Water, Sewage & Effluent May-June 2018 | Page 9

Plastic pipes body insists on high standards The Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) has reiterated its insistence that only top- quality pipes manufactured by members who adhere to the association’s Code of Conduct and who meet the stringent quality standards, will be allowed to bear the SAPPMA mark. Jan Venter, SAPPMA’s chief executive officer, says board members will focus on quality and will take an uncompromising stand when it comes to pipe manufacturers who fail to comply or are found guilty of misconduct. SAPPMA remains resolute in its decision not to lower standards, even if it runs the risk of losing long-term members through expulsion. The failure of the SABS and the gap between supply and demand have created an environment where corners are cut as margins come under pressure, coupled with rising raw material prices, specific to HDPE pipe. “Due to enormous expenditure on research and development by polymer manufacturers, modern pipe grade materials have such excellent properties that it is now impossible for any pipe engineer to ignore them,” he adds. SAPMA represents more than 80% of the pipe manufacturers in South Africa who abide by a Code of Conduct, voluntarily committing to maintaining the highest ethical standards in all their professional dealings. Seeing the SAPPMA mark displayed on pipes assures quality and that the product will last more than 100 years without failure, because it was manufactured according to the highest standards. SAPPMA urges specifying engineers and decision- makers to ensure that they insist on SAPPMA or IFPA membership when drawing up specification, and that only pipes bearing the association’s logo be used for projects. They also encourage the public or concerned parties to submit pipes for independent testing should they have concerns about irregular or substandard pipe. Venter maintains that there is a clear difference between pipes bearing the SAPPMA logo and that were manufactured by 5-star members, versus cheap imports or locally produced pipes that use inferior-quality raw materials or include recycled content. u Localised wastewater treatment specialist Organica brings a novel approach to wastewater treatment in urban and suburban areas. Its treatment facilities use active biofilms on natural (plant) and/or engineered (patented biofibre media) root structures, housed in a fully enclosed, odourless facility. The result is a solution that offers 50–75% reduced physical footprint compared to conventional wastewater treatment solutions, with up to 30% reduction in operational costs, all in the form of a pleasant botanical garden-like environment that enables the WWTP to be located virtually anywhere, thus substantially lowering infrastructure costs to connect to customers and enhancing land value around the facility. u Murray & Roberts Water (M&RW) will soon launch South Africa’s first Organica water resource recovery demonstration facility in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal. M&RW holds the exclusive license with Organica Water for South Africa and non-exclusively in the rest of the SADC region. M&RW, part of the multinational Murray & Roberts engineering and construction group, offers the capability and expertise to undertake feasibility studies and to design, supply equipment, construct, commission, operate, and maintain water and wastewater treatment plants in Africa. The company provides complete water treatment solutions with appropriate technology and structured commercial packages to meet client requirements. M&RW launches demo water resource recovery technology Since its founding in 1998, Organica has worked to bring its sustainable wastewater treatment solution to cities and communities around the world.