Rand Water’s distribution network consists of over 3 300 kilometers of large diameter pipes. About 10% of Rand Water’s pipelines are pre-stressed concrete pipelines and the rest are steel pipelines. Water is supplied to 58 strategically located service reservoirs, the largest of which is the Klipriviersberg reservoir with a capacity of 650 megalitres.
Rand Water supplies all its potable water from two water treatment plants, namely Zuikerbosch and Vereeniging. These water treatment plants are situated approximately 70 km away from the secondary booster pump stations. B7 pipeline supplies potable water to the western suburbs of Johannesburg from engine room 3 of Zuikerbosch Water Treatment Plant to Eikenhof Booster Pump Station. Given the condition of this pipeline, a number of technologies needed to be employed to refurbish it. These technologies will be explained later in the paper. Since this pipeline could not be taken out of service for a long time due to operational requirements, the refurbishment work was done in two phases. The paper will address both phase one as well as phase two.The scope of work for both phases included:
- Eddy Current Scanning
- Carbon fibre repairs.
- Slip lining of portions of the pipeline
- Installation of seals at pipe joints.
- Chambers rehabilitation.
