Macerating pumping systems are ideal for temporary sewage networks, as are required during the construction of a mine, owing to the system’s flexibility and ability to pump sewage through small bore pipes to a central collection facility, such as a septic tank or municipal sewage line, says the South African branch of French sanitations solutions company Saniflo.

Saniflo South Africa MD Stéphane Giummarra says Saniflo provides solutions for “difficult-to-plumb” applications.

“Saniflo’s technology allows for a complete bathroom or kitchen to be installed anywhere, without major work being done,” he says, adding that this is regardless of the position of a main drainage connection.

Depending on which Saniflo units are used, all sewage can be pumped vertically up to 11 m or horizontally up to 110 m, through a pipe with the diameter of 22 mm to 32 mm to reach a main drain pipe connection or septic tank.

“During the past decade, Saniflo has been successful in the modular buildings industry, having been involved in the establishment of mining camps, oil and gas rigs and temporary work sites,” says Giummarra, noting that the company is able to quickly and easily set up sanitation containers and ablution blocks.

The reliable systems provided by Saniflo provide for easy installation and removal of toilets, bathrooms, kitchens and laundry facilities, even in remote areas.

“There is no need for toxic chemical toilets,” he states, adding that Australia- based mines and US-based corporations involved in gas exploration have used Saniflo’s range of products for their temporary sanitation facilities.

Saniflo’s Sanicubic range of heavy-duty macerator pumps can also be used to connect multiple ablutions.

“This is the ideal solution to flush away sewage from multiple sources, such as communal ablution facilities,” says Giummarra.

The Sanicubic pump is able to pump sewage through 50 mm pipework vertically up to 11 m or horizontally up to 110 m.

Further, Sanicubic can also pump wastewater of up to 90 °C for short periods.

The Sanicubic unit has a 1 500 W electric motor enabling it to even process sanitary pads or other items that could be accidentally flushed through the system.

For more demanding situations, the Sanicubic 2 Classic unit can be used, comprising dual motors for enhanced reliability and redundancy.

For extreme environments and higher flows, Saniflo offers the Sanicubic 2 XL, which uses two 2 kW pumps that are able to process 40 m3 / hour of grey water. This unit also comes with a 120 ∙ tank to handle high-demanding environments.