Ekurhuleni’s new reservoir to be completed by December

The City of Ekurhuleni’s new reservoir is set to be completed in December 2020, the metropolitan municipality confirmed on Monday, 14 September.

According to Ekurhuleni’s spokesperson Themba Gadebe, the Bredell reservoir in Kempton Park will be tested in October to check if there were no water leaks on it.

This comes after Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina said he was satisfied that the construction was at 98% completion stage following his visiting to the construction site to monitor the progress.

In a statement, Gadebe said contractors were applying finishes before the reservoir was ready to be filled up with water, which will add 22.5 megalitres of storage to Ekurhuleni’s existing 954 megalitres.

“It is part of 29 reservoirs that the City has committed to build from 2016/17 to 2020/2021 financial years, which will altogether add 417 megalitres of water storage translating into approximately 12-hour additional storage capacity taking the total storage limit to 48 hours.

“This means the City will be able to supply water for a period of between 36 to 48 hours without getting the supply from the water supplier, Rand Water,” he said.

Gadebe further said the main supply areas of the reservoir will be Kempton Park CBD, Pomona and Serengeti, which is in addition to the supply from Isando Northridges’s complex reservoirs.

He said the reservoir project had created 140 job opportunities to the communities living closer to the construction site after it started in February 2018.

“Built at a cost of R69,850,190 the reservoir will come as a huge relief to the community of Kempton Park and the industries such as warehouses and logistics companies, notably the Plumbago Business and Logistics Park situated few kilometres from the site of the reservoir.

“It includes a pump station, a new above-ground chamber, an access paved road and a new guardhouse and installation of a scour line,” he added.

Ekurhuleni MMC for water sanitation and energy Tiisetso Nketle highlighted that the reservoir will be greatly beneficial to Kempton Park residents.

“This reservoir is going to augment the water supply to the whole of Kempton Park, addressing the supply interruptions that have been experienced in the area recently. There are altogether 29 reservoirs that are under construction in Ekurhuleni,” Nketle said.