SAICE-DFC Water 'Centenary Schools Water Competition'

Dear All!
SAICE-DFC Water 'Centenary Schools Water Competition'- 2008

Much has happened since my last e-mail to you. Our sponsor has pulled out at a very late stage but fortunately we now have a brand new sponsor as you can see in the name of the competition. DFC Water (Pty) Ltd has come on board as the competition's SOLE sponsor for 2008! Their sponsorship will ensure the successful outcome of our wonderful competition.

To all Branches and all stakeholders not on board yet, there is still enough time to join this amazing competition! The regional results only have to be finalised by Friday, 15 August 2008. So please go MAD and Make A Difference to the lives of learners where YOU are!

The winning teams and their schools will receive substantial prize-money!

SAICE has just recently received an award from the Council for the Built Environment - 2008 Award for 'Exemplary Youth and Skills Intervention' and 'For contribution to the Built Environment'. SAICE's major interventions are the SAICE International Bridge Building Competition and the SAICE Centenary Schools Water Competition, where learners have to design and construct a water distribution network system.

Of the latter, the late Dr James Hlongwane (CEO of the National Science and Technology Forum), who never missed a final, said, "This is one of only a few competitions where theory and practice in Science and Maths really come together".

The finals of the SAICE-DFC Water 'Centenary Schools Water Competition' will again be held at:

As in previous years teams will arrive the day before the finals, i.e. on Thursday, 4 September 2008.

Branch efforts
I know that many SAICE branches are already busy organising their regional competitions and I thank all our branches involved for their sterling efforts! I do trust that those of you who haven't made a start yet, will be able to do so early in the new school term in July.

There is still ample time to come on board and change the lives of learners who would otherwise perhaps never have the opportunity to be in the running for an exceptional experience in the big city and of perhaps winning a part of the more than R20 000-00 (in total) for the three top teams!

Request
I would be very grateful if you could provide me with the detail of what you are planning for the branch competitions as soon as possible.

Bloemfontein hosted a workshop on both the bridge building and water competitions during National Science Week - congratulations! A great idea! They are also involving the local media right from the start.

As in the past we aim to involve learners from Grade 9 to 11 as the Grade 12s are preparing for their matriculation examinations at the time of the finals. The teams have to consist of three learners only.

As in the past costs for equipment can be claimed from SAICE National Office under 'SAICE Water Competition'.

I do encourage you to become part of this exciting competition by involving your communities. This is a wonderful opportunity for career guidance and to spread the message that South Africa is in real need of civil engineering professionals to provide the services to our citizens for a better quality of life! And to assist you in this important task, the new SAFCEC-SAICE career guidance DVD, which will bowl the learners over, is now available from me - free of charge! Please advise if you would want to make use of the DVD and I will dispatch it soonest.

I do hope that by this time you are as excited as I am about a really excellent competition.

PS: One of last year's finalists (from Cape Town) is now studying civil engineering at the University of Cape Town - solely because of this competition!!

If you need any of the following please contact me:

Judges' sheet
Rules and Instructions
Letter to principals/schools
Entry form
Indemnity form

Please talk to me soon!!

Warm regards!

Marie Ashpole
Outreach Officer: SAICE
Tel: +27 (0)11 805 5947
Fax: +27 (0)11 805 5971
Cell: 082 870 9229
E-mail: mashpole@saice.org.za

The winners - learners from Isolesizwe High School

The finals of the Rand Water-SAICE Centenary Schools Water Competition 2006/7 was held at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown, Johannesburg as part of National Water Week.

Winners of the regional competitions came to Johannesburg from Bloemfontein, Cape Town, George, Richards Bay to battle the local winners for top honours. For most of the learners and educators this was a first experience of flying and visiting a ‘big city’.

In the first place was Isolesizwe High School from Mtubatuba in kwaZulu-Natal with 70 penalty points, the best result since the start of the competition in 2003. Second was the team from Lofentse Girls High School in Soweto with 120 points and third Wittedrift Hoërskool close to Plettenberg Bay with 130 penalty points. The first prize of R4 500-00 is to be shared by the team with their school getting R2 000-00. A total of R15 000-00 worth of prize-money was up for grabs.

Background

Rand Water and the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) celebrated hundred years of existence in 2003 and as part of their centenary celebrations they launched a joint competition for high school learners. Since then this competition has gained momentum in application, such as team building and demonstrations on ‘technovation’ days!

Water distribution networks

Water distribution systems are important to supply safe and clean drinking water to people. The teams are tasked to design a model water distribution network in order to distribute three litres of water equally between three points on the grid using two different pipe diameters. They are then judged on how well they execute the task. They are allowed three tries in a period of about an hour. This competition exposes learners to the practical application of processes that influence their daily lives, which is how water gets to their homes. They are made aware of the intricacies involved in the design of water distribution networks and the actual water delivery to households.

As part of the competition the water cycle is explained to the learners. Issues such as why we have to pay for water, explaining the building of dams, distribution of water through water boards to municipalities and then to users, as well as the conservation of our water resources are discussed.

The competition creates awareness regarding the issues surrounding water in South Africa. It spreads the message that water is a precious commodity, which should be conserved, recycled and re-used. Through this competition Rand Water and SAICE took the responsibility of spreading the news that water should be used wisely, that infrastructure should be maintained and that new infrastructure should be created to provide potable water to those without water.

This competition strengthens government’s initiatives aimed at encouraging learners to take Maths and Science at school and to follow a career as a science or civil engineering professional.

Issued on behalf of:
The South African Institution of Civil Engineering
For more information please call Marie Ashpole on
Tel: 011 805 5947; Fax: 011 805 5971 or 082 870 9229
E-mail:mashpole@saice.org.za