Following the successful running of the Pipes VIII conference, hosted by industry body the Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (Sappma) at the Bytes Conference Centre in Midrand, in September last year, the association has started planning its Pipes IX conference, which is scheduled to take place in September this year.

Sappma chairperson Jan Venter tells Engineering News that the association’s conferences are tailored for consulting engineers, specifiers, installers and contractors.

“The conference offers a variety of local and international speakers, who address a range of topics related to plastic pipe use in infrastructure, such as the latest trends and the challenges that the local plastic pipes industry faces on a daily basis,” he points out.

Further, Venter says that Sappma’s conferences highlight the important role plastic pipes play in ensuring that the country’s infrastructure is able to provide daily necessities, such as clean drinking water and a working sewerage system to its people.

“More than 200 delegates attended last year’s conference, which was entitled Plastic Pipe in Infrastructure and was specifically dedicated to plastic pipes,” he notes.
 
Sixteen local and international experts from several countries, including Germany, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and the US shared their views on matters relating to water infrastructure.
 
The audience consisted of experts involved in the manufacturing, installation and specification of plastic pipes, as well as the development of pipelines around the world and included civil engineers, plastic pipe manufacturers, representatives of local and provincial governments and the media.

Investment in Water Infrastructure Urged
Water distribution, waste disposal, irrigation and telecommunications all rely on pipelines to function and an extensive network of reliable water and sewage pipelines are essential for establishment and growth of civilisation.
 
“Government promised massive expenditure in excess of R800-billion to improve the country’s infrastructure, South Africa has a fixed investment target of 30% of the country’s gross domestic product by 2030 and in the same breath, the Department of Trade and Industry is developing a strategic vision for the broader plastics industry. All of these plans certainly appear to be good news, but we are not seeing it translated into reality,” Venter laments.
 
Moreover, according to Sappma, the supply of plastic pipes currently far outweighs the demand.
 
“The simple fact is that local municipalities are not investing in replacing or upgrading water infrastructure.  As a result, our industry is currently taking strain and is battling for survival, although the fact is that the country’s infrastructure is sorely lacking.  Many of our member companies are forced to shift their focus to elsewhere in Africa or to our neighbouring States to keep their doors open,” Venter emphasises.

Venter points out that Sappma represents more than 80% of the plastic pipe produced in South Africa, and focuses its efforts on ensuring pipe systems that are leak-free and durable for long-term use.

“We are also focused on the rehabilitation of old pipelines,” he adds.

According to the association, the quality and quantity of water supply is under significant pressure in South Africa, and is aggravated by rapidly increasing demand, severe pollution and the major losses occurring in distribution.
   
Venter explains that the majority of the country’s existing pipes were installed in the early 1960s.
 
“These pipes have undoubtedly reached the end of their effective lifespan and have started to corrode. Unless urgent attention is given to the replacement and maintenance of the water infrastructure, the end result is predictable. Bursts will start occurring on a daily basis, followed by significant component failure, which will result in regular and prolonged disruptions in service delivery,” Venter warned, alluding to recent violent protest actions by angry residents who were left without water or sanitation in the North West.

Additionally, he highlights that two major causes of water loss are corrosion and poor jointing.
 
“For this reason, old steel or asbestos pipes should be replaced with plastic pipes, as it does not corrode and joints are leak-proof if done correctly. We are therefore urging municipalities to realise that pipelines lie at the heart of South Africa’s infrastructure and should be replaced before they fail.”

Conference Presentations
Following on Venter’s opening presentation, analyst and author of The Long View, JP Landman, lightened the mood by convincing the industry that all was not doom and gloom.
  
Landman’s presentation was entitled “No miracle, but no apocalypse either” focused on how the country’s economy is growing and industry is succeeding in moving forward.
 
“South Africa is on a steady trajectory forward.  It will take consistent, hard toil and working together, but our country has a bright future that beckons,” he told the audience.

Other highlights of the conference were presentations by industry body the South African Institution of Civil Engineering CEO Manglin Pillay, Switzerland-headquartered piping systems manufacturer Georg Fischer Schaffhausen’s Colm Lyons, international polyethylene (PE) manufacturer association PE100+ Association’s Ulrich Schulte, United Arab Emirates-based manufacturer of polyoleofins Borouge’s Andrew Wedgner and US-based infrastructure technologies for water, sewer and conduit applications provider Underground Solutions’ Andrew Seidel.