The refurbishment of the Giyani Water Treatment Works (WTW) has reached practical completion, and the treatment plant is functioning optimally, producing 28.5 megalitres per day. The plant now has the capacity to supply treated water to Giyani town and various villages under the Mopani District Municipality.
The WTW receives raw water from Nsami Dam which is supplied through a 40.5 km raw water pipeline from Nandoni Dam to Xikukwani Canal (which feeds into Nsami Dam). The pipeline was completed on 5 April 2023.
The refurbishment and upgrade of the Giyani WTW and reticulation to 55 villages are being implemented by Mopani District Municipality as the Water Services Authority. Lepelle Northern Water is constructing the required bulk pipelines. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is providing funding and technical oversight.
Work is currently under way to provide water to the first batch of 24 villages, as the first phase of the reticulation project. The reticulation of these villages is at various stages of completion. The project includes the construction of bulk pipelines to link the Giyani WTW to all the identified supply areas.
Currently, of the 24 villages currently being reticulated, there are nine villages where water reticulation has reached practical completion. These include Ndindani and Ngove B, Mhlaba Willem, Bambeni, Homu 14A and 14B, Nwakhuwani, Risinga View A and Mapayeni A. These villages have water taps installed in their yards and are receiving water supply through the completed bulk pipelines.
In the remaining 15 villages construction work is at various stages of completion. In the meantime, these villages are able to access water via various schemes such as borehole sources implemented by Mopani District Municipality. Work is ongoing to install bulk pipelines, connect secondary bulk pipelines to local reservoirs, refurbish existing reservoirs, install elevated steel tanks, and to install reticulation pipelines and yard connections. The estimated date of completion of Phase 1 is the end of August 2024.
Phase 2 of the project will involve upgrading of the Giyani WTW to increase its treatment capacity by an additional 10 mega litres per day. This work is planned to commence during the 24/25 municipal financial year and will take 24 months. The Phase 2 reticulation of the remaining 31 villages is also expected to start in the 24/25 municipal financial year.
The DWS acknowledges the impact of the delays and is empathetic to the plight of communities still faced with intermittent water supply challenges and reiterates its commitment to ensure the successful completion of the multi-component Giyani water project. The progress of the entire project is currently at 72.66% and additional villages will receive water as work gets completed.
For more information, contact Wisane Mavasa, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 060 561 8935.
