By Monday evening, 2 June, the last two of the 16 major leaks that were scheduled to be repaired during the five-day planned water interruption in Kimberley, were attended to.
These were part of the comprehensive Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) programme consisting of 35 projects to be implemented in three phases over approximately eight years. A R2,5 billion grant by the National Treasury was allocated for this.
After the water shutdown on Thursday evening, 29 May, excessive repair work commenced on Friday morning at the water treatment plants at Riverton, as well as on identified major leaks on the approximately 30km of bulk pipelines from Riverton to Kimberley.
On Monday evening it was expected that line filling from Riverton to Kimberley would commence around midnight, with water reaching the reservoirs in Newton approximately four hours later.
However, on Monday at 13:00 the latest update indicated that the pumping of water into the distribution network – from the Newton reservoirs – would be delayed due to a setback.
This setback was experienced at Midstation on the newly installed isolation valve on the 900mm diameter pipeline.
Rikus Rossouw, project leader of engineering firm Bigen Africa, indicated that supply to residents in high-lying areas was likely to take place on Wednesday morning.
According to Thabo Mothibi, spokesperson for the Sol Plaatje Municipality, repair work was executed as scheduled, despite some setbacks.
