High rainfall and resultant flash floods have become an annual reality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. To keep their sites operational and running smoothly in the face of disruptive water accumulation in pits, mines and quarries in the region are turning to IPR (Integrated Pump Rental) for custom dewatering solutions that speak directly to their site conditions.
As during the past nine years, KwaZulu-Natal has this year again been battered by heavy rainfall. Durban, the metropolitan capital of the province, exceeded its average annual rainfall of 1 009 mm, within the first four months of 2025, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
The excessive rain conditions have posed significant challenges for quarries and surface mines in the region, with operations having to contend with flooding, operational disruptions and increased costs. According to Herman van Rooyen, Business Development Manager KZN at IPR, the company is playing an integral role in keeping mining areas free of flooding at various operations in the province.
Atlas Copco Specialty Rental Division
IPR, now part of the larger Atlas Copco Specialty Rental Division, better known as Rand Air in South Africa, offers a versatile range of products that meet the dewatering and slurry needs for quarrying, surface mining and industrial operations. These include Atlas Copco diesel self-priming and submersible pumps as well as Toyo heavy duty slurry pumps. The Atlas Copco submersible pump range for dewatering starts at 0,4 kW to 65 kW, while the Toyo heavy duty slurry pump offers ranges between 2,2 kW and 450 kW, depending on application.
