A package plant aimed at securing water supply for Hammanskraal residents is currently 88% complete.

Forming part of the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS’s) “Hammanskraal intervention project”, the construction of a four-module, 50 megalitre (Mℓ) package plant, to upgrade the Klipdrift water treatment works from 42 Mℓ/d to 92 Mℓ/d, has been completed.

However, the water conveyance system still requires the pumps sets to be completed to deliver the water to the remaining Hammanskraal communities that are without potable water in their taps.

This is planned to be completed within the next four months.

The DWS and its entity Magalies Water partnered with the City of Tshwane to address long-standing water supply and quality challenges in the Hammanskraal area.

Of the 92 Mℓ/d to be produced by the Klipdrift package plant, 50 Mℓ/d has been earmarked for supply to the City of Tshwane.

Work is also underway to rehabilitate and upgrade the Rooiwal wastewater treatment works to restore its optimal performance and ensure that effluent discharged into the Apies river meets the required quality standards.

Amid this, the DWS, the Gauteng provincial government and the City of Tshwane convened a meeting on January 13 to assess progress on the intervention project, which is being implemented by Magalies Water, as it approaches its completion phase, including an acceleration plan of the remaining work after the project encountered several delays.

The meeting was led by Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, along with Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Jacob Mamabolo and City of Tshwane Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya.

The meeting participants received reports from the City of Tshwane on the plans developed to address the anticipated water-supply shortfall beyond the capacity of the Klipdrift package plant upon its completion, as well as an update on the progress of the rehabilitation of the Rooiwal wastewater treatment works.

Currently, certain areas within Hammanskraal, including Mandela Village, Marokolong, Ramotse and Kekana Gardens, also referred to as Steve Bikoville, along with Babelegi Industrial, Kudube Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 6, Unit 10, Unit D and Majaneng Moshate, east of Makapanstad Road, continue to receive water supply from the Klipdrift water treatment works, which has water deemed fit for human consumption from the completed modules 1 and 2.

Although the Phase 1 and Phase 2 areas have access to water, the system is constrained by high demand arising from population growth, resulting in intermittent supply, particularly in high-lying areas, which at times experience limited or no water availability during certain periods of the day.

System optimisation measures and enhanced water demand management interventions are being implemented to address these challenges and ensure equitable and sustainable distribution across the network.

Communities in high-lying areas most affected by intermittent potable water supply will be kept informed of progress as these interventions are rolled out, the DWS said in a statement.

Further, Magalies Water and the City of Tshwane are regularly monitoring the quality of water throughout the newly commissioned system to ensure that there is no risk of waterborne diseases and/or poorly treated water.

Should there be non-conformances that have health implications, the community will be notified formally.

“The meeting welcomed the reports from the technical teams from the three institutions for the considerable progress that the project continues to make towards delivering clean, potable water to residents,” the DWS added.

The technical teams have been directed to meet once a week to ensure that remaining work on the intervention project is accelerated and completed. The meeting took a resolution to convene bi-weekly to receive feedback from the technical teams on the progress of the remaining work until its completion.

“As the project implementation continues, residents are advised to use the available water sparingly, as demand-supply constraints remain due to the growing population, as well as other climate conditions that may have an impact in the upsurge of water demand.”

This will reduce the risk of water supply disruptions.

The public is also encouraged to report any incidents of vandalism or illegal connections.