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11.11 Standards applicable to the borehole industry
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The South African Bureau of Standards, Private Bag X191, Pretoria, 0001, has published
certain codes of practice relating to the borehole industry (see Chapter 20). The Borehole
Water Association of Southern Africa likewise, has a code of practice for borehole
construction and pump installation*.
11.12 Spring protection in KwaZulu
Spring protection has been undertaken in KwaZulu since 1979, and is now an established
procedure (Alcock and Lea, 1986)* *. Storage reservoirs are usually reinforced concrete
or ferra-cement. In its simplest form, protection involves excavation of the eye/s of the
spring (to prevent contamination of open spring pools), and the building of a 0,5 m high
V-shaped concrete spring protection chamber. A polyethylene outlet pipe is cemented in
position through the chamber wall. Large rocks, graded stone, polyethylene sheeting and
finally soil is used to backfill the chamber, leaving a sufficient discharge volume to ensure
adequate drainage. The site should be grassed to prevent soil erosion and possible faecal
contamination. The embankment above the eye is sometimes packed with a rock-mortar
matrix to prevent soil collapse. An upslope diversion ditch lined with rock.s (to direct
overland flow away from the spring) is necessary on steep slopes, to avoid contamination
of the chamber. No pit latrines, graves or livestock. enclosures should be situated within
100 m Upslope of springs used for potable purposes. Periodic maintenance of protected
springs is confined to the removal of silt from the V-chamber, and the replacement of
washers at reservoir standpipes.
Spring protection as undertak.en by the KwaZulu Department of Agriculture and Forestry
involves the self-help principle (Alcock., 1987 - above). The Department supplies crushed
stone, building sand (if unavailable in the area), and reinforcing materials plus shuttering,
*
**
See Anonymous, 1987. Borehole Water Association of Southem Africa: minimum code of practice
for borehole construction and pump installation, Borehole Water Association of Southem Africa,
Johannesburg, 19 p. A popular (non-technical) guide for the layman is, Miller, P.M., undated. Know
your own borehole, Borehole Water Association of Southem Africa, Johamesburg, 36 p. Advisory
publications are also obtainable from the Groundwater Division, Geological Society of South Africa,
P 0 BoX 44283, linden, 2104.
See Alcock, P.G. and Lea, J.D., 1986. Springwater resources as a supply option in the periurban/rural
Vulindlela District, KwaZuJu, Occasional Publication No. 5, Department of Crop Science,
University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 38 p.