By Rianté Naidoo

A 37.5ML reservoir is in the pipeline for the residents of Linksfield Ridge in Johannesburg.

Johannesburg Water will undertake the project which is “necessary to meet future water demands,” Tidimalo Chuene, communications manager, told infrastructurene.ws.

The decision to build a reservoir in Linksfield Ridge is because the area has the largest amount of available land and is an efficient hydraulic area within the local water supply district. Chuene says this means that the reservoir “can be fed by gravity”.

Reservoir construction and procurement

Johannesburg Water is currently conducting preliminary studies and submitting applications to the relevant authorities, such as environmental companies. Therefore, Chuene says “it is still too early to commit to dates as to when construction will begin”.

No construction companies have been selected yet as the project is still in its feasibility phase. However, “the procurement phase will be undertaken in future, depending on the availability of funds from the City of Johannesburg,” Chuene says.

Project manager of construction at the water utility, Nqobizitha Nzimande, says once construction begins, it is expected to take between 18 and 24 months.

Environmental impact

While construction of the reservoir is not a challenge, Johannesburg Water is concerned about the environmental effect the project could possibly have on the area. This area is considered “environmentally sensitive” as the Harvey Municipal Nature Reserve is in close proximity.

“We are currently conducting studies and preparing the environmental management plan which involves community participation,” Chuene says. “We will be submitting the required reports to the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) in March and they will advise us accordingly.”

In the meantime, Nzimande said environmental experts have already put together a report with recommendations.

“Part of the mandate for the constructors is to minimise the damage to the environment,” Nzimande says. “Existing flaura and fauna has been identified and will be relocated.”

Chuene reiterated this, and says: “Our intention is to preserve the existing nature park in its current state.”

This means that the reservoir will be entirely underground, according to Nzimande.

“You will not even know where it is,” he says. “We will take photographs of the before state and when construction is completed we will restore everything the same way we would have found it.”