George projects progressing well
OVERARCHING AIM The provisioning of water security remains integral to long-term municipal planning
The George municipality, having received a Budget Facility for Infrastructure Funding (BFI) grant of R1.1-billion from National Treasury in the 2021/22 financial year, noted on its website that the BFI project is on track for completion by October 2025.
The Western Cape municipality states that it is actively working to keep the economy progressing by ensuring adequate long-term planning and investment into its infrastructure, including water, sewage and electricity assets.
It states that the BFI project’s objectives are to ensure adequate potable water supply to meet the demand of the current population, provide security for future development and to reduce pollution of main water courses.
The project comprises 12 components, some of which include multiple phases.
Components 1, 2 & 7
The 20 000 m3/d extension to the new water treatment works (WTW) and the WTW Residuals Treatment facility form Component 1 and Component 2. Local newspaper, the George Herald, in October reported that the first contract, valued at R284-million, for the civil engineering works, is nearing completion.
The municipality told the newspaper that the tender for the mechanical, electrical and instrumentation (MEI) works, to the value of R217-million, are progressing at pace, and are 85% complete. The MEI works should be completed in early 2025.
The civil engineering works were initially scheduled for completion by the end of February 2024 and the MEI for December 2024. While projections have been extended to early 2025 for the MEI contract, additional work was also required on the raw water pipeline and intake works, which extended the completion date for the civil works to June 2024.
Meanwhile, Component 7 entailed the rehabilitation of the old WTW, located in Denneoord, which aided the refurbishment of the 20 000 m3/d treatment plant. This component comprised four separate contracts and the tenders were awarded at the beginning of 2022. All the work has been completed.
Component 3
The refurbishment of the existing sludge discharge systems, which necessitated two phases at the Eden, Meul and Schaapkop pumpstations, sought to improve their reliability.
Phase 1 of the upgrading and refurbishment of the Meul sewage pumpstation, comprising a new standby generator and motor control centre was completed in June 2023. So too was Phase 1 of the Eden sewage pumpstation, which also received a new motor control centre.
Regarding Phase 2, the George Herald reported that the construction of a sewer pipeline at the Meul pumpstation has been completed and that detailed drawings and equipment manufacture for the mechanical and electrical works contract are in the final stages.
Further, at the Eden pumpstation, bulk earthworks are under way and the mechanical and electrical works were supposed to start in late October 2024.
Meanwhile, the municipality told the newspaper that the bulk earthworks at Schaapkop pumpstation were progressing well.
Components 4, 5, 6 & 8
Component 4 comprised the upgrading of the Garden Route Dam Outlet and Supply Project, which saw the 600-mm-diameter raw water pipeline from the intake tower at the Garden Route dam replaced with a new 800-mm-diameter stainless-steel pipeline to accommodate a higher flowrate.
The R34.2-million construction contract was awarded in May 2023. The municipality reported that the project was expected to be completed by October 2024, but the George Herald cited an updated completion date of November 2024.
Component 5, which has been completed, saw two 1 250 kVA generators installed at the Garden Route Dam raw water pumpstation. These generators will ensure uninterrupted pumping of raw water to the WTW.
Component 6 called for the construction of an additional 40-million-litre raw water storage and balancing dam, a 340-m-long, 800-mm-diameter outlet pipeline and an 1 000-mm-diameter pump main extension, to secure sufficient raw water storage capacity to supply the 20 000 m3/d extension.
The R93-million construction contract was awarded in December 2023. Construction is expected to be completed by August 2025.
Component 8, meanwhile, comprised the refurbishment of the Kaaimans River pumpstation equipment. The Kaaimans pumpstation discharges into the Garden Route dam.
The R16-million contract was awarded in June 2023. The George Herald noted the estimated completion date as November 2024.
Components 9 & 10
The new 14 000 m3 Pacaltsdorp West reservoir and pumpstation will help to provide adequate water security for the medium term.
The project’s R107-million construction contract was awarded in January 2024. Construction started in May. The estimated completion date is October 2025.
Component 10 comprises the construction of the 3 000 m3 Pacaltsdorp East reservoir, and the 300 m3 tower and pumpstation. The R60-million construction contract, awarded in December 2023, also started in May 2024, but completion is expected in July 2025.
Components 11 & 12 Component 11 comprises a new pumpstation and control valves for the existing Thembalethu West reservoir and tower and the upgrading of an existing bulk supply pipeline.
The newspaper noted that two construction contracts, totalling R23.9-million, were awarded. The estimated completion date for both contracts is June 2025.
Finally, Component 12 calls for the construction of the new 8 000 m3 Thembalethu East reservoir, and the 1 000 m3 tower and pumpstation. The estimated completion date is also June 2025.
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