Question NW329 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
24 July 2020 - NW329
Basson, Mr LJ to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
(1)Whether, with reference to the water crisis in the Mogalakwena Municipality in Limpopo, there is a water board in place for the management of the canal; if so, is the water board aware of the current water loss by the canal; (2) whether there is a Service Level Agreement (SLA) in place for servicing and maintaining the canal; if so, (a) which company is responsible for service and maintenance and (b) on what date was the SLA awarded; (3) whether the water board and the service provider have a plan in place to curb the water loss problem; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) what budget has been earmarked for the upgrading and servicing and/or maintenance of the canal; (5) whether (a) the water board and/or (b) her department considered installing a pipeline and the benefits thereof, instead of using the canal (details furnished)?
Reply:
(1) I am informed that the Doorindraai Canal in Mokgalakwena is managed and operated by the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Operations and Maintenance Chief Directorate and it is aware that the Canal requires rehabilitation.
(2) The Chief Directorate is using its infrastructure for operations and maintenance, and therefore there is no need for a Service Level Agreement (SLA).
(3) The plan is to rehabilitate the canal by reconstructing the concrete slabs and eliminate the water leakages.
(4) The rehabilitation of canals is budgeted for on a yearly basis under the Rehabilitation of Conveyance Systems (ROCS) which falls under the Operations and Maintenance Division in the Department. No funds are budgeted for this canal in 2020/21 because priority for yearly plans is determined by emergencies.
(5) The Department is not considering using a pipe because the water at Doorndraai has a Langelier Saturation Index of -1.31 which means it is corrosive. Therefore, installing a pipeline would not be an alternate solution because the pipeline would collapse without a warning.