DBNLM improves its water quality
The Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality initiated a R13 208 588 project to improve water quality and supply by upgrading the Graaff-Reinet Water Treatment Plant. According to Mayor Willem Safers, this project included:
The repair and upgrade of
1) the inlet works in terms of capacity and telemetry
2) the flocculant canal and dosing in terms of capacity, and
3) the sand filters to full operational capacity
The repair, service, and upgrade of the clarifiers, mechanically and in terms of telemetry
The upgrade and replacement of the clear water tank pumps, including its remote operational functionality via telemetry
The upgrade of
1) the blowers to meet the current and future demands of the treatment works 2) the chemical storage facilities, and
3) the site security and night-time lighting
The municipality is also training staff members to become accredited water process controllers.
The accredited training course started early last year as part of the municipality's employment development programme.
Safers says these water process controllers will be able to operate and control the unit processes at the water treatment plant to produce high-quality potable water, treated wastewater and associated waste products according to statutory and regulatory requirements. "The raw water is delivered to the headworks of the water treatment plant where the first of five major unit water treatment processes to make the water safe to drink is initiated. The five major unit processes include chemical coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection," he explained.
Groundwater harvesting
In addition to the above, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) launched a Groundwater Harvesting Mega Project in June 2023. According to Safers groundwater has become an increasingly important source of water, but load shedding has caused irregularities in the abstraction of water from this source.
The CCBSA project is a R12m ground water initiative, powered by solar energy and completely independent from Eskom's power supply, which can supply the entire town of Graaff-Reinet with potable water. A total of 3 882 households in Asherville, Kroonvale and Adendorp are expected to benefit from this project.