Many South Africa’s municipal water pipes installed in the 1960s are constructed of steel or asbestos cement piping. Steel and asbestos corrode over time and failure to replace and upgrade water infrastructure, will lead to further corrosion – Now coined the primary cause of pipe leakages, which in turn poses a massive risk to both the quality and health of communities and legal risks to organisations supplying the water.
It has been known for a long time, that chemical inconsistencies elevate the water quality challenges faced within the distribution system, that can be directly associated with corrosion. Impeccable water treatment quality standards are required to ensure that the pipes used to distribute drinking water are protected. Plastic and concrete pipes tend to be resistant to corrosion, but are affected by water velocity, soil, and grit – especially after water outages.
During extensive water cuts or shortages, pipes tend to leach (pick up) lead and copper from plumbing pipes after entering a system. If there are iron pipes present, the water can be colored rust or reddish and contain metallic or sulfur odors and sediment. Corrosion can cause the piping to fail, sometimes in less than a decade.
Many causes of corrosion or degradation can be identified, but inadequately treated water and infrastructure, and capacity supply discrepancies are some of the top reasons for the potential release of toxic substances into the water supply System. Having a strong and reliable water treatment solution, reduces the need for more chemicals and eliminates the the risk of substandard water quality.
Low pH, High pH, High levels of dissolved oxygen and salts in the water (total dissolved solids), as well as corrosion-causing bacteria such as sulfate or iron bacteria can all result from inappropriately treated water sources and continued water cuts, whether planned or as mitigation measure.
Our systems are designed to ensure auxiliary infrastructure that must work in unison with our innovative solutions, distributes only the highest quality of water for thriving communities in Africa.