Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa yesterday launched the Integrated Inyaka Water Supply Scheme.

The completed Integrated Inyaka Water Supply project consists of the Inyaka Water treatment Works Phases 3 & 4, the Acornhoek Bulk Water Pipeline, as well as water reticulation projects to 15 villages.

Speaking at the launch, Molewa applauded the project which has brought basic service closer to the people. “What is vital to note is that due to the work that has been done to bring this facility to its design capacity, we now have a more reliable and consistent water supply as reported by the Bushbuckridge Water Board and the Municipality…. This has thus sought to address the long-standing challenges of water rationing within Bushbuckridge,” she said.

However she says they have not achieved all they set out to do and work in this region is still on-going. “What we are here to do in particular is to celebrate the delivery to those areas that have been serviced thus far. Further we are here to prove to those people in the outstanding areas that we are making progress, and this progress is towards bringing them also into the area that will be, in good time, receiving the same services as those that are recently reticulated.”

According to Molewa, the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) is aware that there is still have a backlog in water supply. She assured the community that the DWA is aware that as work on constructing bulk and reticulation infrastructure continues, the demand for raw water abstraction and treated water production will also grow exponentially, more so over the next five years. This increase in demand will be driven primarily by the need to meet the current water services backlog, improving level of service as well as the associated urbanisation of some of the current rural towns of Acornhoek, Mkuhlu and Bushbuckridge.

Molewa said the DWA is also acutely aware that the water extraction within the Municipality exceeds the requirement, implying that there are definite water losses within the system. “Premier I believe this is an issue that needs critical attention from the leadership in the area. The DWA in the region is available to assist in ensuring that such unnecessary losses are curbed thus ensuring that the security of water supply is more assured,” she said.

The Integrated Inyaka Water Supply Scheme

As part of the Integrated Inyaka Water Supply Scheme, the Inyaka Water Treatment Works was upgraded and  now supplies an extra 75 megalitres per day (ML/d), increasing  the area’s total supply to 118,9 ML/d. This is made up of input of 75 Ml/d from Inyaka, 27Ml/d from Hoxani, and the remaining 16,9Ml/d from other smaller treatment works in the area.

The Thulamahashe line which has a demand for 32Ml/d will now receive supply from this Inyaka Water Treatment Works. The Thulamahashe Bulk Pipeline will eventually supply 44 villages from the area of Dwarsloop to Hlalakahle around Gottenburg. The work on reticulation has covered 29 of the 44 villages in the area. Reticulation work is underway for the remaining 15 villages and is expected to be completed by the end of May.

Phases 3 and 4 of the project cost R482.57 million and will serve a population of around 850 000 people. A total of 423 jobs created and 270 people were trained in the process.