The Minister for Water and Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa, in conjunction with the Free State Government has launch the Bethlehem / Paul Roux Bulk Water project.

The Department of Water (DWA) and Dihlabeng Local Municipality (DLM) launched the recently completed bulk water scheme from the Saulspoort Water Treatment Works via the newly built Morelig pump station, a 17km pipeline in the westerly direction to the new Meyerskop pressure break tank. Water is fed by gravity through a 30km pipeline along the N5 high way to Paul Roux where a new 48 hours reserve reservoir has been built.

The (DWA) has provided support to Dihlabeng Local Municipality (DLM) with regards to the implementation of the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) Programme and the project is complete, operational and ready to be launched.

As a result of the scheme, Paul Roux and its settlement will no longer use ground water which was found to be high in manganese and iron. The scheme will also allow for future developments such as flushing toilets to be implemented.

“The Paul Roux Bulk Water Supply Scheme (BWS) is implemented to ensure a sustainable and long term solution for the water supply problems that had been experienced in the Paul Roux / Fateng-tse-Ntsho region. The supply problems are due to the fact that the boreholes which were used were not sustainable and also contaminated with Manganese,” said Molewa. According to Molewa, the water quality in the area now complies with the prescribed standards. The scheme is now able to meet the demands of the community in line with the RDP standards.

The scheme comprises with number of components. It included the construction of a 2Mℓ reservoir at Paul Roux, a 300kℓ pressure break tank at Meyerskop and a pump station at Morelig reservoir, construction of rising main from Morelig pump station to Meyerskop pressure break tank and construction of gravity main from Meyerskop to Paul Roux reservoir. The cost of this project is R 70 291 088. 5

The second phase of the project includes the construction of a bulk water supply pipeline to Rosendal and another one from Bethlehem to Fouriesburg.

The purpose of the project is to ultimately supply 2 Ml/day of potable water to a population of 9 002 people in approximately 2 828 households, allowing for an increase in the average consumption per capita from 99 l/c/d to 148 l/c/d over a 30 year time horizon.