Lesotho Highlands Water Project Faces Delays, Yet Vaal Dam Provides Relief
The closure of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnels has been extended due to maintenance delays, impacting construction timelines. Weather and technical challenges caused the extension, while recent rains have replenished key water reservoirs, alleviating potential water shortages for users. Maintenance for the South African segment remains on schedule, ensuring resource availability despite project delays.
The Lesotho Highlands Water Project’s water transfer and delivery tunnels face extension in closure due to maintenance delays, as announced by the Department of Water and Sanitation. Spokesperson Wisane Mavasa revealed issues in the Delivery Tunnel South on the Lesotho side, extending the closure by three weeks due to unexpected weather conditions and technical challenges.
Originally projected to be closed from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025, this extension reflects complications arising from changes in construction techniques. Specifically, an automated sandblasting technique led to higher seepage than anticipated, worsened by humidity. The contractor is now seeking additional equipment to mitigate this issue, while the recovery plan aims to expedite maintenance efforts in Lesotho.
On the South African side, maintenance conducted by the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority is progressing as scheduled and is expected to conclude on time. Fortunately, significant rainfall has resulted in full dam capacities, particularly the Vaal Dam, which alleviates concerns regarding water supply shortages amid the project delays. Despite the extended closure, Integrated Vaal River System users will not experience reduced water availability.
In summary, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project has extended its maintenance closures due to unforeseen challenges related to construction methods and weather conditions. However, the full capacity of the Vaal Dam and other dams ensures that water resources for municipalities are unaffected by this delay. Ensuring ongoing evaluation and timely maintenance across both sides of the project remains essential for future water resource management.
Original Source: www.citizen.co.za
