Friday, September 13, 2024
Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina on Saturday pays a monitoring visit to the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Tunnel in Clarens in the Free State.
The visit to the project in Dihlabeng Municipality takes place just before the project is shut down for maintenance.
The Lesotho Highlands Water Project Tunnel is preparing for a six-month closure for planned maintenance. This maintenance is being carried out jointly by the Lesotho Highlands Development Agency (LHDA) and the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA), an entity under the Department of Water and Sanitation.
The tunnel’s closure, scheduled for the period from October 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, is prompted by the need for extensive maintenance and repair work to ensure optimal water supply.
The tunnel system consists of a transhipment tunnel connecting the Katse Dam to the power station and the Muela Dam, and a feeder tunnel connecting the Muela Dam to the Ash River Outfall Works between Clarens and Bethlehem.
The works to be carried out during the closure period include grit blasting of the steel clad section around the entire perimeter and re-application of corrosion protection to the tunnel lining. Other maintenance and repair works identified during the 2019 maintenance closure are also included in the works.
According to the department, the tunnel’s closure will have implications for South Africa’s water supply, particularly for water users on the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS).
“The IVRS and users along the Liebenbergsvlei River, Mafube, Nketoana and Dihlabeng Local Municipalities in the Free State will also be affected. The department has contacted all affected municipalities and stakeholders, including provincial government departments, and informed them of the planned tunnel closure,” the department said.
Majodina, who will be accompanied by Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Sello Seitllolo, will also hold a meeting with the affected municipalities to assess their state of preparedness to continue water supply in their respective communities during the closure. – SAnews.gov.za
SAnews
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