Lesotho Highlands water tunnel project to start on Tuesday
The South African and Lesotho governments say it’s all systems go for the six-month closure of the Lesotho Highlands water tunnel.
However, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina and her Lesotho counterpart, Minister of Natural Resources Mohlomi Moleko, have urged citizens to cooperate and conserve water and energy during this period to minimise disruptions.
The department says comprehensive measures are in place to ensure water security throughout the maintenance work.
The maintenance is set to start on Tuesday and last until 31 March 2025.
The work includes grit-blasting the steel-lined section around the entire circumference and re-applying corrosion protection on the tunnel lining, as well as other maintenance and repair work identified during the 2019 maintenance shutdown.
It is expected to protect the infrastructure for another 20-30 years.
Water and Sanitation spokesperson Dr Mandla Mathebula says the water delivery system will be shut down for six months.
"During this time, there will be no transfer of water from the Katse Dam to Muela Hydropower Station, which will result in the stoppage of power generation at the Muela Hydropower Station in Lesotho.
"Additionally, there will be no delivery of water from Lesotho to South Africa through the 37 km delivery tunnel.”
Mathebula adds that both governments have taken measures to ensure that maintenance will have minimal disruption.
"This proactive measure has allowed South Africa to receive most of its annual water deliveries, ensuring that both the water supply and the royalties revenue that Lesotho receives from those deliveries are minimally impacted.
"The Lesotho government has also put in place concrete plans to secure additional electricity supply in the region, to ensure that reliable supply of electricity continues in Lesotho during this period.
"To mitigate against the impact of the tunnel closure on water availability in the affected areas in South Africa, the Integrated Vaal River System, which consists of fourteen interconnected dams, including the Vaal, Sterkfontein, Grootdraai and Bloemhof Dams, which is augmented by the Katse and Mohale Dams in Lesotho, has enough water for the duration of the maintenance period."
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