Question NW286 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation

Reply:

(a) Yes, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has plans to construct water boreholes for the communities in Mbhashe Local Municipal Area in the Eastern Cape Province. A total of 12 boreholes have been drilled through the Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) drought allocation of R 6,2 Million that was allocated from the 2019/20 financial year for drought relief programme for the Mbashe Local Municipality. The project of drilling, testing and equipping the boreholes is expected to be completed by the end of June 2020.

Furthermore, the Eastern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has also allocated in the 2019/20 budget adjustment an amount of R 2 000 000.00 (Two Million Rands only) from their Eastern Cape Drought Funding Allocation to the Amathole District Municipality which is allocated to Mbhashe Local Municipality, for the drilling and equipping of boreholes for hand pumps at Dwesa and connecting to the existing reticulation system as part of drought intervention plans.

(b) Yes, my Department has made plans for Mnquma Local Municipality to construct water boreholes for the communities. A total of 49 boreholes have been drilled through the Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) Drought allocation of R 57,929 million that was allocated for Drought Relief Programme for the Mnquma Local Municipality. A total of 31 boreholes are operational while a total of 10 boreholes are currently being tested and a total of 8 boreholes are being equipped. The project of drilling, testing and equipping the boreholes is expected to be completed by the end of June 2020.

In addition, DWS through the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) funding has allocated an amount of R 40 Million and has appointed the Amatola Water Board from 1 April 2020 (for a period of three years 2023) as an Implementing Agent to drill more boreholes (in addition to the 49 mentioned above) to cover the Mnquma, Adelaide, Bedford and Peddie areas. The number of boreholes to be drilled will be determined by the need and currently the Amatole Water Board is conducting an assessment in those areas to determine the needs. It is anticipated that the drilling will commence by the end of March 2020, followed by testing, yield, and water quality. The design of infrastructure pumps, pipes, reservoirs and construction will commence by mid - April 2020.

In summary, I have prepared a table with details of drilled boreholes that the Department has been and is still busy with as part of the DWS’ drought relief intervention to respond to Mnquma and Mbashe Local Municipalities.

MBASHE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY
No	Local Municipality	Town/Area	Description	No. of Boreholes	24 hour yield L/S	Comments
1	Mbashe	Dwesa	Dwesa	2		Still to be equipped, quality poor
2	Mbashe	Idutywa Town	Idutywa Town	6	23	Still to be equipped. Requiring R55 million to equip and pipe back to Idutywa.
3	Mbashe	Idutywa Town	Idutywa Town	4	Newly drilled	Newly drilled, awaiting water quality results. Still to be equipped.
	Total 12 Boreholes- Mbashe LM
MNQUMA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY
No	Local Municipality	Town/Area	Description	No. of Boreholes	24 hour yield L/S	Comments
1	Mnquma LM	Butterworth	Borehole 1 Golf Course	1	2	Equipped with a submersible pump and generator. Supplying private individuals. Operating 12 hours per day
2	Mnquma LM	Butterworth	Borehole 2 Golf Course	1	2	Equipped with a submersible pump and the generator. Currently operating 12 hours per day
3	Mnquma LM	Butterworth	Borehole 2 -Golf Course	10	Currently being tested	Currently being tested
4	Mnquma LM	Butterworth	Hospital Borehole	1	0.4	Equipped with a submersible pump and generator and supplying hospital only. Insufficient to meet full hospital
5	Mnquma LM	Butterworth	Low yield, shallow borehole	24	<1	Equipped with hand pumps – 4 are fit for human consumption and 20 are not fit for human consumption.
6	Mnquma LM	Butterworth	Teko Fihla Boreholes	4	14	Equipped with a submersible pumps and generator. Currently operating 12 hours per day
7	Mnquma LM	Butterworth	Teko Fihla Boreholes	8	27	Still being equipped. Project expected to be completed before June 2020. Water to be pumped to Ibika Reservoirs
	Total 49 Boreholes –Mnquma Local Municipality