{"id":48112,"date":"2024-03-14T06:00:39","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T04:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/intervention-gives-hope-20240312-2\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T16:16:55","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:16:55","slug":"intervention-gives-hope-20240312-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/intervention-gives-hope-20240312-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Intervention gives hope"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An intervention to address critical maintenance of Kimberley\u2019s bulk water supply infrastructure is underway, and three contracts with a total construction value of R88,26 million have been awarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of maintenance over years at the old and new water treatment plant at Riverton next to the Vaal River, from where Kimberley gets its water, is a main reason for these plants being dysfunctional, and not being able to purify and pump water at full capacity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the extensive maintenance process, water supply interruptions in the next months are inevitable, said Rikus Rossouw, engineer at Bigen Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During a special media visit to the old and new plant on Wednesday, 6 March, Rossouw said the old plant can be functional within a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The full functionality of the old plant is needed since much of the maintenance needed at the new plant will require a full water shutdown. Wherever possible, maintenance is done without such a shutdown. As far as possible, water shutdowns will be planned and communicated, said Thapelo Matlala, municipal manager of the Sol Plaatje Municipality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a major leak at Midstation in the vicinity of the 3 South African Infantry Battalion (3 SAI) at Roodepan might be a reason for an unplanned and urgent water shutdown in the near future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rossouw says a gasket on this bulk water supply line started leaking in December. When a valve was replaced in November in the same chamber, the gasket was not yet leaking. According to Rossouw, it is common for a gasket to perish with time. To replace this gasket, a full water shutdown will be needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drying the system, replacing the gasket, and refilling the system with water can take days, he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement, Matlala provided more insight in the roll-out of the Budget Facility for Infrastructure Programme (BFI) to address critical maintenance on the municipality\u2019s bulk water supply infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of this roll-out, 35 projects are planned to reverse the water challenges through the R2,5 billion National Treasury BFI grant over the next seven years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three contracts that have been awarded so far are firstly for emergency meter installation, flow and quality monitoring; secondly for emergency leak repairs on priority leaks identified from the SmartBall survey; and thirdly, the fixing of the chlorine, chemical dosing, instrumentation and control at the new plant. A further two projects will be awarded by 15 March, with three others at a tender stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One small step towards full functionality was the fixing of the pre-chlorination process at the new plant which was dysfunctional for almost 12 years. Bigen Africa commenced with this in October, and in January it was fixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is no quick fix, but we are not stopping. Every day, small things to improve production and quality of water are fixed,\u201d remarks Jihaad Suliman of Bigen Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n