On 26 November this year, consuting, design and construction services company Golder Associates held a gathering to celebrate the donation of a small water treatment plant for delivery to the Golder Trust for Orphans’ KwaSizabantu Sculzendal Project in Mpumalanga, just a few kilometres outside of the town of Malelane.
The plant was viewed at their offices in Midrand before it was transported to the site for assembly and commissioning. The KwaSizabantu Schulzendal school complex in the Malelane area receives their water supply from the adjacent Driekoppies Dam, which is primarily used as an irrigation water source. During times of peak water demand, the single borehole capacity is often exceeded. The water quality of the referred dam is not acceptable as potable water. The community which is served by the borehole is over 200 people. Before the donation of the plant, the school and surrounding areas only received water every second to third day, as the municipality distributes water on a rotation basis to communities in the area. Hanrik Zietsman, general maintenance manager at the school, said that many people in the community come to the school to replenish their water supply in containers, but they are rationed at present. “This plant that is herewith donated to the community will have a capacity to provide about 3000 litres of water per hour during an 18-hour day. Based on an average use of 50 litres of water per person, this plant can supply a community of over 1 000 people per day,” says Zietsman.
