Working with ECA Consulting Engineers and the Main Contractor, Afrostructures Pty Ltd and SBS Tanks, the Zululand District Municipality (ZDM) has acted proactively to expand on existing water infrastructure to serve the growing rural population in the Makhosini region. Two existing concrete reservoirs at Makhosini have now been supplemented with two new bulk water storage tanks from the SBS Tanks Standard Tank range, an ST17/06 and an ST13/03.
At Makhosini, in Zululand, the tanks, installed by SBS Tanks’ in-house installation teams, hold a combined capacity of 750,000 litres of water storage. The SBS tank model, ST17/06 provides the bulk of that storage capacity at 600,000 litres and stands just over six metres tall, while the ST13/03 accommodates 150,000 litres of water and stands just over three metres high.
High levels of unemployment and the existence of fewer economic zones have resulted in a low revenue base for the ZDM. This has had an impact on not only infrastructure development and maintenance, but also service delivery in the area. Municipal managers, engineers and consultants had to consider the most sustainable solution to deliver bulk water storage to the Makhosini site as quickly as possible, and also had to acknowledge the logistical challenges, environmental impact and budgetary limitations.
“The poor road infrastructure, remote nature and need for cost and time efficiencies make SBS Tanks the ideal solution for rural municipal installations,” Gwagwa says. “Our tanks are made up of lightweight panels that used to build the tank structure onsite, from the ground up using a jacking system. The reduced weight and modular design of the materials means the tanks can be transported on a light delivery vehicle, or in areas where road infrastructure does not exist, can be carried to site by hand. Community members can be hired to assist with this process if necessary, providing much needed employment. There is no requirement for heavy machinery onsite during the installation process.”
Get in touch with SBS Tanks to find out more about our bulk, wastewater, potable, process or fire water storage tanks. Tel: 086 048 2657 Email: info@sbstanks.co.za or visit www.thesbsgroup.com.
© SBS Holdings 2024
