Consulting engineers Bosch Projects and financial institution Bosch Capital – members of the Bosch Holdings group of companies – work closely with municipalities nationally to assist with upgrading infrastructure.

In a recent project, the Bosch Projects and Bosch Capital team completed conceptual wastewater feasibility studies and financial modelling for the eThekwini Water and Sanitation Department.

The scope of services included a conceptual level infrastructure planning exercise for the Umlazi and Umhlatuzana Catchment areas in eThekwini municipality. The planning reports will serve as a ‘Master Plan’ for the eThekwini municipality, providing a strategic motivation for bulk sanitation augmentation and infrastructure investment in these catchments over the short, medium, and longer term.

According to Bosch Projects KZN wastewater divisional manager Jason Holder the purpose and objectives of the bulk sanitation/wastewater catchment studies were to present the most favourable options to best serve key areas in the short to long term.

“We also needed to assess the impact on existing and future bulk sanitation infrastructure and considered human settlement housing plans, sanitation backlog areas and future developable areas. These wastewater feasibility design studies – which involved engineering, financial, social and environmental factors – were based on a high-level approach incorporating infrastructure designed for fully- developed catchments,” he adds.

This project – with an anticipated value of over R1-billion, spans 43 000 ha – and will benefit a 1.2-million population, which comprises a backlog of about 280 000 people who are currently without sanitation services.

As part of financial modelling and cost benefit analysis components for this project, capital costs were calculated for the new infrastructure and operational costs were based on actual information provided by the eThekwini Wastewater Operations Department. A life-cycle costing approach was applied over a 20-year period and the project returns for each of the possible scenarios were compared through the use of indicators such as net present value, internal rate of return, payback and discounted payback period.

The team conceptualized a multi-criteria decision matrix, incorporating weighted scoring where applicable, to critically and transparently evaluate each of the potential scenarios. Parameters that were included in the scoring matrix included environmental, capital expenditure, operating expense, life-cycle costing, social benefit (backlog eradication) and alignment with eThekwini municipality’s strategic planning.

The Bosch Projects and Bosch Capital teams worked closely with key stakeholders within eThekwini municipality to obtain relevant information for future developments and guidance and approval, where necessary. They also ensured the delivery of a successful project that was well-designed to meet the client’s requirements.

Bosch Projects offers solutions throughout Southern Africa, in diverse sectors, including energy and industrial plants, water and wastewater, roads, land and building developments, as well as sugar and agriculture, ports and terminals.

These services encompass detailed engineering design; project and construction management; programme management – management of multiple linked projects; procurement and contract services; risk management; and quality assurance and project controls, including cost and schedule management.

Bosch Capital offers advisory, funding and investment services, which form an integrated financial and engineering solution for clients. These services include financial modelling, project structuring, strategic decision analysis and capital raising.