A pipeline from the Gariep Dam doable

NEWS Headlines: Cape Town Metro “Preparing For Day Zero”.

Why are the authorities struggling with this? Surely in the “national interest” the answer would be to run a pipeline from the Gariep Dam. This dam has four hydro electric turbines and by connecting a pipeline to one of these turbine outlets that otherwise would just run downstream, then this would surely provide sufficient water to overcome Cape Town’s pending water crisis.

The pipeline could run adjacent to the N1 highway and railway line over flat undulating land to the vicinity of Lainsburg/Touws River before being connected to the Cape Town Metro systems and run down to existing storage dams.

The pipeline, when full, would hold close to a million litres of water and would run continuously. If necessary the pipeline could be laid by the SANDF Engineers units in the same way that the US Army Corps of Engineers are and have been used in many instances to build and develop the country’s infrastructure and to assist as first responders in times of need. With more dams and pipeline development, South Africa could be transformed into a net exporter of beef, mutton, pork, chicken, dairy, maize, fruit, vegetables, fresh produce, timber. And so much more with a labour intensive, skilled, happy and productive population enjoying the fruitage of the land and its fertile soils and the countries beautiful climate. If a way to equality is to be found, surely this is it?

It might now be time to get those pipe laying rigs fitted out with their generators and welding equipment, and to get a few of those side boom Caterpillar PL tractors going and let’s transform SA into a land flowing with milk and honey.

As a hypothetical example, the pipeline envisaged, would require a capital outlay of R200 million, a relatively small number when considered against its earnings potential. Delivery of 1 million litres of water at an astronomically low price of R1 per litre per day over a period of one year would generate gross revenue of R365m. And after deduction of the capital cost of R200m would still result in a profit to the vendors of R165m and R365m annually.

ROBERT M.WETTERGREEN Durban North