JOHANNESBURG Water recently held media tours of its various facilities, which included a visit to its waste water treatment works in Driefontein, a reservoir under construction in Diepsloot as well as infrastructure maintenance.
There are six waste water treatment works in Johannesburg, the largest being the Northern Works. According to the external communications officer of Joburg Water, Eleanor Mavimbela, the Driefontein plant supplies the northern parts of Roodepoort, Randburg and parts of Mogale City.
The plant treats approximately 55 megalitres of sewage daily after it was upgraded from 35 megalitres, which cost a total of R295-million to build. The plant is currently in the process of commissioning an electricity plant that will supply electricity for 30 per cent of Driefontein.
The seven-step process of treating waste water is not an easy one to digest, and it took a toll on many Caxton journalists as they were taken step by step through the process of treating sewer water from the time one flushes the toilet every morning until the same water is purified and released into the Crocodile River.
‘Fresh sewage’ from households goes into what is known as the Head of Works, which has a screening building that separates the non-biodegradable organics such as tissues, condoms and pads, among others, from the water.
Thereafter water is de-gritted, meaning that sand is removed from the water which then goes to the primary settlement tanks where the raw sludge settles at the bottom. The water is sent to the fermenters and the overflow goes to the balancing tanks that smooth out water levels, as there is a major difference in the incoming sewer water in the morning as opposed to the evenings.
From the balancing tank, the water goes to the bioreactors and the overflow from the fermenters goes to the bioreactor to aid in phosphorus removal. The secondary tanks doses approximately 5 per cent of chloride to rid it of E. coli. The disinfected and clear water is then sent to the Crocodile River.
The plant uses the masses of dry sludge as fertiliser, which it gives to surrounding farmers.
The media group was then shown a reservoir under construction in Diepsloot. The 25-megalitre reservoir project is expected to be completed in August this year and stands as a whopping R50-55- m project.
The reservoir will store water that will feed the Diepsloot area and parts of Johannesburg. While there are many reservoirs already in the area, on-site engineer Willie Strydom confirmed that the reservoir will cover a 15km radius. With over 45 employees of King Civil Engineering working tirelessly to complete the reservoir, they anxiously wait for the approval of the second 25-megalitre reservoir to be built in the same area.
The last stop to the trip showed the media the process involved in fixing a leaking pipe. “The public is quick to complain about burst or leaking pipes, but they do not know what goes into repairing something of such a magnitude,” said Mavimbela. With only one leak detection team in the region, fixing the leak becomes a big problem if it cannot be found. After the source of a leak is detected, Johannesburg Water is prompt in ensuring that it is fixed timeously.
You may also want to read:
https://www.citizen.co.za/comaro-chronicle/79444/joburg-water-closes-massive-holes-in-kibler-park/ or https://www.citizen.co.za/comaro-chronicle/79380/heavy-duty-recommendations-by-johannesburg-water-results-in-re-allocation-and-replacements-of-water-pipes-2/
