Mashatile to meet Rand Water over Lesotho Highlands Water tunnel closure
Deputy President Paul Mashatile will meet with Rand Water to discuss alternative water supply plants.
The meeting comes ahead of the planned maintenance of the Lesotho Highlands Water Tunnel, which is set to be offline for six months from October.
The tunnel supplies 60% of the water to Gauteng for irrigating commercial farms and supplies water to regions with irregular rainfall patterns and public health facilities.
Although the Department of Water and Sanitation has assured residents that there won't be water supply interruption, Mashatile insists there is a need for an alternative supply.
Earlier this week, the department's director-general, Sean Phillips, said proactive measures have been taken, including risk analysis in May, to ensure water supply stability for the 2024/2025 financial year.
Domestic users won't be significantly affected, while licensed irrigators along the Liebenbergsvlei River will receive notices for water extraction restrictions.
Mashatile addressed the African United Business Confederation Dialogue in Sandton on Tuesday.
"As the tunnel gets closed for repairs, we will look at channelling water to the Vaal River systems through the Sterkfontein Dam and other dams that are available at the moment so that we don't get to shortages of water in Gauteng.
"We will also undertake a trip to see what is causing the delay with the Lesotho Highlands Water project so that we can speed up the completion of that project."
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