens nearly all the globally agreed development goals to end environmental destruction, poverty and suffering by 2030, economists warned in a report on Tuesday, citing the largest-ever database on the world’s water quality. The World Bank report warned of the ripple effects of water pollution on the…

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Mozambique water project: insights into supply and use in a peri-urban area

In a co-authored article for The Conversation, Murdoch University academics Dr Ana Rita Sequeira, Dr Halina Kobryn and Dr Mark P McHenry report on the benefits a water infrastructure project brought to a Mozambique town.   The United Nations reports that water scarcity affects more than 40 of the global population. Just over a third of people don’t have access to safely managed drinking water. This is why the Sustainable Development Goals set out to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030.…

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