Mpumalanga Business 2021-22
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Water<br />
Several plants are being upgraded in the province.<br />
OVERVIEW<br />
SECTOR INSIGHT<br />
The treatment of acid-mine<br />
water is a vital capability.<br />
The Malvajan wastewater treatment works is underway,<br />
with the support of the National Department of<br />
Water and Sanitation. The Regional Bulk Infrastructure<br />
Grant is being used to fix the Embalenhle Bulk Sewer<br />
line. The grant will be used to supply the treatment plant at<br />
Weltevreden and to accelerate the link from the Loskop Dam to<br />
the communities living in Thembisile Hani Local Municipality.<br />
Progress towards the selection of a site for a City of Mbombela<br />
Dam is being made. In response to the Covid-19 crisis, the National<br />
Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) delivered 500 water tanks<br />
and 56 water trucks to several <strong>Mpumalanga</strong> municipalities. This was<br />
to ensure that residents had a reliable supply of water to wash their<br />
hands and for drinking.<br />
The Operations and Maintenance Division of Nafasi Water is<br />
responsible for large water treatments plants at Middelburg and<br />
eMalahleni. Nafasi is a rebranding of Aveng Water which was purchased<br />
by Infinity Partners for R95-million in 2019. Infinity is owned by the<br />
former Aveng Water CEO Suzie Nkambule and E-Squared Investments.<br />
The Middelburg Water Reclamation Plant (MWRP) produces no<br />
brine and avoids energy-intensive methods, a world first for a mine<br />
water treatment plant. Phase 2 of the eMalahleni project produces<br />
drinking water after treating mine water from one of the collieries of<br />
Anglo American Thermal Coal.<br />
Acting on a disturbing report published by the Centre for<br />
Environmental Rights on the way some mining companies are using<br />
water, a provincial Environmental Management Committee has been<br />
appointed to conduct environmental impact analysis and assess<br />
climate change threats.<br />
ONLINE RESOURCES<br />
Credit: Rand Water<br />
Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency: www.iucma.co.za<br />
Komati Basin Water Authority: www.kobwa.co.za<br />
National Department of Water and Sanitation: www.dwa.gov.za<br />
Water Research Commission: www.wrc.org.za<br />
NuWater was contracted<br />
to reduce waste at the water<br />
treatment plant for Emalahleni<br />
Municipality. An ultra-filtration<br />
technology was used to reduce<br />
waste from 20Ml/day.<br />
A total of 327 water<br />
infrastructure projects benefiting<br />
350 259 households have been<br />
completed, with a further 165<br />
sanitation projects finalised. A bulk<br />
water supply system connecting<br />
villages within the Bushbuckridge<br />
area has been completed. Rand<br />
Water is responsible for water<br />
provision in the area.<br />
A joint project with Eskom<br />
related to rain-water harvesting will<br />
also create jobs. The Siyasebenza<br />
Job Creation Initiative is intended<br />
to create 900 jobs in the Nkangala<br />
District Municipality.<br />
The Imkomati-Usuthu<br />
Catchment Management Agency<br />
covers <strong>Mpumalanga</strong>, parts of<br />
Limpopo and part of the Kingdom<br />
of Swaziland and is responsible for<br />
water usage issues relating to the<br />
following river catchment areas:<br />
Sabie-Sand, Crocodile, Komati,<br />
Nwaswitsontso and Nwanedzi.<br />
The Komati Basin Water<br />
Authority (KOBWA) is an important<br />
agency in controlling water<br />
resources in the region. Formed<br />
out of a cooperation agreement<br />
between South African and<br />
Swaziland, the agency has built two<br />
large dams and is responsible for<br />
their upkeep. ■<br />
45 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong>