Two Free State municipalities are grappling with critical water infrastructure challenges as residents continue to face service delivery issues despite significant expenditure and infrastructure progress.
The rehabilitation of the Kroonstad Waste Water Treatment Plant is progressing well and is on track to be completed in approximately two months, marking a major step toward ending the discharge of raw sewage into the Vals River.
The project, which has faced significant delays due to contractor performance, funding challenges, and ageing infrastructure, is now in its final construction phase. Mechanical and electrical installations are mostly completed, and civil works on the primary treatment units are nearing completion.
Once operational, the upgraded plant will restore capacity to treat wastewater to national discharge standards set by the Department of Water and Sanitation. This will reduce pollution in the Vals River, improve downstream water quality, and protect public health and the environment for communities in Kroonstad and beyond.
The community deserves to see who will be running this plant, what qualifications they hold, and how they will be trained.
However, a critical concern has been raised about the lack of qualified operational staff to run the plant after completion. Cllr. Chris Dalton said without qualified operators and technicians in place from day one, the municipality risks a new plant falling into disrepair within months.
“The community deserves to see who will be running this plant, what qualifications they hold, and how they will be trained. We cannot afford another cycle of neglect because the human capacity was ignored while we focused on concrete and pipes,” Dalton said.
Final commissioning and testing will follow immediately after construction. Residents will be notified of the commissioning date once testing is complete.
Setsoto spent R14 million on water tankers
In Setsoto, more than R14 million was spent on outsourced water-tanker services during the past financial year while residents continue to face recurring water supply interruptions.
The municipality confirmed that R12,88 million was paid to Mageza M Holdings and a further R1,19 million to Rankhethoa Construction. The municipality has admitted that no feasibility study was conducted to determine whether procuring or expanding a municipal water tanker fleet would be more cost-effective before the money was spent.
Emergency water tankers have become the primary response to ongoing water supply challenges rather than the exception
Cllr. Jose Coetzee says the repeated expenditure on outsourced water tanker services, while underlying infrastructure challenges remain unresolved, raises questions about long-term sustainability. “Emergency water tankers have become the primary response to ongoing water supply challenges rather than the exception.”
Forecast El Niño conditions could place additional pressure on the municipality’s water resources, making long-term planning more critical. Experts say the municipality should accelerate investments in sustainable infrastructure and water security measures to prepare for future drought risks rather than continuing to spend millions on recurring emergency services.
The municipality has now indicated its intention to procure its own water tankers and reduce reliance on outsourcing, a move that could provide more cost-effective and sustainable water service delivery in the long term.
Both municipalities face the challenge of balancing immediate service delivery needs with long-term infrastructure planning and proper human resource capacity.
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