20 Nov 2019

Interventions are in place for the Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services to address shortage of potable water in some villages in the Sefhare-Ramokgonami constituency.

Responding to a question in Parliament, Minister Kefentse Mzwinila, said the interventions were both on short and long term basis.

Member of Parliament for Sefhare-Ramokgonami constituency, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang, had asked  minister if he was aware of the severe shortage of potable water in most villages in the constituency. 

Dr Gobotswang had also wanted the minister to explain plans in place to address the problem and whether the plan included connecting the affected villages to Lotsane Dam.

Minister Mzwinila said interventions, which were on short term basis, included water rationing, bowsing and remedial action of borehole BH6476.  

The minister said water rationing was being implemented in Ramokgonami, Tumasera/Seleka, Sefhare, Pilikwe, Mhalapitsa, Chadibe, Borotsi, Maapa 1 and 2 and Machaneng villages.

“A total of 925m3/ day is being supplied to Sefhare interconnection whilst a total of 870m3/day is supplied to Ramokgonami,” he said.

He also explained that water was bowsed from Palapye and Mahalapye regularly to Ramokgonami, Ngwapa/Mokobeng and Sefhare interconnections to augment supply.

 Mr Mzwinila said a total of 30 m3/ day was bowsed to Ramokgonami whilst a total of 30 m3/ day and 80 m3/day was bowsed to Sefhare and Ngwapa/Mokobeng interconnections respectively.

On remedial action of borehole BH6476, he said, procurement of a nitrate removal packaged water treatment plant by Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) was at tendering stage and the project was expected to be completed within six months afterwards.

“Permission to tender will be submitted to WUC tender committee on the 27 November. The plant will remove nitrates from the existing Ngwapa/Mokobeng boreholes BH6476 and BH6473. The combined yields of those boreholes are 315m3/day which will meet Ngwapa/Mokobeng interconnections’ total demand of 163m3/day,” he said.

On medium to long term interventions, he said the WUC in collaboration with the Department of Water and Sanitation was searching for additional boreholes with adequate yields in Shakwe area to supply Machaneng.

“This will mean the current water supplied to Machaneng will then be directed to Sefhare, Borotsi, Chadibe to augment the supply. 

The exercise to identify boreholes has commenced and it is estimated to conclude by end of November 2019,” he said.

Minister Mzwinila also told Parliament that construction of the upgrading of the Mahalapye Treatment Works to increase the current capacity from 18ML /day to 38M L/ day output kickstarted in June and was expected to take 30 months ending in December 2021.

He said the upgraded treatment works would accommodate Sefhare-Ramokgonami constituency villages’ demand of 3.5ML/day while the entire project will cost P279 926 495 43.

He said funds permitting, the ministry would also undertake design and construction of a transfer pipeline and associated works to transfer water from the upgraded treatment facility to all villages in Tswapong South including the two interconnections under discussion.

“My ministry through Water Utilities Corporation is currently working on the terms of reference for the second phase. A design and build approach is considered in order to fast track implementation of this solution,’ he said.

He also explained that the ministry had no plans to connect the affected villages to Lotsane Dam.

The areas under the discussion that experience water shortages are Ramokgonami interconnection; Ramokgonami, Maape, and Tumasera/Seleka, Ngwapa/Mokobeng interconnection, Sefhare interconnection; Sefhare, Borotsi, Chadibe and Machaneng and Moshopha. Ends