Preparations start in anticipation of grant funds for water infrastructure project
George Municipality has started procurement processes for the development of major drinking water infrastructure projects in anticipation of national funding over the next few years.
George Executive Mayor Alderman Leon van Wyk said application had been made to National Treasury for a Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) funding of approximately R 1.1 billion for the second and third phases of the Potable Water Security and Remedial Works project. To qualify the project must be ‘shovel ready’ meaning that they must be ready for immediate procurement, contracting and construction, by the time funding becomes available.
“We await formal announcement of an initial allocation of R81.345 million grant funding for the 2021/22 financial year as a Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant. We are grateful for the treasury’s faith in the municipality as a responsible recipient of grant allocation funds and are committed to provide services in line with the city’s ongoing needs as one of the fastest growing municipalities in the country.
“This is a major milestone project for the sustainability of our city that will stimulate housing and economic developments that had to be halted in recent years as bulk water and sanitation infrastructure had reached capacity. The project will also eradicate the current sludge spillage in municipality’s river and dam water sources, in turn, improving the water quality of the municipality.”
The entire project includes an extension of the current water treatment works (WTW) by an additional 20 million litre (Mℓ) per day plant; remedial works to downstream pump stations impacted by current WTW sludge discharged into the network; pipework extensions and upgrades; reservoirs for Pacaltsdorp and Thembalethu; a back-up generator for the Garden Route Dam to ease supply of water to balancing dams during power failures, raw water pump station upgrades, an additional 30 Mℓ balancing dam; (6) and an on-site sludge dewatering facility.
Phase one of the project was completed earlier this year and included the upgrade of the sludge pumping station at the New WTW.
The BFI submission is for the extension of the George water treatment capacity to be implemented over two phases over three years (2022 – 2025): Phase 2 is an additional 20 Mℓ/day extension to the New George WTW and Phase 3 is an additional 30 Mℓ balancing dam at the New George WTW.