Work will soon get underway at the R14 billion Vaal Gamagara Water Supply Scheme in the Northern Cape.

Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane is expected to launch the major water project which includes the refurbishment of the existing Vaal Gamagara Water Treatment Plant near Delpoortshoop, the upgrade of pump stations and the construction of a 430 km long pipeline from Delpoortshoop to Black Rock.

The project also includes the equipping of three borehole sites, located in Danielskuil, Groenwater and Hotazel, to augment water supplied from the Vaal River.

Six municipalities will benefit from the Vaal Gamagara bulk water supply scheme which is critical to ensure the continued sustainability of iron ore and manganese mining operations between Kathu and Hotazel, while also ensuring water supply to over 22 villages.

 

New quality control laboratory

Mokonyane is also expected to officially open the Vaal Gamagara quality control laboratory, which was completed in April 2016.

The new Vaal Gamagara laboratory hopes to assist municipalities in identifying and addressing water quality and wastewater effluent issues. The absence of an accredited quality control laboratory to perform this function has been one of the biggest contributing factors for the failure of municipalities in the Northern Cape to meet the Blue and Green Drop certification standards.

Qualified laboratory staff have already been appointed by the Sedibeng Water board. The calibration of instrumentation has already been completed and the validation of the first five testing methods – pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, heterotrophic plate counts and total coli forms/E coli – has commenced.

 

(Edited from SAnews.gov)