Villages gain from Water treatment works
Construction of a new water treatment works at Xilinga Dam and Phase 2 of the Ehlobo Mgcwe and Zingqayi water
schemes in the former Transkei has recently been completed.
The proposed scheme will include the
extension to the Kotana water treatment
works, pumping mains, bulk supply mains,
pump stations, reservoirs and gravity
reticulation mains, to provide a potable water
supply from standpipes, within a walking
distance of 200m, to all households in the
area.
The water supply scheme to the areas of
Ehlobo, Mgcwe and Zingqayi will supply
potable water to approximately 27 150 people
in 38 villages. A community of approximately
19 477 people from the existing Kotana
scheme will also benefit from this new
upgraded water treatment facility. Currently
these villages source their water from streams
and springs, which are subject to seasonal
variations and do not provide an assured
potable water supply.
The existing Kotana water treatment works
with a capacity of 1,0 Ml/d will be augmented
to a capacity of 4,5 Ml/d. The extension to
the works is a modular design to allow for
future expansion.
“This new water supply scheme will not only
service the Ehlobo, Mgcwe and Zingqayi
villages, but the new treatment works at the
Xilinga Dam will also supplement current
shortfalls of the scheme,” says André Naudé,
director of SBA, East London. “Phases 1 and
2 are now complete and phase 3, which will
complete the full scheme, is currently being
designed. It is anticipated construction will
commence mid 2009, with commissioning
of the final