With water management scrutiny intensifying and South African municipal maintenance teams under mounting pressure to keep ageing infrastructure functioning, there is growing demand for equipment that can do more with fewer resources.
Sewer and stormwater networks, which require regular cleaning to prevent blockages, overflows and environmental contamination, are typically serviced by traditional high-pressure jetting units. These tend to rely on large volumes of clean water and frequent refilling trips.
Werner Pumps, a South African manufacturer of high-pressure jetting and vacuum equipment, has developed a truck-mounted recycling unit designed specifically for these conditions.
How it works
The Werner Pumps unit draws water directly from the sewer lines being cleaned, filters it and reuses it for high-pressure jetting. This allows teams to keep working without returning to refill tanks, saving both time and costs, and conserving a significant amount of potable water.
“Our recycling unit can save up to 168 000 litres of clean water during a single eight-hour shift,” says Sebastian Werner, Managing Director of Werner Pumps.
“For municipalities working in water-scarce areas, or where access to water points is limited, this makes a big difference. The right equipment helps maintenance teams respond faster, achieve more in a day, improve service delivery, and prevent bigger problems from developing down the line.”
Built for rugged use and municipal realities
The Werner Pumps recycling unit is engineered for South African conditions and is 100% locally manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Springs. Its design consolidates several functions into one system, giving municipal teams a single vehicle that can handle a wide range of maintenance tasks.
This includes wet suction, high-pressure jetting, debris removal, and continuous water recycling. Key performance features include:
- 12 500-litre 304 stainless steel tank
- 3 000 m³/h suction
- 360-degree continuous slewing boom with 6-inch suction line capacity
- Single-cylinder pressure transformer jetting pump operating at 350 l/min at 205 bar
- Quiet, contact-free rotor vacuum pump suitable for residential areas
- Wireless remote control and real-time electronic monitoring for safer, easier operation
By using water available on site and reducing the number of refilling cycles, the unit helps municipalities cut downtime, fuel costs and operational disruptions. It is also well suited to remote areas where water access points are scarce.
Customisable and supported locally
Werner Pumps manufactures the recycling units on a range of chassis options, allowing municipalities to align purchases with their preferred vehicle brands and existing fleets. The company also offers aftersales support (including repairs and maintenance), as well as a comprehensive range of accessories and spares, such as high-pressure guns, lances, hoses and a tank-cleaning nozzle. This enables municipalities to configure the truck for their specific maintenance needs and protects against long lead times for parts, which Werner says can be the case with imported alternatives.
“We work closely with our municipal partners to understand the challenges they face and to recommend configurations that will support long-term reliability,” he says. “Local manufacturing also means faster access to parts, service and technical support, as well as meeting procurement requirements.”
Supporting municipalities’ environmental goals
With national attention fixed on improving water security and service delivery, the recycling unit gives municipalities a practical way to implement water-wise practices into daily operations. By reducing potable water use and enabling more consistent maintenance, it contributes to cleaner environments, fewer sewer overflows and more efficient use of public resources.
