The Scienfic Services Department of Water services division provides a comprehensive water quality monitoring and scientific services to Magalies in its entity, to support Magalies Water’s vision to be a leading provider of quality water services.

Key Functions

Water quality monitoring and compliance assessment of:

 
1.Potable water produced and distributed from Magalies Water treatment plants. Monitoring is done against SANS 241 and other relevant water quality criteria.
2.Sewage treatment plants’ effluents against DWAF requirements and municipal by-laws.
3.Raw water sources and effluent discharge into the catchments area.

·         Reporting and investigating water quality non-compliances and customer complaints.
·         Assist production and plant managers in potable and sewage treatment process monitoring, optimization and control.

The Scientific Services Laboratories are presently able to provide specialized bulk and fixed scheduled services to its Water Services Division at a very low cost. Additional or ad hoc laboratory services are also provided to external customers ( viz. nearby local municipalities, mines and industries) as part of the laboratory’s strategy to identify business opportunities and to provide a local community service.

Key outputs

·         Water Quality Monitoring Programs
·         Water Quality Assessment Procedures
·         Laboratory Quality Control and Quality Assurance Procedures
·         Water Quality Reports
·         Treatment Plant Audits
·         Service Level Agreement

Two separate laboratories are presently in operation and one is situated at the Rustenburg Sewage Treatment Works and the other one is at Vaalkop Water Treatment Work

Water quality

Potable water supplied from Magalies Water treatment plants posed no safety or health threat to consumers and complied with SANS 241 drinking water specifications. Due to the variability in the raw water supply quality, taste and odour could mostly be described as “off taste/odour, but not objectionable”. Very few isolated incidents of non compliance with recommended limits, according to the SANS specifications, were experienced. No maximum allowable limits were exceeded.

Sewage treatment plant effluents compiled between 79% and 87% to the final effluent standards for the Rustenburg Plants and Boitekong Plants and 65% to 76% for the Monnakato and Lethabong plants respectively. Non –compliances for the Rustenburg Plants can mainly be attributed to the Bio-filter plant not capable of nutrient removal or plant overloads. Occasional power failures also contributed to non-compliances in the other plants or for the Dewatering plant not in full operation for some time. The Monnakato and Lethabong plants are not yet in operation thus resulting in a flow through system or an oxidation pond system.

Total Samples Analysed by Scientific Services

Potable Water

The Vaalkop Laboratory services are rendered to the following potable water treatment plants:

·         Vaalkop Water Treatment Works
·         Bospoort Water Treatment Works
·         Kloof Water Treatment Works
·         Temba Water Treatment Works
·         Klipdrift Water Treatment Works
·         Wallmannsthal Water Treatment Works
·         Roodeplaat Water Treatment Works
·         Cullinan Water Treatment Works
·         Mining Houses and Farmers