MARQUARD – The Democratic Alliance will escalate concerns about sludge and sediment accumulation at the Laaispruit Dam in Marquard to the municipal council and provincial authorities following a recent site visit.
The matter will be raised as question 52 to the Setsoto Municipality council. The dam’s rehabilitation project is 22% complete, with an expected finish date of 30 October 2026. The contract is valued at R21.54 million.
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The current project scope includes work on the dam wall and partial sludge removal. However, the DA says the volume of accumulated sediment over the years exceeds initial estimates and could limit the dam’s storage capacity even after the wall is completed.
Both Marquard and Clocolan rely on water pumped from the Holstein Pump Station because water in Clocolan’s dam is often discoloured and not always suitable for use.
“This is not just a Marquard issue. Marquard and Clocolan are both dependent on water pumped from the Holstein Pump Station, largely because the water in Clocolan’s dam is often discoloured and not always suitable,” says Riëtte Dell, DA councillor for Setsoto Municipality.
Dell says full restoration of the Marquard dam could improve water security for both towns, but inadequate sediment removal could result in infrastructure that does not deliver full benefit to communities.
The DA has proposed four recommendations:
- A comprehensive assessment of total sediment levels in the dam basin
- Development of a full desilting or dredging plan beyond the immediate construction footprint
- Exploration of alternative solutions, including phased sediment removal or partnerships for material reuse
- Clear coordination between the municipality and the Department of Water and Sanitation, which holds responsibility for dam infrastructure
The party says the project must address sludge buildup to deliver water security for Marquard and Clocolan.
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