Two of Botswana’s largest copper mining companies have contracted water treatment solutions provider Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies South Africa, through its subsidiary company VWS Envig Botswana, to supply containerised waste- water treatment plants to improve the quality of water discharged from mine camps.
“A copper mining project in north-western Botswana has received its new 90 m3/d trickling filter treatment plant, which we delivered in December. The entire solution was designed to be upgraded to 180 m3/d, and we have started manufacturing the second containerised plant at our factory in Isando, in Johannesburg, for delivery this month,” says Veolia engineered systems and services GM Wayne Taljaard.
Together, the plants will treat domestic sewage generated by almost 900 people, to within legislated discharge standards, before it is released into surface water streams.
Taljaard notes that a second copper mining company, which is also a long-standing client of the company, has commissioned a 75 m3/d trickling filter wastewater treatment plant to upgrade sewage generated by about 350 residents at its mine camp situated in north-eastern Botswana.
“This trickling filter plant, along with all ancillary equipment, will be completely containerised and delivered this month. The customer opted to construct a separate septic tank, which means both modular and civil construction principles will be used in the building of this plant, which is what we call a hybrid installation,” says Taljaard.
Typically, he notes that the company includes a septic tank within a standard 12 m container, which allows the entire plant to betransported by road to remote mine locations.
“Containers are corrosion protected and watertight, and with minimal moving parts needing maintenance, they are suited for operation in remote settlements. Once installed, they are remote monitored and only need an operator to do a daily inspection, making them cost-effective to run,” states Taljaard.
He emphasises that VWS Envig Botswana is experiencing significant growth in the semi-arid country’s water market, recently being awarded a contract to design, supply and commission a 6 000 m3/d potable water plant in Maun, in northern Botswana.