Brackenfell High School, in Cape Town, was the winner of civil engineering institution South African Institute of Civil Engineering’s (Saice’s) yearly water infrastructure competition, which was titled Aqualibrium, this year.

The Brackenfell team, comprising grade 12 learners Angelique le Roux, Aldo Siegling and Bennie van Eeden, only accumulated 35 penalty points for their entry in innovation in water distribution. All three learners have been accepted to study civil engineering at the University of Stellenbosch next year.

In second place was Winnie Mandela Secondary School, with 85 penalty points, and Dendron Secondary School, with 177 penalty points, came third.

The three teams of students and teachers shared the prize money of about R17 000.

The year-long Saice-Rand Water Schools Water Competition was sponsored by bulk water services provider Rand Water. It required learners from grades 10 to 12 to create a water distribution network to distribute 3 ℓ of water equally between three points on a grid using two different diameter pipes and connection pieces.

During the final leg of the competition, which took place on July 25 at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, in Newtown, Johannesburg, the learners were judged on how well they executed the task, based on a penalty point system. The teams had about an hour in which to design, build and operate their network. This simulated a real-life scenario, whereby water must be distributed from a reservoir to different areas through pipes of different sizes.

Numerous schools competed in competitions in the run-up to this final event.

Water distribution systems are important to supply safe and clean drinking water to people, says Saice outreach officer Marie Ashpole.

The competition aims to create awareness regarding water issues in South Africa, helping to spread the message that water is a precious commodity, use of which should be reduced, with it being recycled, reused, respected and conserved.

Through this competition, Saice and Rand Water – the current naming-rights sponsor – took the responsibility of creating awareness that water should be used wisely, that infrastructure should be maintained and that new infrastructure should be created to provide potable water for those without water.

Further, the competition strengthens government’s initiatives aimed at encouraging learners to study mathematics and science at school and to pursue a career as a science or civil engineering professional. “This way, we can assure that the quality of life of all South Africans will be better in future,” Ashpole says.

This year’s water distribution kits were updated to include better-quality components to assist learners in creating efficient networks.

Creating Awareness
“This competition exposes students to the practical application of processes that influence their daily lives – which is how water gets to their homes,” says Ashpole.

The grid used for the water distribution network is on a background that depicts the entire water cycle. “It intrigues students, as well as educators, who find it a helpful educational tool,” she says.

Plastic pipes and fittings company Marley Pipe Systems product specialist Ian Venter tells Engineering News the competition aims to provide a good understanding of the disciplines and aspects needed to supply rural water networks and services to people.

“Many people take water infrastructure for granted. They open a tap and water flows. We want to show learners that the water supply process is not that simple,” he says.

Further, the competition also provides an ideal opportunity for the civil engineering industry, as awareness of how water networks operate and the importance of maintaining these networks and systems, is created, adds Venter.

“An event like this helps to create camaraderie and promotes teamwork,” he says, adding that, for learners to be successful and win, they should take note of the initial instructions explaining how to build their water networks.

Venter concludes that this is similar to civil design, with a clear set of rules and a job description and, by following the rules and applying them skillfully, they will have established a network that works effectively.