It is essential that South African municipalities timeously maintain and repair faulty sewerage reticulation equipment to prevent sewer spills, which could cause environmental hazards and pollution of water resources, says construction chemical company a.b.e. concrete repair and general construction products manager Ivor Boddington.

a.b.e. is part of the chemicals solutions company Chryso Southern Africa Group.

“There has been widespread concern in South Africa that municipal neglect or delays in the maintenance of sewerage reticulation systems could lead to serious outbreaks of disease,” he says, adding that, recently, for example, it was reported that sewage leaks in Soshanguve had caused raw sewage to flow into the Soutpanspruit, resulting in the contamination of the Crocodile river catchment area.

“This is only one of several similar media reports recently, so it is clearly in the public interest that municipalities timeously introduce repair projects that will not only prevent pollution but also avoid service disruptions during the repair process,” states Boddington.

He says a.b.e. Construction Chemicals’ epidermix 520 is the ideal high-strength mortar to fast-track repair and maintenance projects for municipal sewerage systems.

Epidermix 520 is a solvent-free, abrasion-resistant reinstatement mortar that has been effectively used for structural repairs to concrete in sewerage systems and pipes, acid tanks, sea walls and industrial floors. “The epoxy offers many benefits to contractors involved in sewerage repairs and maintenance,” says Boddington.

The advantages of epidermix 520 include high early strength to ensure limited impact on construction programmes or maintenance shutdowns, high resistance to abrasion, good chemical resistance to a wide range of corrosive materials, high impermeability and the ability to cure under damp conditions.

Epidermix 520 is a three-component, high-build epoxy mortar, which can be used for concrete repairs in vertical, horizontal and overhead applications. Horizontal and vertical substrates should be primed with a.b.e.’s epidermix 326, a two-component, solvent-borne epoxy system with special adhesion promoting qualities.

Epidermix 520, which can also be used as bedding mortar for precast elements, is supplied in 5 ℓ yield kits.