Developed by the pump and dredging expert IPR, the SlurrySucker dredging system recently provided an effective solution for restoring the emergency water dams at a Gauteng wastewater treatment plant to optimal condition. These emergency dams, which had accumulated sludge over time, posed a significant operational risk to the plant.

Traditional dredging methods using hydraulic excavators proved ineffective for various reasons, and manually removing the sludge with trucks introduced environmental challenges. The emergency dams are crucial, as they provide additional water to the treatment plant during periods of insufficient inflow.

Warren Spann, IPR Business Development Manager, highlighted the importance of these dams, stating, “The dams are vital sources of additional water for the treatment plant during times when insufficient volumes are flowing into the facility.” Spann further emphasized the role of IPR’s new generation SlurrySucker in addressing the problem, saying, “IPR was contracted to conduct the dredging of these emergency water dams, and we put our new generation SlurrySucker Maxi onto the job.”

The SlurrySucker Maxi, equipped with three Toyo K30 heavy-duty submersible slurry pumps, demonstrated its capacity by removing 50 dry tonnes of sludge per hour. The operation was conducted using remote controls operated by a trained and experienced technician, ensuring optimum safety throughout the process.