Buffalo City Metro is in the middle of an R820-million water and sanitation repair and revival initiative.
This was said by BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi in reaction to a Daily Dispatch report last Tuesday that, according to BCM’s 2015-16 Integrated Development Plan (IDP), R500-million would have to be spent on BCM’s collapsing water and sanitation system.
On Monday last week copies of the 380-page IDP document were distributed to stakeholders at BCM’s external representative forum meeting at the International Convention Centre.
Ngesi said a number of projects were at different stages of planning, procurement and construction.
“BCM has embarked on an extensive re-capitalization programme.
“Over the current three-year medium-term revenue and expenditure framework (MTRF) 2014-15 to 2016-17, the water and sanitation departments have an approved a budget allocation of R320-million to address challenges with ageing infrastructure and non-revenue generating water.”
Ngesi said BCM was also busy with bulk sanitation capital projects totalling R500-million.
“These relate to upgrading the Reeston and Zwelitsha (Regional Sewerage Scheme Phase 2) wastewater treatment works and the diversion of the central wastewater treatment works to Reeston.”
In the 2015-16 IDP document it is reported that sewerage systems in the city were in operation well beyond their designed lives, “in poor condition and are operating at capacity”.
The report noted that this was holding back housing development and threatening the environment.
It states that:
- Laing Dam, which supplies BCM with water, had been hit twice by spillages;
- Severely overloaded sewerage ponds at Breidbach were spilling non-chlorinated effluent “into the Buffalo River above Laing Dam” and;
- An “extensively abused” sewer network serving the Zwelitsha treatment works meant “spillage feeds directly into the Laing Dam”.
“Water treatment plants serving BCM are at near capacity for the entire municipality,” it reads. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
R820m BCM water, sanitation initiative
This was said by BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi in reaction to a Daily Dispatch report last Tuesday that, according to BCM’s 2015-16 Integrated Development Plan (IDP), R500-million would have to be spent on BCM’s collapsing water and sanitation system.
On Monday last week copies of the 380-page IDP document were distributed to stakeholders at BCM’s external representative forum meeting at the International Convention Centre.
Ngesi said a number of projects were at different stages of planning, procurement and construction.
“BCM has embarked on an extensive re-capitalization programme.
“Over the current three-year medium-term revenue and expenditure framework (MTRF) 2014-15 to 2016-17, the water and sanitation departments have an approved a budget allocation of R320-million to address challenges with ageing infrastructure and non-revenue generating water.”
Ngesi said BCM was also busy with bulk sanitation capital projects totalling R500-million.
“These relate to upgrading the Reeston and Zwelitsha (Regional Sewerage Scheme Phase 2) wastewater treatment works and the diversion of the central wastewater treatment works to Reeston.”
In the 2015-16 IDP document it is reported that sewerage systems in the city were in operation well beyond their designed lives, “in poor condition and are operating at capacity”.
The report noted that this was holding back housing development and threatening the environment.
It states that:
“Water treatment plants serving BCM are at near capacity for the entire municipality,” it reads. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos