KSB launches locally-built Imvubu wastewater pump for African conditions
The South African-made pump promises reliability, efficiency, and ease of maintenance in tough environments.
SOUTH AFRICA – KSB has officially launched the KSB ELN-150 Imvubu, a self-priming wastewater pump developed and built in South Africa to meet Africa’s demanding operating conditions.
Named after the Zulu word for hippopotamus, Imvubu, the pump’s design mirrors the animal’s strong features, its “ears” resemble lifting hooks while its wide “mouth” reflects its ability to handle large solids. The name also symbolizes toughness and reliability, traits that define the new machine.
According to KSB Pumps and Valves product manager for wastewater, Hugo du Plessis, the Imvubu pump is the outcome of years of testing and design improvement based on feedback from municipalities and industries across Southern Africa.
“We live in South Africa and can see the challenges of dealing with sewerage and waste water. We also listened to the market where customers told us exactly where the problems lie in terms of pump clogging, difficult seal replacement, thin casings that wear quickly and designs that simply do not stand up to raw, unscreened sewage,” said du Plessis.
“This culminated in the development of the KSB Imvubu pump which is our answer to the market’s needs. It is proudly designed and manufactured in South Africa and takes the best global technology and optimises it for African conditions.”
The Imvubu’s engineering team used advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling to enhance performance. The pump now achieves over 65% hydraulic efficiency, higher than similar models on the market, and offers a solids-handling capacity of 77.3 mm, slightly above the global benchmark of 76 mm.
“The free pass is what sets us apart. It is market leading and equates to the fact that if a pump can pass a bigger solid it will clog less. It is that simple and less clogging means less callouts, less downtime and less cost,” du Plessis explained.
Practical design for easy maintenance
The Imvubu comes with grease-for-life bearings that do not need oil lubrication, reducing contamination risks and maintenance time. Its thick, heavy-duty walls resist erosion, while an inspection hatch allows technicians to clear blockages quickly without removing the suction cover.
Du Plessis noted that these features respond to the urgent needs of South Africa’s strained wastewater systems. “We know that South Africa’s wastewater infrastructure is under immense strain with limited resources and ever-rising sewage volumes which means equipment must be robust and easy to service to ensure its longevity. These are exactly the issues we have considered and served as guiding principles for our Imvubu pump,” he said.
The pump’s versatility extends beyond municipal wastewater management to mining, industrial effluent, pulp and paper, agricultural waste, and flood emergency use. It has already completed extended testing at the Drakenstein Wastewater Treatment Works in the Western Cape with positive results.
Supporting local industry
Because it is fully manufactured in South Africa, the Imvubu supports the Department of Trade and Industry’s localisation drive and creates opportunities for local workers. Du Plessis said the company’s focus on local production also strengthens its export potential across Sub-Saharan Africa.
“This is a pump we are proud to build in South Africa as it keeps our people employed and shows that we can compete and lead international brands. We like to think that we do not follow, we leapfrog,” he added. “Our Imvubu pump is a direct answer for many of the failures making national headlines and the timing in this period of regeneration could not be more significant.”
The KSB Imvubu stands as a practical solution to ongoing wastewater challenges, combining performance, simplicity, and local value creation in one robust package.
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