Central SA
Delays in completion of Lesotho Highlands Water Project maintenance─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 11:16 Sat, 15 Mar 2025
The Department of Water and Sanitation has reassured residents of water provision security despite the three-week delay at the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP).
The shutdown, initially scheduled from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025, will now extend into mid-April due to unforeseen challenges in maintenance work on the Delivery Tunnel South in Lesotho.
Wisane Mavasa, from the Department of Water & Sanitation’s Free State Region, said the delay is a result of both weather-related issues and technical difficulties encountered by the implementing agency, the Lesotho Highlands Development Agency (LHDA). She said that the delays were beyond the control of the project team and stemmed from a number of unforeseen complications.
Seepage within tunnel
“The challenges experienced include higher than anticipated seepage within the tunnel due to a change in the sand-blasting technique,” Mavasa stated.
“There was a change from a manual to an automated approach of sandblasting, but high humidity affected the automated approach. The contractor is reported to have procured additional equipment to better manage the seepage challenge. The recovery plan was implemented to accelerate the progress of the maintenance work in Lesotho, but the delay could not be avoided."
Mavasa reassured the public that maintenance on the South African side of the project, conducted by the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA), is proceeding on schedule. This aspect of the maintenance is expected to be completed on time, with no anticipated delays.
Mavasa further said the extended tunnel closure would not affect the availability of water for the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) users. This as the Vaal Dam, which feeds into the IVRS, is at full capacity with 101.51% due to the recent above-normal rainfall in South Africa.
“Municipalities along the Liebenbergsvlei River in the Free State will also not be impacted by a lack of water resources due to the extended time of tunnel closure because the Sol Plaatjie (Saulspoort) Dam is at satisfactory levels, and it is at 82.1% this week. Therefore, water can be released from the dam to assist downstream users, should the need arise,” Mavasa added.
Mavasa said Saulspoort Dam will be able to provide water to the local communities of Bethlehem, Reitz, and Tweeling for up to nine months, which is more than the initially scheduled six months of the LHWP tunnel shutdown.
