Water

Major infrastructure projects are underway.

Sector Insight

The National Department of Water and Sanitation has undertaken to take on a number of large infrastructure projects in Limpopo, including the raising of the Tzaneen Dam wall, Olifants River Water Resources Development, bulkwater supply for the Musina-Makhado SEZ and the the Nandoni Water Treatment Works.

The provincial premier has also made a commitment in the State of the Province Address that the people of the Giyani region “must drink water before the end of the financial year”. Various projects to improve water supply in the area have stalled over the years.

Mopani District Municipality, under which Giyani falls, has appointed contractors to lay infrastructure for reticulation so as to be ready for the pipelines when they are laid.

Supplying water for the newly-designated Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone is a critical issue in an area where that resource is not plentiful. Talks are underway with Zimbabwe and other SADC member states.

Limpopo has markedly different rainfall patterns in its three main geographical regions: the escarpment (sub-humid with annual rainfall of more than 700mm); semi-arid middle veld and Highveld; and the arid and semi-arid Lowveld.

The province’s rivers are under threat from the damaging effects of the mining industry, power stations, chemicals used in agriculture and from sewage treatment in catchment areas. Opportunities exist in this sector for innovative solutions. Concern about drought conditions and water quality under pressure from mines and industry has led to the calling of a Provincial Water and Sanitation Summit.

The Water and Sanitation Services branch of Polokwane Municipality operates five water-purification plants and three sewage-purification plants.

Online Resources

Innovation Hub: www.theinnovationhub.com

National Department of Water and Sanitation: www.dws.gov.za

Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority: www.tcta.co.za

As part of its Regional Water Scheme programme, Polokwane provides water to the residents of the rural areas of Mothapo, Mothiba and Makotopong. The Capricorn District Municipality funds a water-testing laboratory on the campus of the University of Limpopo.

Phase 2B of the multi-year Olifants River Water Resources Development Project is under discussion by project manager, Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA), which is looking at funding options together with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). The project will entail the building of a 70km pipeline from Flag Boshielo Dam to Pruisen near Mokopane. This would improve water supplies for mines and domestic users.

Phase 2A of the MokoloCrocodile Water Augmentation Project has stalled. Another TCTA project, the MWCAP, is designed to transfer water from the Crocodile River to the Lephalale and Steenbokspan areas. Lephalale is the site of coal mining and Eskom’s huge new power station, Medupi. A joint venture comprising Bigen Africa Services, Nyeleti Consulting and Gibb has been contracted to design, construct and supervise the project. ■