The R2 billion injection that was allocated by national Treasury and the Department of Water and Sanitation to the Sol Plaatje Municipality will be used to improve infrastructure, water quality and address water leaks.
THE R2 billion injection that was allocated by national Treasury and the Department of Water and Sanitation to the Sol Plaatje Municipality will be used to improve infrastructure, water quality and address water leaks.
Spokesperson for the Sol Plaatje Municipality, Thoko Riet, yesterday said a project manager, who is a qualified engineer, was recently appointed by the Municipal Manager to track expenditure and progress on the project.
“He will report and account to council and National Treasury to ensure that the funds are used for its intended purpose.”
Executive mayor Kagisho Sonyoni said that the municipal budget was inadequate to properly maintain, repair and refurbish the ageing water infrastructure.
“The municipality has been actively sourcing additional funding to address the urgent water infrastructure upgrades.”
He indicated that the R2 billion was approved through the budget facility for infrastructure funding (BLF) over the next five years for the Sol Plaatje bulk infrastructure refurbishment project.
“The scope of the project includes the refurbishment of the Riverton Water Treatment Works to improve production capacity, water quality and reduce water losses. The pump stations will be upgraded where safety and energy security is secured. Repairs will be done along the bulk pipelines between Riverton and the Newton reservoir. This will reduce water losses as the pipelines and valves will be repaired and replaced.”
Sonyoni added that leakages, pipelines and boosters at the reservoirs would be fixed while major repairs would be completed on the Kimberley water network including network zoning, water leak detection, pipe replacement and meter replacement.
“In the long term the consumers will experience improved water service delivery, both in terms of reliability and quality. However, in the short term, it should be understood that during the repair and refurbishment process, planned water supply interruptions on key infrastructure are inevitable.
“These interruptions will vary in duration and frequency and will be communicated formally to all consumers. As the interruptions will be well planned, the duration and frequency will be minimised at all costs.
“The municipality is excited to finally have an opportunity to make the water supply disruptions and problems previously experienced, a thing of the past,” he added.
