Question NW2777 to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
13 November 2017 - NW2777
Groenewald, Mr HB to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)(a) What plan is in place to increase the water flow capacity of bridges along the entire Eastleigh spruit situated within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality area in order to reduce the risk of another flood, (b) what will the cost be to increase the water flow capacity of all the bridges, (c) what amount will each sphere of Government contribute and (d) when will the increase (2) (a) what resources does the Bedfordview regional disaster management depot have and (b) what resources should the specified depot have by law; (3) Whether the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council disaster plan was followed in respect of the Edenvale flooding; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the reasons that the disaster management department took over six hours to respond to the disaster in Edenvale and (b) what additional support did the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council give the local depots of the (i) roads department and (ii) water department?
Reply:
The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan municipality through the Gauteng Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs provided the information:
(1)(a)The plan is to do the following:
- Upgrade the spruit into a rectangular reinforced concrete lined canal with energy dissipators between Francoise Road and Van Riebeeck Avenue (2300m) to accommodate 1:50 year flood event.
- Stabilise the slopes of the spruit using Gabions between Van Riebeeck and 1st Avenue (450m).
- Increase all culvert capacities to accommodate at least 1:50 year flood event.
- Construct an attenuation pond that will be used as a dry retention structure to attenuate the difference between 1:50 and 1:100-year flood event.
- Construct an impermeable clay bund/berm covered with reinforced grass adjacent to some properties.
(b) The approximately cost for the Upgrades is R 400 million.
Attenuation Facility - R 100 million (300 000 cubic meters of water)
10 x Bridges - R 100 million
Channelizing of the Spruit - R 120 million
Road Upgrades - R 80 million
(c) There are no discussions amongst the spheres of government on contributions.
(d) The City of Ekurhuleni has submitted an application to the National Department of Water and Sanitation for a water use license. The City of Ekurhuleni has implemented 2 phases of the project thus far. The approximate time required to upgrade the Spruit at current budget allocations will be more than 10 years but will obviously remain dependent on the availability of budget.
(2) (a) The Environmental Impact Assessment, River Assessment Study, Hydrology and Hydraulic Study, detailed assessment report of the flood damages, Geotechnical Investigation, Digital Terrain Model (DTM) Survey, Water Use Application, Environmental Management Plan, Stormwater Management Plan.
(b) Various Consulting Engineers appointed by the City of Ekurhuleni.
(c) The Eastleigh Spruit will require attenuation facilities, bridge upgrades and channelising of the existing system to prevent flood damages in the future.