Water project to be worth R677m

city of 5.2 megalitres.

CHDM executive mayor Mxolisi Koyo, Intsika Yethu portfolio head of local economic development and planning William Mdwayingana, CHDM infrastructure portfolio head Sithembele Plata and the steering committee attended the briefing.

DWS head Portia Makhanya said the national department had a key mandate to enable the connection of reticulated infrastructure to ensure sustainable water supplies.

“We are in the part [sic] of enabling infrastructure, from the dam to the treatment plant.” DWS had a R1.1-billion budget for water projects.

A number of RBIG projects were being funded by the department in the Eastern Cape. The new Lubisi Dam project was under construction.

CHDM project manager Thulethu Ncokazi said as part of their social responsibility involvement, the subcontractor of the project would give R600 000 to build preschools in the Ncora villages.

CHDM water engineering director Makhaya Dungu said the plant would supply water to an estimated 205 villages with 133 763 people.

Dungu took the media through the water treatment plant explaining the procedures of water processing before reaching its conclusion.

“There is a team of experts such as electro mechanics and water quality technicians who will be assigned to look after the plant. This is to ensure that water operations run 24/7 without interference.”

Dungu said about 30 000 households still needed access to water and they were con- sidering collecting money from households to maintain the project.

“The water supply aims to be within a 200m reach of walking distance and the pipes are designed with yard connections.

“The second phase of the project would need additional pumps and the doubling up of the settlement tanks and aerosol generator series (AGF) filters.”