Housing in Southern Africa October 2015

Infrastructure & Mixed Use

Polypipe for Africa

I n the process of this growth, how- ever, it is important that construc- tion does not come at the expense of the natural environment and local communities and, as Philip Wood of Polypipe explains, there are ways in which responsible road construction can contribute to water conservation and reuse. The need for transport develop- ment in Africa is clear. Continent- wide, there are 204 kms of road per 1 000km², of which only a quarter is paved. Put into perspective, the UK hasmore than 6 000kmof paved road per million inhabitants, compared with 1,367km in South Africa and just 19km in South Sudan.¹ Statistics like this have prompted many agencies into action – the Pro- gram for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) committed 30% of its budget to transport, aiming to grow the current network of major roads from10 000km to 100 000kmby 2040. Similarly, the South African Gov- ernment’s 2012 National Infrastruc- ture Plan committed to invest R827 billion into building new and upgrad- ing existing infrastructure, in the three years. In its 2014 Annual Report, the South Africa National Roads Agency Ltd (SANRAL), outlined its commit- ment to sustainable building practic- es, citing a close partnershipwith the Departments of Water Affairs (DWA) and Environmental Affairs (DEA), as well as working to improve the storm water and subsoil drainage installa- tions for enhanced environmental management.

Throughout Africa, efforts are concentrated on improving the continent’s road infrastructurenetwork,withaviewto improvingaccess to healthcare, education, employment and trading opportunities.

partneredwith a leading engineering solutions provider to deliver large- scale that included major transport link between London and Wales. The improvement works, covering one of the busiest junctions in the country, focused on stabilising the road sur- face and improving drainage works – in all, 15 000m² of lime-cement stabilisation work was completed. Polypipe’s Ridgidrain solution was selected to provide a drainage solu- tion capable of transporting large volumes of water away from the road surface to maintain safety and stability. Ridgidrain is a highly popular solu- tion for both infrastructure upgrade and new road projects. It offers ex- cellent hydraulic performance, high corrosion and impact resistance and a simple but secure jointing system. Ridgidrain was supplied in a variety of diameters from 150 to 450 mm to suit the water management system, and as it is manufactured from light- weight, easy-to-handle high-density polyethylene (HDPE), can be supplied in long lengths for minimal jointing. Its flexibility and structured ring de- sign means it can resist high traffic loads without cracking or leaking, and the pipes are less likely to block due to an extremely smooth bore, minimising maintenance. For further information visit www. polypipe.com/international ■

Already in 2015 the South African sugar industry is facing potential losses of R920million due to drought in the KwaZulu-Natal province where a disaster has been declared in the majority of districts. This instability in precipitation leads to a clear need for efficient rainwater storage and harvesting – protecting property, livestock and people from flash flooding while en- abling rainwater reuse to aid in times of need. Incorporating effective drain- age andwater storage solutionswhen planning road infrastructure projects is one way to mitigate the effects of excessive rainfall or extreme short- age, enhancing the environmental credentials of transport projects as well as the safety of road users. There are a number of drainage, storage and water transport options available to optimise surface water and storm water drainage, suitable for installation beneath or adjacent to the carriageway as necessary. Polypipe, the UK’s leading manu- facturer of plastic piping and water management systems, works closely with infrastructure bodies in Britain and worldwide, including the UK’s Highways Agency to design solutions for themost challenging applications and these products are ideally suited to the particular challenges of road infrastructure installations in Africa. In the last few years, Polypipe

October 2015