Water

Several plants are being upgraded in the province.

SECTOR INSIGHT The treatment of acid-mine water is a vital capability.

Credit: Rand Water

The Malvajan wastewater treatment works is underway, with the support of the National Department of Water and Sanitation. The Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant is being used to fix the Embalenhle Bulk Sewer line. The grant will be used to supply the treatment plant at Weltevreden and to accelerate the link from the Loskop Dam to the communities living in Thembisile Hani Local Municipality.

Progress towards the selection of a site for a City of Mbombela Dam is being made. In response to the Covid-19 crisis, the National Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) delivered 500 water tanks and 56 water trucks to several Mpumalanga municipalities. This was to ensure that residents had a reliable supply of water to wash their hands and for drinking.

The Operations and Maintenance Division of Nafasi Water is responsible for large water treatments plants at Middelburg and eMalahleni. Nafasi is a rebranding of Aveng Water which was purchased by Infinity Partners for R95-million in 2019. Infinity is owned by the former Aveng Water CEO Suzie Nkambule and E-Squared Investments.

The Middelburg Water Reclamation Plant (MWRP) produces no brine and avoids energy-intensive methods, a world first for a mine water treatment plant. Phase 2 of the eMalahleni project produces drinking water after treating mine water from one of the collieries of Anglo American Thermal Coal.

Acting on a disturbing report published by the Centre for Environmental Rights on the way some mining companies are using water, a provincial Environmental Management Committee has been appointed to conduct environmental impact analysis and assess climate change threats.

NuWater was contracted to reduce waste at the water treatment plant for Emalahleni Municipality. An ultra-filtration technology was used to reduce waste from 20Ml/day.

A total of 327 water infrastructure projects benefiting 350 259 households have been completed, with a further 165 sanitation projects finalised. A bulk water supply system connecting villages within the Bushbuckridge area has been completed. Rand Water is responsible for water provision in the area.

A joint project with Eskom related to rain-water harvesting will also create jobs. The Siyasebenza Job Creation Initiative is intended to create 900 jobs in the Nkangala District Municipality.

The Imkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency covers Mpumalanga, parts of Limpopo and part of the Kingdom of Swaziland and is responsible for water usage issues relating to the following river catchment areas: Sabie-Sand, Crocodile, Komati, Nwaswitsontso and Nwanedzi.

The Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA) is an important agency in controlling water resources in the region. Formed out of a cooperation agreement between South African and Swaziland, the agency has built two large dams and is responsible for their upkeep. ■

ONLINE RESOURCES

Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency: www.iucma.co.za Komati Basin Water Authority: www.kobwa.co.za National Department of Water and Sanitation: www.dwa.gov.za Water Research Commission: www.wrc.org.za

Africa (1993 to 1998) and Maguga Dam in Eswatini (1998 to 2003). The two dams were constructed mainly to provide assurance of water supply to the irrigators in both member states.

Tourism is one of the spinoffs of the development of the Driekoppies and Maguga dams. There has been an increase in recreational activities in both dams.Driekoppies Dam offers tranquillity and wide-open spaces

The Komati Basin Water Authority has upgraded facilities at the dam to make it the FOCUS perfect venue for anything from picnics to events.

As tourism slowly opens up from the massive and profound impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which imposes some unique and harsh effects on mankind, the Driekoppies Dam in Schoemansdal, Mpumalanga, managed by the Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA) offers some tranquillity through its stunning beauty. KOBWA has converted the dam into a suitable site for commercial and private recreational use where the public can explore and discover the scenic beauty and entertainment attractions of the Driekoppies Dam at very low cost. The Driekoppies Dam is a popular venue for music shows and private events such as picnics, braais, family fun days, baby showers MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2019/20MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2019/20

Driekoppies Dam is the perfect event venue and weddings. This is because of its spacious entertainment area which overlooks the exquisite dam. A boat cruise has now been added to the entertainment experience the venue offers. The Komati Basin Water Authority makes the dam available for events, sports tournaments and recreational use. Regulars are young entrepreneurs from areas surrounding the dam who host Sunday Sessions and the Food Market. The venue also offers the perfect setup for traditional authorities wishing to host cultural activities and traditional meetings. Bike rallies and fishing tournaments by various associations are also held at the dam. As a trans-boundary organisation, KOBWA uses the edutainment approach by hosting educational tours around the dam and sports tournaments. In that way, people are educated about KOBWA in a relaxed, enabling environment. More so now during the Covid-19 pandemic, KOBWA puts safety at the forefront of all planning. There is an implementable Emergency Preparedness Plan involving every relevant aspect of safety put in place for all segments of society from government agencies to traditional authorities at community level. This ensures that

46MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2021/22T he stunning beauty of the Driekoppies Dam and its surrounds has made it possible for the Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA) to convert the dam into a suitable site for commercial and private recreational use. This means that at a very low fee, the public can explore and discover the scenic beauty and entertainment attractions of the Driekoppies Dam. Here, people can be educated about KOBWA in a relaxed, enabling environment and this is accommodated at the Driekoppies Dam. The Driekoppies Dam is a popular venue for music shows

FOCUS

entertainment and all activities at the dam are safe and risk-free.

The Driekoppies Dam is readily available to young people who live in the Nkomazi area as a way to promote entrepreneurship among the youth. With so many interesting things to do, especially on weekends, the Driekoppies Dam is the perfect destination for any event.

Driekoppies Dam is the About KOBWA perfect event venue The Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA) is a bi-national company formed in 1992 through the Treaty of the Development and Utilisation of the Water Resources of the Komati River Basin. The Komati Basin Water Authority makes the dam available for events, sports tournaments and recreational use. The treaty was signed by the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini and the Government of the Republic of South Africa. The authority was tasked with designing, constructing, operating and maintaining two dams and associated infrastructure. This resulted in the construction of Driekoppies Dam in Schoemansdal South Africa (1993 to 1998) and Maguga Dam in Eswatini (1998 to 2003). The two dams were constructed mainly to provide assurance of water supply to the irrigators in both member states. Tourism is one of the spin-offs of the development of the Driekoppies and Maguga dams. There has been an increase in recreational activities in both dams.

CONTACT DETAILS

Physical address: Komati Basin Water Authority, Driekoppies Dam Tel: +27 13 591 2633 Email: driekoppies.office@kobwa.co.za Website: www.kobwa.co.za