Magalies Water has taken note with great appreciation of the declarations made at the Water and Sanitation Indaba recently held in Gauteng province. These commitments represent a fresh mandate from the highest echelons of government in the country, with support from the highest office in the land. This Indaba took place at a time when the water sector faces numerous challenges, to which Magalies Water is not immune. As an organisation that has emerged from a reconfiguration process, which resulted in the expansion of its service mandate to cover the rest of the North West province, we are working diligently to finalise the updated Bulk Water and Sanitation Master Plan.

Previously, this strategic document focused on the Bojanala Platinum (North West) and Waterberg Districts (Limpopo). Upon the conclusion of the review, it will shed light on the entire North West’s water challenges and future demands. It will also be a key driver in our quest to expand the entity’s presence in previously un-serviced areas by ensuring that all future water and sanitation projects undertaken are informed by feasibility studies and bankable business cases that highlight the need for bulk infrastructure investments across all four districts of the North West.

Much of the North West province’s water resources are strained, limited, and in certain areas lack the requisite bulk infrastructure to respond more pragmatically to water-related challenges. To this extent, Magalies Water has been implementing key projects that seek to address the water supply challenges where it currently has operations.

Below are some of the projects the entity has undertaken in the last seven (7) financial years, and has continued to implement beyond the reconfiguration process as part of its growth strategy into the future:

Pilanesberg South Bulk Water Supply project in Rustenburg Local Municipality

A 50 megalitre reservoir has been completed as well as pump station. This project also includes a construction of a 30 megalitre reservoir in Tlhabane township which has also been completed. Upon full commissioning, this project will impact about 63 238 households bringing about much-needed relief to residents in areas with historically high-water demand patterns.

Klipvoor Bulk Water Supply Scheme is a bulk water infrastructure mega-project

The project beneficiaries include Moretele, Bela-Bela, Modimolle-Mokgoophong and Mogalakwena Local Municipalities. Currently only two (2) out of the seven (7) work packages are on construction stage, as project implementation processes for the other work packages are still at early stages. Magalies Water is currently engaging national government departments on funding models, and technical project scoping.

Vaalkop Water Treatment Plant upgrade project is also underway

We are nearing the upgrade and optimisation of the raw water pump station. The raw water pump station has been upgraded from a capacity of 270 Ml/d to a 360 Ml/d, including linking of the raw water pipeline and supernatant to a common inlet works. Practical on this aspect of the project is earmarked for end of May 2025.

Implementation Readiness Study for the upgrade of Vaalkop Water Treatment Plant from a 270 Ml/d to a 360 Ml/d, including upgrading of the distribution works is underway, and this mega project will be submitted to National Treasury’s Budget Facility for Infrastructure for blended funding. This catalytic project will ensure water security in the Bojanala Platinum District of the North-West.

The Moretele South Bulk Water Supply Scheme is a multi-phased project being implemented by the Magalies Water

A total of R640 617 000 had been budgeted for the scheme from the Department’s Regional Bulk infrastructure Grant (RBIG). Phase 1 of the project was an upgrade of the Klipdrift Water Treatment Works from 18ml/d to 42ml/d completed in 2022. Phase 2 consisted of 30-kilometre bulk pipeline from the treatment plant towards the far west end of Moretele, while Phase 3 is currently under construction, and includes the construction of a reservoir and bulk pipeline, to ensure reliable supply of potable water to seven villages identified in far west of Moretele including Swartdam; Noroki; Ratsiepane; Moeka; Ga-Motle; Kromkuil and Mmakaunyana.

Magalies Water maintains a sound working relationship with municipalities (Water Services Authorities – WSAs), for which it performs primary (Section 29) and secondary (Section 30) services. We have provided expert and technical support, and continue to do so, where WSA’s experience challenges with water conservation strategies to ensure that physical water losses are substantially reduced, thereby preserving the water value chain.

In support of the Water and Sanitation Indaba resolutions, we intend to implement structured frameworks aimed at improving compliance with Blue and Green Drop standards for Water Services Authorities (WSAs) within our jurisdiction. This will involve immediate interventions focused on mitigating risks related to water safety, security, and quality. Our approach will ensure the development of sustainable resource management solutions.

The interventions will be executed with robust participation from the WSAs, highlighting the critical importance of fostering dynamic collaborations among key stakeholders within the water sector, in line with the objectives of the Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) framework. Through the Corporate Social Initiative (CSI) programme, we have assisted WSA’s in installing pre-paid meters and provided support to the war on leaks campaigns in some of the municipalities in our area of operation that experienced high water losses.

As a growing entity, we are encouraged by the support from the Department of Water and Sanitation which has ensured that recent reforms within the sector have not presented Magalies Water with insurmountable challenges, central to which is the provision of potable water to communities in all areas of our operations, as enshrined in the country’s Constitution. Magalies Water remains committed to playing its part in ensuring that national government objectives, particularly those related to the National Development Plan (NDP 2030) on water security, availability, and supply, are achieved.