The water challenges faced by the community of Warden in the Free State have finally come to an end after the completion of the Cornelis River Dam.

The Department of Water and Sanitation recently announced the completion of construction works on the project which will see an estimated 10 674 people benefit.

The Phumelela Local Municipality was in desperate need of a new dam as the existing water resources were unreliable. The original dam was badly silted and had no capacity left for raw water storage. It also posed a risk element of contamination from a nearby kraal.

The dam at a glance

The new, which was completed in July, spans 23 metre sin length and the wall measures 205 metres. It has a storage capacity at spillway level of 4500 000 cubic metres.

The concrete spillway was designed to safely accommodate the regional maximum flood without overtopping of the non-overspill crest when the dam is full as recommended. The surface area of the dam at full supply level is 98 hectare.

Unprecedented residential development

“The dam was implemented to ensure a sustainable and long-term solution for the water supply problems that had been experienced in the Warden/Ezenzeleni region. The supply problems were due to unprecedented residential development of Ezenzeleni.

“The high rural to urban migration and changing water use pattern due to the introduction of water borne sewerage systems under the bucket eradication programme places additional stress on the existing infrastructure and source,” the department notes.