Lesotho dam achieves spillage success at full capacity

Lesotho's US$100 million Metolong Dam has reached its full capacity since its completion in 2016. This was the first time the dam was subjected to the full range of stresses it was designed for. The dam is designed to hold a capacity of 63 million m3 of water and supplies water to two-thirds of Lesotho’s two million population. 

Metolong Dam Project Manager Beyers Havenga explains that the first time a dam spills is a fascinating but critical time, as it is the first opportunity to see the spillway operating as intended.

ESI Africa, 23 August 2018 

Old Mutual installs mass filtration system

One of SA’s biggest corporations has raised the bar – and municipal water levels – by installing its own mass water filtration system so it can go off the “water grid”. 

It recently unveiled its wastewater-to-drinking-water filtration system at its Mutual Park premises in Pinelands‚ Cape Town. Over a month‚ the plant will be saving the City of Cape Town up to 15 000 kilolitres of water. 

Legalbrief, 14 August 2018

55 Mℓ/d treatment plant completed 

Veolia Water Technologies South Africa recently handed over the 55 Mℓ/d potable water treatment plant to state-owned water utility Umgeni Water in the iLembe district municipality, in KwaZulu-Natal. The project was part of the Lower Thukela Bulk Water Supply Scheme constructed at a cost of ZAR1.4 billion. 

Raw water will be abstracted from the uThukela river through a boulder and gravel trap system that prevents large matter from being deposited into the water treatment works. The water will then be pumped from the low lift pump station up to the beginning of the water treatment, where it will generate safe drinking water to inhabitants.  

Engineering News, 17 August 2018 

Cape Town to roll out water network pressure management technology

The City of Cape Town recently announced that it was, in response to the worst drought in its history, expediting the roll-out of pressure management technology to various parts of the water supply network.

"Not only does pressure management generally lower consumption by reducing the rate at which water flows to properties, it also reduces leaks and pipe bursts by better ensuring that pressure remains within levels that the pipework can tolerate, and reduces the rate of loss from leaks and bursts," the city said.

Engineering News, 20 August 2018 

Kibo receives water permit approval for MCPP

Kibo Energy has received provisional approval from the Lake Rukwa Water Basin Board for water permits for the Mbeya coal-to-power project (MCPP), in Tanzania.

An application was made to permit the operation of numerous water boreholes, which the Africa-focused energy company said are integral to the Mbeya coal mines dewatering plan.

Engineering News, 16 August 2018 

Microbeads ban proposed over water fears

Government has set up a task team to look at imposing a total ban on microbeads, the tiny plastic beads used in cosmetics, toothpaste and sandblasting. 

This comes after a Water Research Commission study found microplastic pollution in tap water in Johannesburg and Tshwane, in all rivers tested in Gauteng, and in borehole water in the North West province.

Legalbrief, 14 August 2018

The above reflects a summary of certain news articles published during the preceding week.

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