Stefanutti Stocks Pipelines constructed a 43km-long, 950mm diameter steel pipeline for Platmin South Africa (Pty) Ltd. The pipeline runs between the Vaalkop Dam (to the east of Pilanesburg Game Reserve) to within four kilometres of the Limpopo Province town of Northam. The
project’s objective is to purify and pump an extra 70-million litres of water per day through the new and existing systems to clients at different locations. The new pipeline runs parallel to two already existing pipelines.
The project was split into 23km of rising main pipeline, and 20km of gravity main pipeline.
The rising main, a 950mm-diameter steel pipe, runs from the Vaalkop Dam water purification plant to the reservoirs at La Patrie. Other work on this phase included the construction and installation of 36 air valve chambers, 11 scour valve chambers and seven valve chambers; the construction of two road crossings; two Eskom power line crossings and the tie-in of pipework at the Evergreen Junction, which is the take-off to Sun City.
The gravity main runs from the reservoirs at La Patrie to Padda Junction, four kilometres from Northam. Other work on this phase included the installation of valves and valve chambers; construction of two road crossings; one railway crossing using the pipe jacking method of installation; one Eskom powerline crossing and the tie-in of pipework at Padda Junction.