LIMPOPO – Maruleng Local Municipality (MLM) has through poor planning failed to control the increasing residential density and the reckless approval of new projects in Hoedspruit, which has put an impossible burden on the water purification system that is already 150% over capacity.
This is according to the DA’s MPL Helm in a letter to CoGHSTA MEC Basikopo Makamu about concerns regarding the lack of new water infrastructure and the failure to maintain existing infrastructure in the town.
“The poorly controlled rapid growth of Hoedspuit characterised by new developments such as the new housing project behind the clinic, puts a massive strain on the already overburdened system. Further developments in the town such as the new hospital, new mall and estates that continue approving the development of more houses, push this system to breaking point.”
For the past year, the Herald has reported on the water problems in Hoedspruit. Residents get their water from a reservoir at the Hoedspruit Air Force Base that was initially built for use in the base. Years ago, an agreement was reached that the reservoir would also provide water to the town’s residents when its population was much smaller.
“The town has continued to grow, and the Mopani District Municipality (MDM) and MLM have failed to keep up with the water infrastructure development to meet the town’s needs. MDM has failed dismally as the water service authority. It has spent millions with nothing to show in terms of functional water infrastructure for residents. MDM built a pipe from Zandspruit (next to the entrance of Hoedspruit High School) to Obaro, and it is still not functional almost a decade later. The R28m project which was supposed to provide bulk water to Hoedspruit town was never completed due to bad planning and unprecedented incompetence,” she said.
Helm said further developments such as the new hospital, new mall and the continued approval of lifestyle estates, push the system to breaking point.
“The neglect of water infrastructure threatens the economic outlook of the Hoedspruit area. The Eastgate Airport partially receives water from the air force base. The application for an international airport and the massive development at the terminal will increase the water demand that the current system just cannot provide,” she told Herald.
She concluded by saying that the mismanagement has left the system on the brink of collapse and very soon homes and businesses will experience water shortages daily.
MDM spokesperson Odas Ngobeni said they are still engaging with the Department of Public Works and the SANDF to take control of the operation and maintenance of the Water Treatment Works (WTW).
“The ultimate plan is to upgrade the plant by 5 megalitres to at least 10.3 megaliters capacity. The WTW is in an ideal location for proper supply to Hoedspruit.
However, the pace of the engagements is slow to the extent that we are also exploring other options which may include constructing a new WTW from scratch.
“The Hoedspruit bulk water supply project was stalled due to challenges with land availability. We were due to construct a 5.2 megalitre reservoir to help with increased water supply in town in which was funded through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG). The raw water bulk line from the Blyde River is complete and MLM has made land available for the project. We are revising the technical reports for approval by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). We will resume with construction once funding is secured,” he said.
DWS spokesperson Mashilo Raletjena said it has received the technical report for the budget maintenance for a new bulk water purification and storage for Hoedspruit.
“The department is currently busy with the pre-assessment of these technical reports. The department is awaiting some outstanding information that was requested from MDM to finalise the assessment process.”
