Question NW2655 to the Minister of Water and Sanitation
13 December 2016 - NW2655
Basson, Mr LJ to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
(1)Whether her department is experiencing any challenges with the transfer of water from the Tugela River to the Vaal River via the Drakensberg scheme; if so, what are the relevant details in this regard; (2) are the pumps on the transfer route working at full capacity; if not, (a) why not, (b) how long has each of the specified pumps not been working at full capacity, (c) what are the consequences and (d) how much will it cost to repair each of the specified pumps; (3) (a) what is the capacity of each of the pumps and (b) how many litres of water were transferred via the specified route from the Sterkfontein Dam to the Vaal Dam in each month of the (i) 2015 and (ii) 2016 calendar years to date?
Reply:
(1) My Department released the total volume of water from Sterkfontein dam to the Vaal dam as per the operating rule developed by the National Water Resource Planning unit. The initial release in the 2015/2016 hydrological year of 320.48 million cubic meters was completed between October 2015 and January 2016. The second release is underway peaking at 70 cubic meters per second to ensure the planned volume of 203 million cubic meters to be transferred by end December 2016. To date the release is occurring according to plan.
(2)(a) The transfer of water from the Woodstock to Sterkfontein dam occurred 80% according to plan. This was due to mechanical and electrical failures experienced at some of the pump-sets at Drieland Kilburn pump stations. These two pump-stations are working in series to lift water at a maximum flow-rate of 20m3/s (should there be adequate run-off in the river leading into the Woodstock dam).
(2)(b) At Driel pump-station, there are two sections of which section 1 has 2 out of 3 pump-sets functional and at section 2, there are 4 out of 5 pump-sets available. The mechanical fault at Driel 1 was attended to by a previously appointed contractor but failed after commissioning. This particular pump-set has been problematic for more than a year, but contractual matters are being attended to. The electrical motor at Driel 2 is out of service for the past 3 weeks and repair is imminent as procurement is being finalized.
At Kilburn section 1, 4 out of 4 pump-sets are in operation. At Kilburn section 2, we have 3 out of 4 pump-sets in operation. The motor of one pump-set is in for repairs at a contractor after it became dysfunctional in March 2016. The lengthy repairing period was caused due to a contractual dispute with the contractor which has been resolved and it is expected to have this pump back in operation shortly.
(2)(c) If the equipment is not available, the filling of Sterkfontein Dam will be delayed.
(2)(d) The cost for the repair work is R5m for Driel and R1.5m for Kilburn.
(3)(a) At Driel section 1 there are 3 pumps with a transfer capacity of 1m3/s each. At Driel section 2 there are 3 pumps with a transfer capacity of 2.6m3/s each and 2 pumps with a capacity of 4m3/s each. At Kilburn section 1 there are 4 pump-sets of 3.3m3/s each and at section 2 there are 4 pump-sets of 4m3/s each.
(3)(b)(i) The first transfer took place in 2015 from October to January 2016 for which the total of 320.48 million cubic meters was transferred.
(3)(b)(ii) To date about 85 million cubic meters was transferred since 7 November 2016 of the planned 203 million cubic meters.
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