Water solutions for Makana Municipality

Water service utility Amatola Water, Makana municipality and consulting engineering company Bosch Projects continue to work hard to solve the water shortages in Makhanda, formerly Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape.

To combat this problem, a carefully structured three-phased upgrade project of the James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works is currently under way.

Amatola Water was appointed as the implementing agent, with Bosch Projects as consulting engineers to undertake the design and implementation of the augmentation of the James Kleynhans Bulk Water Supply Project.

Funding for the implementation of the project is through the Department of Water and Sanitation and the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant programme.

“An important component of the project requires that emerging subcontractors be developed with the contract, allowing for 30% of the project value to be awarded to emerging subcontractors. “The first phase of the project was completed in September 2019. The second phase – for the augmentation of the James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works from 10 Mℓ/d to 20 Mℓ/d – is in progress,” says Bosch Projects manager Rowan Bode.

This R110.6-million contract involves the construction of primary infrastructure, including chlorination, flocculation channels, sedimentation tanks and filters. Works will also comprise an internal road, as well as mechanical, electrical and instrumentation upgrades.

The main concrete works are almost complete, but the installation of the steel pipe fittings and specials are proving to be challenging owing to a scarcity of the specialised materials required, the escalating cost of steel items and the corresponding cashflow issues that arise from these problems. Added to this, the Covid-19 pandemic has delayed progress of the project.

“This project will substantially improve the reliability of water supply to Makana and will certainly improve the quality of life for Makana residents,” says Bode.