The implementation of water conservation and water demand management, along with other measures, are proceeding well and should ensure the sustainable water supply in the short and long term for the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and surrounding regions, according to an Algoa Reconciliation Strategy Steering Committee meeting, which was held on 10 December and led by the Department of Water Affairs.

“It also established that the most important measures to ensure water security for this important area are to intensify the implementation of further water conservation and water demand management initiatives to ensure efficient use of water, as well as the completion of the implementation of the Nooitgedacht Low-level Scheme to supplement the area’s water supply from the Orange-Fish-Sundays River transfer scheme,” said a statement released by DWA Eastern Cape spokesperson, Mandi Zenzile on Monday.

The Municipality’s Reconciliation Strategy targets aim to reduce water losses by 37Ml/day over a 5-year period, with savings amounting to 13Ml/day or R27 million over the 2009/10 to 2010/11 period. The same comparison for 2011 and 2012 show an increase in real losses of 6Ml/day, “although there is uncertainty about the values for the past year.” However, the municipality says they are confident of meeting the targets.

The statement comes ahead of the influx of holiday-makers expected to travel to the coastal areas soon, adding extra stress to an already strained water network in the area.

According to the statement, investigations relating to the feasibility of developing further groundwater sources, water re-use and seawater desalination for supplying the Municipality and its surrounding areas will continue. An emergency seawater desalination plant has been proposed, to be located at the old Swartkops Power Station near the Swartkops Estuary and has been flagged in the event of more droughts in the area, however the Municipality has also since appointed consultants to investigate the feasibility of establishing a bigger desalination plant to the Western side of the City.

With regards to groundwater, Zenzile highlighted the final borehole siting along the Coega Kop area and the Uitenhage areas, which is nearly complete, after which drilling can start.

Completion of the Nooitgedacht Low-level Scheme implementation on the other hand, based on the present status could potentially be delayed until end 2014 due to funding being needed for Phase 2 of the project. According to the statement, while it is anticipated the water requirement in the area will increase due to it’s growing economy and population and although the project has received emergency funding from National Treasury, “a supply of water from Olifantskop to the Coega IDZ may be required by end 2013.”

“In order to meet this requirement, a cross connection between the high-level and low-level pipelines will be made at the Nooitgedacht Water Treatment Works to enable supplying the IDZ with potable water.”