A partnership approach is vital to the achievement of universal access to water, Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa told those present at the launch of the Pilanesberg Water Supply Scheme.

Molewa said the project highlights the necessity for government, private sector and the general public to come together to provide and sustain equitable water supply to all. “I consider it highly significant that the impetus for this project embraces this principle of working together and has responded to our call for collaboration in this manner,” she said.“I want to reiterate my sense of gratitude to all those who are partnering with us to ensure that the water we are transferring here reaches its target consumers and is sustained for many years to come.”

The newly launched Pilanesberg Water Supply Scheme aims to provide a constant water supply to the towns of Rustenberg, Mogwase, Thabazimbi and Northam, as well as a number of large platinum mines in Boshoek, Rustenburg and Northam.

Launched by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) in partnership with the North West Provincial Government, Moses Kotane Local Municipality and Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, the scheme hopes to relieve the challenges of water availability which has historically been critical.

According to Molewa, the mining activities and population growth in Bojanala Platinum District have increased the demand on bulk potable water supply for industrial and domestic use since was started in August 2012. The project was therefore revised to a bigger project that

The supply scheme includes a raw water supply system, the upgrade and extension of the Vaalkop Water Treatment Plant and the bulk treated water supply system. It will provide an additional 70 Mℓ/d, of which 36.2 Mℓ/d will be allocated to the mining community, while the remainderis reserved for municipal areas. A total of 57 villages will benefit from this project in the municipalities of Moses Kotane, Rustenburg and Thabazimbi.

“In the long term, this project must make huge impact to the population of 758 864 living in the 184 008 households in the Rustenburg, Moses Kotane and Thabazimbi Municipalities.,” said Molewa.  13 452 job opportunities have been created thus far and Molewa said her department is determined toincrease this number.

Municipal Water Infrastructure Grant

This project is financed through the Regional Bulk Water Infrastructure Grant, the DWA’s flagship programme.

The Municipal Water Infrastructure Grant targets communities without any safe drinking water, such as those which will benefit from the Pilanesberg Water Supply Scheme. Although the grant intends to provide interim services to affected communities while they wait for services in line with RDP standards, it is also designed to address the challenge of ageing infrastructure.

R6.2 billion allocated over the medium term expenditure framework (MTEF), with the focus falling on the 23 district municipalities identified by thepresident through Cabinet. A total of R122 million has been allocated for the North West Province over the MTEF period.