The Dihlabeng Municipality reported at the Stakeholder meeting held on August 14 as follows:
Lesotho Highlands Water Tunnel Project
The teams working on the project, both in Lesotho and South Africa, are confident that all tunnel construction will be completed by March 31, 2025, with no delays expected. Upgrading the water treatment facilities from 1.1ML to 4ML is currently in progress, though it has faced some delays due to cash flow challenges. Despite this, the upgrade is expected to be completed and fully operational by August 30, 2024.
Drilling for water
A hydrogeological study for the boreholes has been finalized and is now awaiting approval. Meanwhile, the contractor is evaluating existing boreholes around Clarens to determine if refurbishing them would be quicker than drilling new ones. The drilling machine is already in Clarens, ready to begin work as soon as the study receives approval.
Repairing the pump station
The vandalized Little Caledon pump station is being repaired, and the municipality is working to ensure that at least one pump will be functional by September.
War on leaks
Additionally, the municipality is continuing its efforts to address leaks and has received cisterns from Bethlehem to replace the leaking ones in Clarens.