Limpopo Business 2016-17 edition

OVERVIEW
strong presence in the central,
eastern and southern parts of the
province.
North
Parts of Limpopo’s most northern
district are extremely dry.
Surface water mainly originates
in the mountainous areas and
is regulated by several dams in
the upper and middle reaches
of the rivers. Over-exploitation
of groundwater is a problem.
An innovative water-catching
project run by meteorology students
of the University of Pretoria
is providing a community in
the Soutpansberg with clean
drinking water.
Instead of relying on tankers
to bring water to their dry area,
schoolchildren in the Tshiavha
village collect water from giant
sheets that trap the water that
has gathered as fog. Threemetre-high
nets set up around
the school provide about 2 500
litres per day.
West
The Mokolo Crocodile
Augmentation Project is designed
to supply water to Medupi,
the new power station being built
at Lephalale, and to the coal mining
operations that will feed it. A
pump station and a 45km pipeline
between the site of the power
station and the Mokolo Dam are
being built by the Trans-Caledon
Tunnel Authority.
Mokolo Crocodile Consultants,
a group of five consulting
firms which includes Aurecon, is providing engineering services to
this project.
East and south
When the Olifants River Water Resources Development Project is fully
developed, it will be supplying water to 23 platinum mines. The De
Hoop Dam is at the centre of the scheme.
Water developments in the Sekhukhune district have not been
restricted to the De Hoop Dam. Five water projects with 65 associated
schemes had delivered other water infrastructure, including pipes to
get water to Moutse from the Loskop Dam.
A concerned group of water users (from mining, heavy industry and
conservation circles) have formed the Olifants River Forum to monitor
change in the big catchment area. The forum is funding a team of
researchers from several universities and the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR) to conduct tests on the quality of water and
threats to the same in the upper reaches of the Olifants.
Polokwane
The Water and Sanitation Services branch of the Polokwane Municipality
operates five water-purification plants and three sewage-purification
plants. As part of its Regional Water Scheme programme, Polokwane provides
water to the residents of the rural areas of Mothapo, Mothiba and
Makotopong. A 600-kilolitre reservoir was built and new pipes were laid.
The Capricorn District Municipality funds a water-testing laboratory
on the campus of the University of Limpopo.
Mocha Lab has been operating in Polokwane since 2008 and has
the capability to provide services to the mining and engineering sector,
as well as to water authorities.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Limpopo Department of Economic Development,
Environment and Tourism: www.ledet.gov.za
National Department of Water and Sanitation:
www.dwa.gov.za
Olifants River Forum: www.orf.co.za
South African Association of Water Utilities:
www.saawu.co.za
Water Institute of South Africa: www.wisa.org.za
Water Research Commission: www.wrc.org.za
63 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2016/17