Metro spokesman, Themba Gadebe says the project’s completion date was December 2015. However, due to budget constraints in the 2013/14 financial year, the contractor was appointed to install only 3 202m of the entire length of 5 917m.
The budget has been made available in the 2015/16 financial year and the contractor was recently instructed to continue with the installation of the rest of the 2 517m.
“Due to this the completion date will only be in June next year,” says Gadebe.
Excavation started in July 2014 where the old water pipe is being replaced with a high density polyetheline pipe.
The lifespan of this pipe is 100 years.
The rate of progress is currently slow but measures are in place to ensure that the contractor finishes by scheduled completion date.
The pipes were placed at all intersections turning into Welgedacht Road between Bakerton and Welgedacht.
The pipe is currently being installed close to Persida’s reservoir.
Gadebe says phase two is planned for the 2017/18 financial year.
This will include a new reservoir in Persida which will contain 35 megalitres of water and will be built next to the current one.
