New device could offer a solution to South Africa’s leaking pipes

7th September 2016

By: Kim Cloete

Creamer Media Correspondent

  

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Researchers at the University of Cape Town (UCT) have developed a novel device that could help to contain the massive amount of water lost through leaking pipes in South Africa.

UCT Department of Civil Engineering researcher Professor Kobus van Zyl says the device is able to do a sophisticated pressure test on an isolated section of pipe.

“Through this, we are able to see what the condition of the pipe is. We can see the leakage rate as well as determine three different types of leaks,” he explained.

Data is sent to a central service through a cellphone or laptop application, making the operator “the eyes and ears of the municipality”.

The first field trials have been run in Cape Town in the first few months of this year and the technology is due to be patented soon.

Van Zyl, who has been studying the leaks in South Africa’s water distribution systems for more than a decade, says at least one-third of the water within the system does not reach people. Much of it is lost through leaking pipes.

He told a UCT Café Scientifique function at the Irma Stern Museum, in Cape Town, that this was untenable, particularly in a country such as South Africa, which was water-scarce.

“Water supplies are shrinking and the quality of water resources is deteriorating. We need to think long-term to be sustainable. We need to convince the people on the ground and our councilors in municipalities to stick to a long-term plan.”

Van Zyl said a system of “water-shedding” in which water is switched off at 22:00 and then on again at 04:00, was not the answer to the water shortage problem in South Africa.

“A water pipe is very different to an electricity wire,” said Van Zyl.  He said intermittent water supply was a magnet for stormwater and pollution and bacteria to enter the drinking water supply.

“I won’t drink water from a tap in a place with intermittent water supply because you cannot rely on the water being safe to drink.”

Van Zyl said political interference in municipalities was having a detrimental effect on the provision of quality water. He said municipal civil engineers were often rushed into finishing work to meet housing project deadlines and allow councilors to meet their targets. Substandard plumbing fittings were used, leading to problems down the line.

“We may have solved a housing problem, but we have a leakage problem, so it’s not sustainable.

“Corruption filtering into the system also has downstream effects. The poor have to bear the brunt of this as they have to put up with infrastructure that is not up to scratch.

“It’s like stealing from the poor,” said Van Zyl.

He said a leak detection system could help to stem the vast quantities of water that are lost across cities and towns in South Africa.

“Technology that identifies a leak can solve a problem. These kind of devices could ensure that maintenance is done. We’re hoping to bring together different parties to create solutions to some of these problems.”

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

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