Over 100 years of practical experience combined with extensive manufacturing facilities have propelled AquaPlan Water Treatment Engineering into becoming a leader in the local market for packaged, modular treatment plants.

At AquaPlan, we design, manufacture, install and commission complete water treatment plants, from packaged potable water treatment plants, to more complex industrial effluent treatment systems. We offer various solutions to vast water-treatment-related challenges, ranging from unconventional technologies to supplying specialised resin,” says Johan Bieseman, managing director of AquaPlan.

AquaPlan’s core specialisations are employed in all unit processes used in the four main fields of water treatment, namely: water purification for human consumption; water treatment and preparation for special industrial applications; industrial effluent treatment; and wastewater treatment.

In order to provide its customers with a tailor-made, effective, yet affordable solution, AquaPlan employs the full spectrum of unit processes in its designs, ranging from conventional clarification and filtration systems, to more complex membrane systems. It also applies a philosophy of continuous optimisation while promoting the use of energy recovery from effluent.

Packaged treatment excellence

“In recent years, we have witnessed a rising demand for packaged, easy-to-
deploy modular treatment plants. Although this technology has been on the market for some years, we have seen a growing interest in purchasing modular systems throughout South Africa. Modular systems provide more flexibility – allowing the plant owner to adjust plants to the size of the service community, or even move the plant to a new location, as needed,” explains Bieseman.

“Not only have our customers shown increased interest in this product, but the orders that we have received thus far reflect a growing range of treatment types required in packaged form,” he adds.

Application range

AquaPlan offers a diverse product range, serving the needs of municipalities,
water boards, the power and petrochemicals industry, mines and the agricultural sector. Other areas where AquaPlan has established a strong presence are renewable energy, and the food and beverage industry.

“We are currently constructing three packaged modular wastewater treatment plants: two for rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal, and one for export to Vietnam,” says Bieseman.

“On the conventional potable treatment side, we are also constructing three packaged modular raw water treatment plants. These include an 8 Mℓ/day treatment plant for a rural community in Kwazulu-Natal treating water from the Tugela River; a 5 Mℓ/day expansion treatment plant for a rural community in Polokwane; and a 2 Mℓ/day treatment plant for deployment anywhere in South-Africa, under the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Drought Eradication Programme,” he adds.

Demand uptick

Bieseman attributes the uptick in
demand for AquaPlan’s packaged modular treatment plants to drought and general water scarcity.

“When considering the enormous demand for clean, potable water in Southern Africa, in conjunction with the ever-increasing population growth, coupled to the sporadic drought we have seen, it comes as no surprise that there
is an enormous demand for quality products in the shortest possible time – at a reasonable cost. This is exactly our mission at AquaPlan: to provide
packaged excellence, at an affordable cost,” he explains.

Delivery timelines

Municipalities, in particular, require fast turnaround times and are becoming more and more likely to consider packaged treatment options. As initiatives like the Blue and Green Drop certifications have been rolled out, municipalities are holding themselves to a higher standard when it comes to providing access to improved water and sanitation infrastructure for all. As a result, there are a greater number of extension and retrofit projects happening, and these projects take a long time to get off the ground due to the rigorous planning, funding and environmental processes involved. In the meantime, municipalities will often require an interim solution to serve their community’s potable and wastewater treatment needs.

“We found that the timeframes for many of these projects became extended and municipalities wanted a high-quality packaged plant capable of lasting throughout the duration of an extended project. AquaPlan responded by customising and optimising our solutions for the local market, ensuring that our plants are constructed with materials that provide superior durability,” says Bieseman.

Projects such as this require a complete solution in a short time. AquaPlan has structured its production process to meet these exacting demands.

“Our lead times with regard to packaged plants are highly competitive. We have streamlined our supply chain, our manufacturing production line and assembly
workspace to achieve shorter turnaround times.

“A complete, tested and ready-to-run, water treatment plant can be custom built in six to eight weeks. We carry critical components in stock, to reduce pressure on the supply chain, and we have a vast range of complete designed and engineered solutions that can go into manufacturing within a day from the initial order being placed. Amongst our range of products, we have optimised redundancy and contingency to be able to increase the up-time of our plants even more. Our installed products are supported by a team of specialists in the field that oversee the operation and maintenance of the products in joint venture with our clients,”
explains Bieseman.

Bright sparks

The entire AquaPlan team shares a passion and commitment to providing clean drinking water to all. It also boasts cross-functional abilities, resulting in effective and efficient service.

“We have a dedicated Engineering Design Department that focuses on ensuring that all projects are executed on time and in line with our stringent quality standards. We rely on a full draughting and manufacturing division to allow the engineers the freedom to plan, design, and execute all functions in-house. All our engineers have extensive experience in water treatment,”
says Bieseman.

Together, AquaPlan’s engineering team members share over 100 years of practical experience along with extensive manufacturing facilities, allowing them to provide skilled services in all areas of the water treatment industry.

Advanced manufacturing

The assembly, transport and rigging of packaged plants during manufacturing and assembly necessitate a considerable amount of space to be able to carry out quality workmanship safely and efficiently. AquaPlan currently has more than
60 000 m² of prime land available, with more than 14 000 m² of covered manufacturing area.

“At AquaPlan, we pride ourselves on the increasing expansion of our manufacturing division. Not only are we investing in plant equipment to aid the manufacturing process, but also in offices and land to be able to execute core functions,” says Bieseman.

Looking to the future

AquaPlan currently undertakes the majority of its projects in South Africa. However, part of the company’s
long-term strategy is to supply Africa, and ultimately the globe, with water treatment plants. “We are currently focusing intently on Africa, having executed projects in Madagascar, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Mali, Ghana, Tanzania, and the DRC,” says Bieseman.

Apart from packaged modular treatment plants, AquaPlan also provides expert mechanical and chemical engineering services, and has excelled in demonstrating these capabilities in the past on large, municipal
treatment works.