Civil Engineering July 2022 | Vol 30 No 6

T he AQUALIBRIUM competition requires learners to plan, design, construct and operate a water distribution network exactly the way civil engineering practitioners in local au- thorities and metros would, encountering all the same challenges that occur in real-life civil engineering situations. The teams are tasked with designing a model water distribu- tion network to distribute 3ℓ of water equally between three points on the grid using two different diameter pipes and connec- tion pieces. They are then judged on how well they execute the task, working on a penalty points system. The grid used for the water distribution network is on a background that depicts the entire water cycle with all the major impacts affecting this scarce resource. The grid intrigues learners as well as educators, who find it a very useful educational tool. The competition exposes learners to the practical application of processes that influence their daily lives. They are made aware of the intricacies involved in the design of water distribution net- works and the actual delivery of water to households. The compe- tition also creates awareness around reducing water consumption and spreads the message that water is a precious commodity that should be recycled, re-used and respected. Through this annual competition, SAICE takes the responsi- bility of spreading the news that water should be used wisely, that infrastructure should be maintained, and that new infrastructure AQUALIBRIUM – changing learners’ lives one water competition at a time Very few interventions or career days have the advantage of practically illustrating what a career is all about. At the finals of AQUALIBRIUM, the SAICE Schools Water Competition 2022, held at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown, Johannesburg on 27 May 2022, participants and onlookers alike experienced just that. 44 July 2022 Civil Engineering The winning team fromUmlazi Commercial High School: Akhona Mhlungu, Ziphiwo Madonda and Smiso Zulu The second place team fromMoemedi Secondary School: Karabelo Masiea, Lehlohonolo Makoena and Tsoanelo Lepheane Teams hard at work on their water distribution networks