THE Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) continues to create job opportunities in local municipalities, while carrying out its mandate to ensure that each household has running water.
The Eastern Cape is seeing such endeavours through the eMaxesibeni (formerly Mount Ayliff) Peri-Urban Water Supply project.
“The project is for the upgrading of the Mount Ayliff Water Treatment Works and construction of gravity and pumping mains bulk lines to various village bulk reservoirs within a 5km radius, and bulk reservoirs to service the peri-urban stands,” explained the DWS spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau.
Ratau said the project was expected to benefit eMaxesibeni’s existing urban residential areas, including Lubhalasi, Sontombe, Sigidini, Betshwana, Mombeni and Singeni villages.
“The project has created 329 jobs since its inception. The anticipated completion date is early next year, and with that in mind, one can expect further job opportunities,” Ratau added.
The scheme has two phases of implementation: phase one included designing and upgrading WTW to 6ML per day capacity.
Phase two saw the construction of the Betshwana reservoir, the Singeni bulk pipeline and 2ML circular concrete reservoir, the mainline for Betshwana and Mombeni Water Supply and gravity main for Lubhalasi and Sontombe.
Ratau said phase two was 100% completed, while phase one had almost reached the end.
“Phase one stands at 88% completion as pipework, stormwater [drainage], block paving and sludge ponds – to only name a few – are still being finalised.”
Meanwhile, DWS continued to work tirelessly to ensure the successful implementation of water projects in other parts of the Eastern Cape which were aimed at bringing long-term water relief in areas with water supply challenges.
This was seen through the implementation of the Matatiele Regional Bulk Water Supply Project, which had recently been completed and was set to benefit more than 19 000 people in Matatiele Town and its residential areas, including Dengwane, Zwelitsha, Khoapa, Botsola, Tshisa and KwaHlomendlini villages.
The project was initiated in March 2015 to combat the rising demand for water in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality and Matatiele Local Municipality and was successfully completed in March this year.
“This project primarily entailed the development of bulk water supply from a ‘well-field’ of boreholes.
“This was done to address the demand deficit in Matatiele Town and surrounding villages,” said Ratau.
The project produced 50 litres per second (L/s) borehole and low-lift raw water pumping mains.
In addition, a high lift pump station, pump rising main and new 5ML reinforced concrete reservoir were constructed.
The DWS has reiterated its commitment to further roll out water projects across the province which will bring much needed relief to parts of the province that continue to experience drought effects.
