Water & Sanitation Engineer

Feeblo; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 500,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in water management is seeking a Water / Sanitation Engineer to design and implement systems for water supply, wastewater treatment, and stormwater management in Johannesburg. The role involves addressing critical water scarcity issues through innovative engineering solutions and requires a strong technical background and relevant certifications.

Qualifications

• Professional Registration: ECSA PrEng, SACNASP (advantageous for EIA).
• 5+ years in municipal systems and mining water management.
• Certifications: DWS-approved Water/Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification.

Responsibilities

• Design potable water networks and wastewater management systems.
• Supervise construction of water infrastructure and manage O&M contracts.
• Lead community engagement for sanitation behavior change programs.

Skills

Stakeholder negotiation

Crisis response

Process Design

Laboratory Skills

Education

BEng / BSc in Civil / Environmental / Chemical Engineering

Tools

Revit

Civil 3D

EPANET

InfoWorks ICM

Job description

Job Purpose

The Water / Sanitation Engineer designs, implements, and maintains water supply, wastewater treatment, and stormwater management systems to ensure public health, environmental compliance, and sustainable resource use. The role addresses South Africa’s water scarcity challenges through innovative engineering solutions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Water Supply Systems

• Design potable water networks (pumping stations, reservoirs, pipelines) per SANS 10252.
• Optimize water loss management (NRW reduction strategies).
• Model hydraulic systems using EPANET, WaterGEMS, or InfoWorks WS.

Wastewater Management

• Plan sewerage systems (gravity / pressure sewers) compliant with SANS 1200-L.
• Design wastewater treatment plants (activated sludge, MBR, anaerobic digestion).
• Implement effluent reuse systems for industrial / agricultural applications.

Stormwater & Flood Control

• Develop drainage masterplans using SWMM, PCSWMM, or HEC-RAS.
• Design SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) for flood mitigation.
• Conduct culvert / bridge hydraulic analyses.

Regulatory Compliance

• Secure water use licenses (WUL) from DWS per NWA (National Water Act).
• Ensure Blue Drop / Green Drop certification standards for municipal systems.
• Monitor effluent quality against DWAF discharge limits.

Project Execution

• Supervise construction of water infrastructure (pipelines, WTPs).
• Manage operation & maintenance (O&M) contracts for municipal systems.
• Lead community engagement for sanitation behavior change programs.

Required Qualifications

• BEng / BSc in Civil / Environmental / Chemical Engineering.
• Professional Registration :

• ECSA PrEng
• SACNASP (advantageous for environmental impact assessments).

• Certifications :

• Water / Wastewater Treatment Operator Certification (DWS-approved).
• PMI-PMP / PRINCE2 (for project management).

Essential Skills & Competencies

Technical Skills

• Process Design :
• Coagulation / flocculation, UV disinfection, sludge dewatering.
• Software Proficiency :
• Hydraulic Modeling : EPANET, InfoWorks ICM.
• BIM : Revit, Civil 3D for pipeline design.
• Laboratory Skills :
• BOD / COD testing, jar tests, microbial analysis.

Soft Skills

• Stakeholder negotiation (municipalities, mining clients).
• Crisis response for water quality incidents (e.g., cholera outbreaks).
• Grant proposal writing for DWS / MIG funding.

Experience Requirements

• 5+ years in water / sanitation projects, including :

• Municipal systems (e.g., Johannesburg Water, Umgeni Water).

• Mining water management (AMD neutralization, tailings water recovery).

• Exposure To :

• SCADA systems for remote monitoring.

• Desalination technologies (reverse osmosis).