Updated status on the BFI Water Projects for George – Component 3, 4, 5 and 6
George Municipality received a Budget Facility for Infrastructure Funding (BFI) grant to the value of R1.107 billion from National Treasury in the 2021/22 financial year and the BFI project with its various project components, has shown significant progress and expenditure in the 2022/23 financial years. George Municipality is actively working to keep our economy on the go, by ensuring adequate long-term planning and investment into our resources – that is water, sewerage and electricity. The full BFI project is planned to be completed by 30 June 2025.
George Municipality provides water services to over 243 996 residents from 67 787 households across 28 wards including the coastal areas of Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Victoria Bay, Herold’s Bay and Gwaing in the city of George area. The objectives of the project are to ensure adequate potable water supply to meet the demand of the current population and to provide security for future development, both social and economic, and to reduce pollution of certain main water courses.
Updates on the Potable Water Security and Remedial Works components funded by BFI Grant
The project consists of 12 components, some of which will be executed in more than one construction phase.
Component 3
The refurbishment of the existing Sludge Discharge System Phase 1 and 2 at the Eden, Meul and Schaapkop Pumpstations will improve the reliability of the aged pump stations.
Status: Construction of the first phase has reached completion at the Meul and Eden Pump Stations
Phase 1: The first phase of the upgrading and refurbishment of the Meul Sewage Pumpstation was completed in June 2023, including a new standby generator and motor control centre. This is also the case for the new motor control centre at the Eden Sewage Pumpstation. The Schaapkop Sewage Pumpstation implementation was delayed and the tender for the Phase 1 implementation had to be cancelled.
Phase 2: Civil engineering construction on the Meul Sewage Pumpstation Phase 2 as well as the Eden Pump Station are currently in the tender stage. The design process is under way for Schaapkop Pump Station, incorporating both Phases 1 and 2 to be implemented as a single project.
Component 4
The upgrading of the Garden Route Dam Outlet and Supply project includes the replacement of the existing 600 mm diameter raw water pipeline from the intake tower at the Garden Route Dam to the raw water pumpstations, with a new 800 mm diameter stainless steel pipeline to accommodate a higher flowrate in accordance with the future raw water flow requirements.
Status: The project construction contract was awarded for an amount of R 34.2 million on 26 May 2023. The 800mm diameter Stainless Steel pipes are being manufactured in China and will arrive in SA in December 2023, whereafter the on-site installation will commence in early 2024. The estimated completion date for the project is July 2024.
Component 5
2 x 1250 kVA generators have been installed at the Garden Route Dam raw water pumpstation. These generators will ensure that during loadshedding or any other power outage, raw water can continue to be pumped uninterrupted to the Water Treatment Works for processing for drinking water supply.
Construction and installation have been completed and the project has been commissioned. The generators automatically start and operate during load-shedding.
Component 6
An additional 40 million litre raw water storage and balancing dam will be constructed, as well as a 340m long 800mm diameter raw water outlet pipeline and an 800mm diameter raw water pump main extension, to secure sufficient raw water storage capacity to supply the 20Ml/day extension to the Water Treatment Works and the existing two treatment plants. The new raw water dam will supplement the existing storage dams that provide raw water to the two water treatment plants.
Status: The preliminary design process considered two alternative positions in order to select the most cost-effective solution. Final designs of the selected position have been completed and procurement of a Contractor to construct the works has commenced. It is planned that this new raw water storage dam will be commissioned in June 2025.
Follow link for update on Components 1 and 2