Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium nears completion
ground level for enhanced
aesthetics and to prevent
injury to players.”
SBA, in a joint venture with
Aurecon (previously Ninham
Shand) was appointed by the
Nelson Mandela Bay
Municipality for the main pitch
design of the new Nelson
Mandela Bay Stadium, which
is now nearing completion.
“The design of the pitch, with its
associated drainage and irrigation
system, was challenging as it had
to comply with strict international
FIFA standards,” says Greg Cummings, director of SBA. “SBA was
appointed to undertake the design of the irrigation system for the
main pitch and the two practice pitches, as well as all external
landscaping.The irrigation system for this new stadium consists
of an in-field ‘pop-up’ system, which operates on the basis of
pre-programmed time switches. Rain trip sensors and evapotranspiration sensors ensure that the pitch is never over-or
under-irrigated.These ‘pop- up’ sprinklers are installed below
This precision controlled
irrigation system, which
also offers total flexibility,
provides correct irrigation
to grassed areas with
different shade periods, to
ensure a uniform pitch
appearance.
Water for this irrigation
system is obtained from the municipal supply, fed from a
duty/standby pumpset that ensures standard pressure to the
sprinkler system.
Installation of this irrigation system should be complete by the
middle of 2009.
Email Greg Cummings:
[email protected]
Value adding service - GIS capacity expanded
Munitech’s GIS capacity has expanded in recent
months as a result of the increasing use of GIS, to
add value to the company’s services in the operations
and maintenance field.
GIS is a tool that links information to geographic features and
can greatly increase the efficiency of services management
data processing, calculations and reporting.
Head of the eThekwini based GIS unit, Keshan Moodley, states,
“GIS is widely used for spatial planning; representing on-site
investigations and data management. Spatial representation of
information is a powerful tool and enhances communication
between Munitech and its clients significantly.”
Moodley adds, “GIS has grown from a mapping tool to a
management tool at Munitech. The shift in focus has enabled
the company to offer improved services to clients. The ‘value
add’ is evident in the growth in GIS capacity to meet demand.”
Munitech offers GIS services in database design, data processing,
environmental modelling, consulting and map production.
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GIS has added value to key projects such as:
Leak detection in the southern operational area of eThekwini:
Improved quality control is achieved by geographically
referencing acoustic correlations undertaken by field teams
and reporting leaks in a spatial format, which is a significant
value add for clients
Non-revenue water reduction in the northern operational area
of eThekwini: GIS is used to undertake desktop zone
assessment, to model probable pressure profiles in networks
to identify suitable locations for pressure reduction
mechanisms and to develop apparent loss reduction activities
Management of Solid Waste Collection contracts in
eThekwini: Contract extent and payment processes are
defined using GIS. Accurate house counts and land-use
identification in the contract areas enhances the ability to
apply contract conditions and provides an audit trail for the
calculation of payment. GIS is used to support 22 formal
contracts and over 300 community based contracts.
Email Keshan Moodley:
[email protected]