According to the Free State office’s communication manager, Larry Crisp, this project intends to ensure that there is a sustainable supply and augmentation of potable water to meet the demand of the population of Dihlabeng.

He says this project, which is dubbed Dihlabeng Bulk Water Supply Phase 3, will ensure that the Saulspoort Dam operates at its capacity and will meet the demand of the towns. Crisp says that some of the work around the project involves the construction of a water pipeline and appurtenant works (spillways and outlet works) from Bethlehem to other towns, including Fouriesburg and Mashaeng.

Crisp listed some of the more important details around the project’s scope as follows:

• Construction of Water Pipeline and Appurtenant Works from Bethlehem WTW to Fouriesburg/Mashaeng
• Upgrading of the Bethlehem (Saulspoort) Water Treatment Works
• Upgrading of Saulspoort WTW Section A: RAW Water Abstraction Point
• Upgrading of Saulspoort WTW Section B: Replacement of Asbestos Cement Pipe at WTW
• Upgrading of Saulspoort WTW Section C: Mechanical Electrical Civil works
• Upgrading of Saulspoort WTW Section D: Filter Automation
• Project status: Construction
• Comments: Contractors appointed for Sections A to D in July 2022

Meanwhile, the department earlier raised its concerns about the vandalism of infrastructure in the Free State. These concerns were echoed by Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms Dikeledi Magadzi, as part of the Women’s Month commemoration and in pursuit of women’s socio-economic empowerment and advancement.

At the heart of the deliberations during the gathering, which was attended by approximately 200 women, was their role in curbing the scourge of water resource infrastructure vandalism because this is affecting the delivery of water and sanitation services adversely.

Magadzi urged women in attendance to practise active citizenry by contributing towards eradicating vandalism of water resource infrastructure.

“I know that women are generally busy with their household chores and work but let us not be oblivious to these criminal elements. People who are responsible for the undesirable occurrence of vandalising of our water resource infrastructure are our children and brothers. We are also aware of where they sell those stolen goods. Let us play our role in trying to avert this phenomenon,” Magadzi said.

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