The OR Tambo district municipality has embarked on a massive R1-billion project to build a water treatment and supply network, with two reservoirs in Mthatha almost complete already.With the Mthatha Dam being the only source of water for Mthatha and surrounding areas, the district municipality has been struggling to pump water to high-lying areas.
This has led to residents in most villages having to fetch water from springs and streams far from their homes.
The district municipality’s plan has more than seven reservoirs under construction in the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipal area, with two already completed to supply villages around Mthatha, Mqanduli and Nyandeni.
The R1-billion funding is from the national Department of Water and Sanitation.
OR Tambo municipal spokesman Ayongezwa Lungisa said when all the reservoirs were completed, water scarcity in remote rural areas should be a thing of the past.
Construction started in the 2014-15 financial year and is expected to be completed in this financial year, which ends in June.
Included in the plan is a network of pipes linking the different reservoirs and those that feed other areas in the district.
Lungisa said there were many other water infrastructure construction projects underway across the district.
He said the plan included a water treatment plant to be built in Rosedale village, located near the Mthatha Dam. Its capacity would be 50 megalitres to supply various reservoirs, including a 15-megalitre reservoir in Mpindweni Administrative Area.
OR Tambo allocated R59.9-million for construction. The reservoir will supply Nyandeni and another reservoir in Maiden Farm, which will in turn supply Maiden Farm, Corana, Gxulu and a soon-to-be constructed RDP and low-cost housing area near Maiden Farm.
The Mpindweni Reservoir would be completed in 2017, according to Lungisa.
Two other reservoirs are under construction in Zimbane. One reservoir has a 20-megalitre capacity and will supply another in Viedgesville and Qweqwe, while the second is 10 megalitres and will supply Zimbane, Payne and parts of Qweqwe.
Other reservoirs include:
lSignal Hill reservoir, worth R32-million, is behind Mthatha Garden Court. The construction cost was R32-million. It has a capacity of 15 megalitres. It will supply the Zimbane and Fairfield reservoirs.
lFairfield reservoir, worth R22.6-million near the Mthatha Airport, is already complete. It has a capacity of 10 megalitres and will supply the airport, villages nearby and the army base.
lViedgesville has a 20-megalitre reservoir costing R58.8-million. This will supply Ngqwarha, Xhugxwala, Maqhinebeni and surrounding areas. It will also supply Mqanduli.
lMqanduli has a 12-megalitre reservoir under construction, which will supply the town of Mqanduli and some villages. The total cost of the reservoir is R34.9-million.
Lungisa said Water Affairs gave OR Tambo municipality a licence to pump 150 megalitres a day from Mthatha Dam, which has a capacity of 253000 megalitres of water.
“The new water network will bring much-needed relief to KSD and surroundings.
“In remote rural areas we use boreholes. At times like now they run dry.
“The Mthatha Dam is a sustainable source – when we have enough from the source we’ll have enough to distribute to consumers.
“The reservoirs will serve rural areas, where people have no water,” said Lungisa.
Acting municipal manager Owen Hlazo told the Dispatch yesterday that the council had resolved to declare OR Tambo a drought area.
“The council has delegated the mayor to approach departments like cooperative governance and water for financial assistance.”
He said dams and springs that livestock drank from in some villages were dry.
Traditional leaders have welcomed the relief the water project will bring.
Mpindweni headman Dalubuhle Ndamase said: “We are grateful that finally our people will be able to access water. Currently there is no water coming out of our taps in high areas.
“We are always told there was a problem with an engine in Sibangweni. We hope that this will be a lasting solution.”
Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa provincial secretary, Chief Mkhanyiseli Dudumayo, said Contralesa supported and welcomed the project.
“We have hope that this will change the lives of our people. We have a major problem of lack of water in our villages, especially now that we have drought.
“We hope that the projects will be done within the set timeframes so that our people can get water as planned. We welcome this project with happy hearts,” said Dudumayo. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
R1bn to solve water shortage
With the Mthatha Dam being the only source of water for Mthatha and surrounding areas, the district municipality has been struggling to pump water to high-lying areas.
This has led to residents in most villages having to fetch water from springs and streams far from their homes.
The district municipality’s plan has more than seven reservoirs under construction in the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipal area, with two already completed to supply villages around Mthatha, Mqanduli and Nyandeni.
The R1-billion funding is from the national Department of Water and Sanitation.
OR Tambo municipal spokesman Ayongezwa Lungisa said when all the reservoirs were completed, water scarcity in remote rural areas should be a thing of the past.
Construction started in the 2014-15 financial year and is expected to be completed in this financial year, which ends in June.
Included in the plan is a network of pipes linking the different reservoirs and those that feed other areas in the district.
Lungisa said there were many other water infrastructure construction projects underway across the district.
He said the plan included a water treatment plant to be built in Rosedale village, located near the Mthatha Dam. Its capacity would be 50 megalitres to supply various reservoirs, including a 15-megalitre reservoir in Mpindweni Administrative Area.
OR Tambo allocated R59.9-million for construction. The reservoir will supply Nyandeni and another reservoir in Maiden Farm, which will in turn supply Maiden Farm, Corana, Gxulu and a soon-to-be constructed RDP and low-cost housing area near Maiden Farm.
The Mpindweni Reservoir would be completed in 2017, according to Lungisa.
Two other reservoirs are under construction in Zimbane. One reservoir has a 20-megalitre capacity and will supply another in Viedgesville and Qweqwe, while the second is 10 megalitres and will supply Zimbane, Payne and parts of Qweqwe.
Other reservoirs include:
lSignal Hill reservoir, worth R32-million, is behind Mthatha Garden Court. The construction cost was R32-million. It has a capacity of 15 megalitres. It will supply the Zimbane and Fairfield reservoirs.
lFairfield reservoir, worth R22.6-million near the Mthatha Airport, is already complete. It has a capacity of 10 megalitres and will supply the airport, villages nearby and the army base.
lViedgesville has a 20-megalitre reservoir costing R58.8-million. This will supply Ngqwarha, Xhugxwala, Maqhinebeni and surrounding areas. It will also supply Mqanduli.
lMqanduli has a 12-megalitre reservoir under construction, which will supply the town of Mqanduli and some villages. The total cost of the reservoir is R34.9-million.
Lungisa said Water Affairs gave OR Tambo municipality a licence to pump 150 megalitres a day from Mthatha Dam, which has a capacity of 253000 megalitres of water.
“The new water network will bring much-needed relief to KSD and surroundings.
“In remote rural areas we use boreholes. At times like now they run dry.
“The Mthatha Dam is a sustainable source – when we have enough from the source we’ll have enough to distribute to consumers.
“The reservoirs will serve rural areas, where people have no water,” said Lungisa.
Acting municipal manager Owen Hlazo told the Dispatch yesterday that the council had resolved to declare OR Tambo a drought area.
“The council has delegated the mayor to approach departments like cooperative governance and water for financial assistance.”
He said dams and springs that livestock drank from in some villages were dry.
Traditional leaders have welcomed the relief the water project will bring.
Mpindweni headman Dalubuhle Ndamase said: “We are grateful that finally our people will be able to access water. Currently there is no water coming out of our taps in high areas.
“We are always told there was a problem with an engine in Sibangweni. We hope that this will be a lasting solution.”
Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa provincial secretary, Chief Mkhanyiseli Dudumayo, said Contralesa supported and welcomed the project.
“We have hope that this will change the lives of our people. We have a major problem of lack of water in our villages, especially now that we have drought.
“We hope that the projects will be done within the set timeframes so that our people can get water as planned. We welcome this project with happy hearts,” said Dudumayo. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
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