07 Mar 2017

Assistant Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Itumeleng Moipisi says the ministry was aware that during heavy falls in the Notwane catchment, water drains into the Limpopo River system through the Notwane, Metsimotlhabe and Thagale Rivers. Mr Moipisi said a pre-feasibility study of potential dam site and off river storage on the lower Notwane River was undertaken in March 2009 by the then Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources which procured consultants (Arup Botswana) in joint venture with Aqualogic Pty Ltd who produced the final report in May 2010. He said the study was conducted at an overall cost of P1 187 437.00 He explained that the study indicated that the Thagale/Notwane confluence was not a potential dam site due to the area being generally very flat, no visible features to suggest potential for a dam or weir site and increased cultivation observed in the area up to Mochudi. He said the study had allocated three possible dam sites, two of which should be further investigated which are Lethekane Ridge Dam site, Oodi weir site and Mochudi weir site. He highlighted that the Mochudi weir basin was both wide and densely populated which tends to be problematic when assessing flood lines therefore the site was disqualified due to environmental and social issues. He said the study would require detailed investigation on the hydrology, particularly correlation of river flow to rain flow to determine the potential for annual water harvesting, typology of dam material, operating philosophy which was dependent on where water would be supplied and at what rate, consideration on water quality as it was allocated below the city waste water treatment facilities, modelling and optimisation of water resources parameters and consider environmental impact and socioeconomic issues. He said the study was estimated to cost around P10million. He was responding to Mochudi West MP, Mr Gilbert Mangole who asked the minister if he was aware that massive water was lost to South Africa through Notwane, Metsimotlhaba and Thagale Rivers and if the minister did not consider to construct a small to medium sized dam in the Kgatleng District, where the three rivers merge into one to harness the resource before it reached the international source.