Question NW998 to the Minister of Water and Sanitation
05 May 2022 - NW998
Basson, Mr LJ to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
Whether the new technology that uses less electricity that was implemented by Bloem Water is still in use; if not, why not; if so, what (a)(i) is the cost of the new technology, (ii) have been the savings due to the new technology (aa) in each month and (bb) since the technology was implemented and (iii) is the running cost of the technology and (b) are the relevant details of the new technology works?
Reply:
Bloem Water was the first water board to implement the 96KW Conduit Hydro Power in the country on 31 March 2015. The new technology (Hydro Power) is still operational and in use.
(a) (i) The total cost for the project was R 3.5 million.
(ii) (aa) The average electricity savings a month are estimated at R30 000.00. The savings vary due to the seasonal demand for electricity
(bb) An estimated R2.5 million has been saved in the last seven years of running the generator. The only time the Bloem Water had to replace the generator on the turbine was in 2017 at a cost of R20 000. Other than that, the yearly budget for operation and maintenance of the generator is R40 000.
(iii) Bloem Water budgets R40 000 annually for both electrical and mechanical maintenance. Other than that, there are no other costs as the generator depends on the potable water supplied by the Bloem Water’s Welbedacht Water Treatment Works to its main Brandkop reservoir.
(b) This water passes through the turbine via a re-routed pipeline to generate electricity before it goes
back into the main reservoir. The project was initiated by Bloem Water and completed in conjunction with key stakeholders, including the Water Research Commission (WRC)and the University of Pretoria (UP). The second phase of this project is currently ongoing which will see the extension of the project to the Bloem Water’s Uikyk Reservoir. This site has a potential of an energy output of 300KW.
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