Engineering News — December 08, 2017

V

alves supplier APVF will supply

pipeline products for six desalination

plants earmarked for construction

in the Western Cape, which are expected to

deliver 28 Mℓ of water to the province daily.

Operations director Ben Levitas notes that

this amount is just a portion of the amount

that will be needed to meet Cape Town’s

650 Mℓ daily water demand.

The City of Cape Town awarded

six companies the construction and

commissioning of six desalination plants

on November 7 as part of the solution to

the water crisis being experienced by the

province. Phase one of each of the projects,

due for completion by March next year,

has been allocated a combined budget of

R1-billion.

At the end of March, these completed

stop-gap projects, with an intended life span

of two years, will have to produce 28 Mℓ of

purified water.

The awards include a 7 Mℓ desalination

plant for Monwabisi, a 7 Mℓ pl a nt i n

Strandfontein, both near Khayelitsha, an

8 Mℓ plant in Granger Bay, a 4 Mℓ plant in

Hout Bay, a 2 Mℓ plant in Red Hill, and a

2 Mℓ plant in the Waterfront.

There are plans for an additional 50 Mℓ

plant later on in the Cape Town harbour.

Levitas believes that the plants will not be

constructed and commissioned by the March

deadline, owing to the sheer amount of parts

required to be imported after local suppliers

have exhausted their stockholding. Further, he

highlights the need for specialised products,

such as a 1-km-long stainless steel pipe to

pump water from the ocean for desalination,

which could have a 10- to 12-week lead time.

A stainless steel pipe is necessary, owing

to its ability to handle corrosive material

and high pressure, which is not possible with

plastic pipes, which are only rated to handle

about 25 bars of pressure.

“The paperwork may be ready, but

there will not be water coming out of

the desalination plants by March. If the

companies do finish the plants in time, there

is a good chance that they will need extensive

repairs, owing to rushed work resulting

in low-quality construction, requiring the

importing of spare components.”

Further, he adds that much of the time

allotted for construction will fall during the

December holiday period, as most suppliers

and contractors will close until mid-January,

which leaves a month and a half before the

Company supplies

Western Cape-based

distribution centre

Page 30

28 ENGINEERING NEWS | December 8–14, 2017 AN

BUSINESS IN THE

WESTERN CAPE

Compiled by MARLENY ARNOLDI

Doubt whether desalination plants

will be delivered by March

OCEAN ASSISTANCE

The City of Cape Town awarded six companies the

construction and commissioning of six desalination plants on

November 7 as part of the solution to the water crisis

MARLENY ARNOLDI | CREAMER MEDIA REPORTER