The Department of Water and Sanitation has reassured that the ongoing maintenance, repair and refurbishment of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) Tunnel is on schedule.
Maintenance operations started on 1 October 2024 and are scheduled to be completed within six months.
READ | Government commends progress made in Lesotho Highlands Water Project maintenance
The Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) is responsible for the maintenance work in South Africa, while Lesotho Highlands Development Agency (LHDA) is focusing on the transfer tunnels at the Muela hydro power station in Lesotho.
The department said it is monitoring the progress of the maintenance repair work and is satisfied that the project will be completed within the scheduled time.
“The department is also monitoring water supply to communities under the local municipalities of Dihlabeng, Nketoane and Mafube, which are along the Liebenbergsvlei River and Wilge River. These municipalities benefit directly from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and have adversely been affected since the tunnel closure.
“Some towns in Setsoto and Mantsopa municipalities in the Free State normally abstract water from the Caledon River, while others abstract from the Vaal and Rhenoster rivers. These municipalities benefit indirectly from the LHWP, and the department is also monitoring water supply to communities within these municipalities,” the department said.
The department has embarked on relief intervention programmes for the municipalities. It is also upgrading water treatment works, raw water pumps and abstraction works. The department is constructing new reservoirs, as well as developing groundwater resources by drilling and equipping boreholes.
“All of these projects are underway and are critical in ensuring sustainable water supply to communities during the tunnel system shutdown.
“Municipalities had to implement water restrictions, especially to regulate irrigation in their area of operation for the duration of the closure,” the department said.
The department has also gazetted water usage by farmers in the area from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025, which stipulates that water users on the left bank of the Ash and Liebenbergsvlei rivers may abstract water for agricultural purposes from 6am to 6am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
On the right bank of the Ash and Liebenbergsvlei rivers, abstraction of water may be from 6am to 6am on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
The left bank of the river is defined as the left side of a person, when the person looks at the direction that the water is flowing in.
The department said the restrictions are necessary to ensure that there is enough water during the closure of the tunnel.
“The department, together with the affected municipalities continues to engage with the communities through public education programmes, with the aim of encouraging responsible water usage and water conservation, particularly during the time of a tunnel closure,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
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