Housing in Southern Africa October 2015

Bathrooms, Kitchens & Plumbing

lower failure rates, less corrosion, fewer joint leak prevention and lower in price compared to the other pipes. Says Venter: “HDPE and PVC pipes are light- weight and easy to handle, easy to join, available in a range of sizes and pressure rat- ings and have low fric-

from 1970 onwards. “The old cement and steel pipes that were installed do not have an economic lifespan of longer than 50 years. The fact that they are undoubtedly corroded by now can be seen from thewater leaks that are springing up everywhere and disrupting water supplies. Litres of treatedwater is lost each year around the country as a result. If the local municipalities were only to spend the money allocated in their budgets to upgrade and replace old and failing water infrastructure, we would then be able to save enough purifiedwater to significantly reduce the impact and long-term effects of the below aver- age rainfall,” Venter says. Local plastic pipe manufactur- ers and installers are hoping that the water scarcity concerns and the threats of ‘water shedding’ would be the conduit in which we would see old pipelines being replaced by plastic pipes made from PVC or high density polyethylene. The benefits of using plastic pipes as opposed to other materials have beenwell docu- mented and tested. Apart from having a lifetime that is more than double that of other materials, plastic pipes are also quicker and easier to install, have

tional resistance, with hydraulic properties that remain virtually unchanged over its useful life, result- ing in lower energy use and pumping costs”. “The Water Re- search Commis- sion completed a survey of 132 municipalities in South Africa a few months ago. Findings revealed

that water lost through leakage, in- correct metering and unauthorised consumption, averaged 37% of our country’s availablewater supply. This amounts to a financial loss of around

R7,2 billion per year. South Africa simply cannot afford to continue losing so much treated water,” concluded Venter. ■