The North West Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs will spend R1 million towards the supply of water storage facilities and tinkering to areas mostly affected by the water crisis at the Madibeng local municipality.
The department’s assistance follows an outbreak of algal blooms in raw water sources in the Hartebeespoort area, prompting the municipality to close all outlet valves which supply water to the surrounding areas.
Costs to sustain the project are estimated at R8 million and to address the shortfall, the department is in the processing of securing additional funding through the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).
To date, water tanks have been deployed to supply water to areas of Mmakau, Letlhabile, Centerville, Maboloka, Lethabong, Madidi, Oskraal, Brits, Itsoseng, Meerhof, Mothutlung and Oukasi, which have been worst affected by the contamination. Officials from Magalies Water are currently refurbishing the Brits plant while the Haartebeespoort water purification plant will also undergo major refurbishment.
Meanwhile, the municipality will enter into an agreement with Rand Water to construct a 50 kilometres pipeline around the Haartebeespoort area at an estimated cost of R100 million to reticulate areas currently relying on boreholes as well as private estates. The action is intended to generate revenue for the municipality through rates collection and is expected to unlock development potential in the area.
