Keeping the water flowing

MAINTENANCE ON LESOTHO HIGHLANDS PROJECT RUNS THROUGH TO MARCH

- Thando Nondywana

Project supplies water to one-fifth of the country's population.

The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) tunnel maintenance operations are on the right track and expected to be completed by March next year.

The LHWP, which supplies water to about one-fifth of South Africa's population, has now marked one-and-a-half months since its suspension of water delivery to South Africa.

Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo said while water flow has not resumed, work in Lesotho is progressing according to schedule.

"We've received reports from the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) and assurances from the Lesotho authorities and the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA). Regular oversight meetings between the LHDA and TCTA ensure continuous engagement and monitoring," he said.

Mahlobo said progress was being tracked using a live system.

While certain portions of the project are ahead of schedule, others are slightly delayed, but this is not a cause for concern.

"If the work isn't completed within six months, a contingency plan will ensure an additional three months' water supply. Rainfall could extend this even further," he added.

At the Ash River outfall site, a huge replica of the tunnel's size stands as a monument to the engineering excellence of the project.

The site is significant as the tunnel serves as vital infrastructure connecting the water flow between Lesotho and South Africa.

The last inspection was in 2019. The current work underway is estimated to cost South Africa about R300 million.