In the budget speech, the Department of Water and Sanitation has committed to placing emphasis on investment in bulk water supply infrastructure projects whilst vigorously assisting municipalities with water reticulation to ensure that unserved communities receive the services.

These following key infrastructure projects were mentioned in the budget speech:

Free State

The Vaal Central Water Board is assisting the Maluti-a-Phofung Local and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities with a range of projects aimed at addressing the dire state of water and sanitation infrastructure in the two municipalities. The two key project amounts to a total of R5.4 billion over the next 5 years

KwaZulu Natal

• The uMngeni-uThukela Water Board and Zululand District Municipality are accelerating the R9.5 billion Mandlakazi Bulk Water Supply Scheme to benefit communities under Zululand as well as uMkhanyakude District Municipalities. The pipeline includes abstraction of raw water from Jozini Dam, laying of 28 km bulk line, pumpstation and upgrading of Mandlakazi Water Treatment Works, Mkhuze Water Treatment Works and others.
• The new R26 billion Upper uMkhomazi Dam and associated works are also earmarked to provide urgently needed additional water to eThekwini and surrounding districts including Ugu, Harry Gwala, iLembe and Mgungundlovu.
• The new R1.8 billion Cwabeni off-channel storage dam will provide additional water to Port Shepstone and surrounding areas.
• The new R800 million Stephen Dlamini Dam will provide sustainable water supplies to the town of Bulwer and surrounding peri-urban and rural communities.
• The R500 million project to raise the wall of the existing Klipfontein Dam will provide additional water for domestic use and irrigation.
• Ugu District Municipality is also implementing various projects aimed at improving the water and reducing the non-revenue water, though non-revenue reduction programmes, refurbishment and replacement of infrastructure, revenue management plan, pipeline replacement of infrastructure and emergency borehole programmes, amongst others.

Mpumalanga

The Loskop Regional Bulk Water involves the construction of a bulk pipeline from Loskop Dam in Mpumalanga to Thembisile Hani Local Municipality in Mpumalanga for domestic water supply. The project will also benefit communities in the Moutse area, under the Elias Motsoaledi Municipality. The bulk pipeline passes through the Moutse-East area under the Sekhukhune District Municipality in Limpopo, and the project includes distribution infrastructure to supply treated water to villages in Moutse-East valued at R1.67 billion.

Gauteng

In Gauteng, Rand Water continues to assist Emfuleni and Midvaal Local Municipalities with a range of projects to address the sanitation challenges in the Vaal. This includes the unblocking of blocked sewage pipelines, replacing collapsed sewage pipelines, repairing and refurbishing pumpstations, and assisting the Emfuleni Municipality to restore its operation and maintenance functions. The investment is estimated at R4.7billion.

Eastern Cape

• The new R8 billion Ntabelanga Dam on a tributary of the uMzimvubu River will provide additional water for irrigation and domestic use in the eastern region.
• The new R2 billion Foxwood Dam to provide additional water for irrigation and for the town of Adelaide.
• The new R1 billion Zalu Dam will provide additional water for the town of Lusikisiki and surrounding villages.
• The new R600 million Coerney Balancing Dam will improve water security for the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan area.
• Development of Phase 3 of the Nooitgedacht Water Treatment Works
• Mnquma Municipality to provide water to unserved communities, through the Nqamakhwe Regional Bulk Water Scheme and provide funding to develop the Lower Sundays River, Greater Mbizana, and Ndlambe water schemes

Limpopo

• The R4 billion new water transfer pipeline from the Crocodile West River to the Lephalale area of Limpopo will augment the water supply to the recently completed Medupi Power Station, Lephalale Town and the existing Matimba Power Station.
• The Lepelle Northern Water is implementing Phase 1, of the Olifants Ebenezer aimed at bringing relieve and sustainable water provision for Polokwane, Seshego and surrounding. This phase 1 estimated at R4.7 billion is part of a 10-year R18 billion programme.
• The R750 million project to raise the wall of the existing Tzaneen Dam will address water shortages in Tzaneen and surrounding areas.
• The new R4 billion N’wamitwa Dam on the Great Letaba River will provide additional water for irrigation, and domestic and industrial use and increase flows into the Kruger National Park.

Western Cape

• The R7 billion project to raise the wall of the existing Clanwilliam Dam will double the size of the dam to provide additional water for irrigation, and domestic and industrial use to Clanwilliam and surrounding areas is also underway in the Western Cape.
• A R1.2 billion project is underway to abstract water from the Berg River and convey it to the existing Voëlvlei Dam, to increase the supply of water to the City of Cape Town and surrounding areas.

Northern Cape

• R24 billion Olifants River Water Resource Development Project in Limpopo and the R10 billion Vaal Gamagara Phase Two Project in the Northern Cape. These two projects are being implemented in partnership with the mining sector, with joint funding by the government and the mines. Both projects will increase water supply and ensure water security to enable investment in mining. Communities adjacent to the bulk pipelines will also benefit from these projects.
• Kimberley Bulk Water Supply Project Emergency Refurbishment that includes the refurbishment of the Riverton Water Treatment Plant, emergency leak repairs at Newton Reservoir Complex
• R10 billion Vaal Gamagara Phase Two Project in the Northern Cape to provide additional water for mining and communities