So below are the minutes from the latest meeting at the CFWWTW, see the red text, the previous minutes (in Black) are for your reference, we are interested in seeing movement

Notes from a meeting at the CFWWTP ( Tuesday 2nd December 2014)Present: Michael Toll, Nizaam Henry, Richard Cammell, Stewart Penney.

Absent: Ronald Jordaan.

Notes from a meeting at the CFWWTP (Tuesday 17^th March 2015)

Present: Michael Toll, Ronald Jordaan, Nizaam Henry, Richard Cammell, Andy Chisholm, Stewart Penney.

Incoming sewerage

1. The tender is out for the replacing of the 4 screw pumps. This is for both mechanical and civil (and electrical if necessary). Allow 3 months for the tender process then work can start. The first (No 3) to be in place by winter but complete by end 2015.

Screw pumps in progress busy with tender clarification – still on target for September. Plan is No 3 first then all to be completed. Currently 2 working at 90%, 1 at 50%, and 1 at 0%. Can work at 250-300 mlpd with 1 submersible back up. Athlone WWTP is still taking an overflow.

2. The sump can hold +- 2 hours of incoming sewerage before overflowing into the ponds in the event of power failures. There is no plan to install back up power supply.

Subsequent to the meeting Richard Cammell contacted Cnclr Shaun August about the danger/risk of the power loss during load shedding. He has escalated the question to amongst others Carin Barnard, Peter Flower, and Gisela Kaiser. Let’s see whether the CFWWTP (and others) can be excluded from power shedding. (UPDATE – Richard Cammell – during the last Load Shedding the plant was kept UP – thanks Cllr Shawn August, I did call the plant the day after the load shedding and they are pleased with our intervention in this matter and the CoCT has confirmed that they will be making the plant self sufficient, regarding electricity, in the future)

3. Both submersible pumps are in for repair.

The hired submersible is back on site, the other still being serviced.

4. The odour control contract will go out to tender in March 2015. ( SP note: does this include both the bio filtering system AND the covering of the sump etc?).

Odour control – Hazop completed. Design has been finalised with minor adjustments. Plan is to enclose sump, screws, channels,and overflow from PSTs. Hope work to start on site +- August. Contract could last 18 months.

5. PST’s on track and coping.
6. SST’s on track and coping.
7. Of the 4 blowers 3 are working and the parts for the 4^th are here. (Can manage with 2).

Blowers – inspection (equipment testing).

Sludge

1. The centrifuges will be delivered in the New Year pending availability of associated equipment.

Centrifuges – status quo (investigation ongoing). The centrifuges are complete and paid for but the question of who will provide the control equipment is holding up the process. The centrifuge company have quoted to provide the equipment but it probably can be sourced locally cheaper – decisions required urgently.

2. Meanwhile the rented belt press is operating although at a reducing efficiency. At best it could only handle +-1/3 of the sludge. It could be bought (price of a belt press +-R5 million).

This continues at decreasing efficiency – urgently need the centrifuge issue to be resolved.

3. The digester heating contract will go out to tender in February 2015.

Did it – no feedback from MT?

4. Still trialling valve control to manage the inward flow of sludge and hence the solid perecentage.

No update.

5. Still not enough methane being generated to fire the boilers.
6. A new sludge bed is being prepared just to the east of the plant.

Looking at using some form of ‘holding bag’ so that the sludge is contained in some way.

General

1. There is a National Water Board audit/inspection/meeting on the 9^th December.

The CFWWTP passed the inspection. Surprising given the illegal dumping of sludge.

2. The draft for the new operating license is still circulating and not yet finalised. It is a national licence and will be impose more strict operating parameters than the current one.