The R14bn water project includes the refurbishment of the existing Vaal Gamagara Water Treatment Plant near Delpoortshoop, the upgrade of pump stations and the construction of a 430km long pipeline from Delpoortshoop to Black Rock.
The project also includes the equipping of three borehole sites, which are located in Danielskuil, Groenwater and Hotazel to augment water supplied from the Vaal River.
The Vaal Gamagara water scheme is critical to ensure the continued sustainability of iron ore and manganese mining operations between Kathu and Hotazel, while also ensuring water supply to over 22 villages.
The six municipalities of Dikgatlong, Kgatelopele, Tsantsabane, Gamagara, Ga-Segonyana and Joe Morolong will benefit from the bulk water supply.
Minister Mokonyane is also expected to officially open the Vaal Gamagara quality control laboratory, which was completed in April 2016.
It is important to note that one of the biggest contributing factors for the failure of municipalities in the Northern Cape to meet the Blue Drop/Green Drop certification standards is the absence of an accredited quality control laboratory in the province to assist municipalities in identifying and addressing water quality and wastewater effluent issues – a shortcoming that the new laboratory at Vaal Gamagara will now address adequately.
The Sedibeng Water board has already appointed suitably qualified and competent laboratory staff at the facility. The calibration of instrumentation has already been completed.
The validation of the first five testing methods which are pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, heterotrophic plate counts and total coli forms/E coli has also commenced.
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