For years, a.b.e. Saint-Gobain has been at the forefront of supplying a diverse range of products crucial for the construction and rehabilitation of water infrastructure across South Africa. As part of Saint-Gobain Africa, a.b.e. have been instrumental in supplying essential products to numerous multi-million rand projects aimed at bolstering water retaining structures.
Highlighted among these projects are:
- The towering Northmead elevated water reservoir in Benoni, boasting the title of the largest elevated reservoir in Gauteng and one of South Africa’s biggest, with a capacity of 5.5 megalitres.
- The expansive 18 megalitres Sallies reservoir in Brakpan.
- The substantial 2 megalitres Crown Gardens water tower.
- The pivotal 10 megalitres Kliprivier Valley and Savana City reservoirs.
- The Rand Water Zuikerbosch water treatment works, a cornerstone in providing potable water to Gauteng’s metropolitan areas.
- The Ndlambe bulk water supply and Mndwaka dam in the Eastern Cape.
- The wastewater treatment plants in Vredenburg, Cape Town, and Kruisfontein, Eastern Cape.
- The Durban Heights No.3 Reservoir, with a capacity of 340 megalitres, serving over 500,000 residents in KZN.
According to Elrene Smuts: General Construction, concrete repair and protection product manager, a.b.e. offers a suite of product solutions designed to enhance the sustainability and resilience of water retaining structures.
Some of the most commonly used products include:
- Concrete repair and grout systems
- Concrete protection coatings
- Concrete curing compounds
- Concrete crack injection and repair products
- Joint sealing bandage solutions
- Expansion and contraction joint sealants
- PVC and swellable waterstops
- Steel protection coatings
- Waterproofing solutions
One standout product is the a.b.e. silocoat cementitious coating, which forms an impermeable membrane when applied to concrete substrates. This membrane offers durable protection against sulphates and chloride.
Additionally, the durajoint flexband system, made from thermoplastic elastomers, is extensively used for sealing and repairing expansion and construction joints, providing a resilient seal.
Furthermore, the durajoint waterstop range, extruded from specially formulated PVC material, is welded on-site to prevent water ingress or regress through joints, finding successful application in reservoirs, dams, canals, water towers, and wastewater treatment tanks.
Smuts emphasizes other a.b.e. products widely specified for the construction and repair of water-retaining structures, include abecote protective coatings, duracure curing compounds, duragrout precision grout, durarep cement-based repair mortars, and epidermix epoxy-based adhesives and repair mortars.
In conclusion, a.b.e. products play an indispensable role in fortifying water infrastructure across Africa, ensuring the sustainability and resilience of critical structures that underpin communities’ access to clean water.
