VANDERBIJLPARK. – 27 July 2023 marks the Centennial Anniversary of the iconic Vaal Barrage at Loch Vaal. Built as a result of the great gold rush that came to the Witwatersrand in 1886, the first prospectors depended on the same fountains as the early farmers.
The supply soon dwindled as the population grew and attention shifted to the rivers south of the Witwatersrand. In time, the Vaal River became the Witwatersrand’s “river-of-life”.
Here is a brief history:
1886 – Great Gold Rush came to the Witwatersrand.
1887 – The government of SA Republic granted the Sivewright Concession, which required the grantee to form a company for the purpose of supplying water.
1888 – The Johannesburg Waterworks Estate & Exploration Company was founded and the sources of its supply were natural springs. Inhabitants in Johannesburg grew at an alarming rate and existing sources of water supply were totally inadequate. Continuous searches were carried out for more underground supplies.
Boreholes were sunk at the Farm Zwartkopjes, south of Johannesburg, where the pumping station is still in use. The search for the ultimate scheme to supply water carried on.
The honour of putting it forward goes to none other than President Paul Kruger, who suggested a scheme to provide for an adequate water supply from the Vaal River for Johannesburg and the goldfields generally, but nothing came of it then.
The waterworks company claimed to have a supply of 1.5 million gallons (6.819 mega liters) to meet a demand of 900 000 gallons (4.091 mega liters) per day.
1895 – Great drought and a water shortage were experienced and water had to be supplied to the higher parts of Johannesburg by mule-drawn carts and sold for 2s 6d per bucket.
During this time an attempt was made to fire rockets at the clouds to precipitate rain. A commission was appointed to examine “in what way Johannesburg could be provided with good and pure drinking water”, and that “the works for the water supply ought to be constructed by the public authorities and the management ought to remain in their hands”. With war threatening, little action was taken.
1898 – The waterworks company however secured a stable supply of water from boreholes 17 miles (27.3km) to the south-west of Johannesburg at Zuurbekom near the source of the Klip River, which flows into the Vaal River near Vereeniging.
1899 – Zuurbekom Pumping Station was erected and the building has not been altered since.
1902 – Rand Water Board was established to replace the private companies then operating for profit and to supply water to the Rand from Springs to Randfontein.
1903-05 – All existing sources of water to the Witwatersrand were transferred to Rand Water Board.
1910 – Rand Water Board was now supplying 10 million gallons (45.460 mega litres) of water per day from boreholes that were sunk. The Board recognised that supplying water for the Witwatersrand depended on developing a river scheme.
1913/14 – Ran Water Board proceeded with the “Lindeque’s” scheme on the Vaal River. A barrage was to be constructed on the Lindeque’s site” 25 miles (40.2km) downstream from Vereeniging where the Vaal River had a width of 620 feet (188.9m) to facilitate an unrestricted flow during high floods.
The banks on either side were to be cut away to provide a barrage 1 400 feet (426.72m) in length. In addition to the construction of the Barrage, provision was made for a river intake station and a main station at Vereeniging equipped with a pumping plant, sedimentation tanks, filters, and a clear water reservoir.
As well, a reservoir and additional pumping plant were to be provided at Zwartkopjes, and service reservoirs were built on the Witwatersrand, all connected by pipelines.
1914 – War was declared and construction of the Barrage was shelved.
1918 – Construction of the Barrage started. The global “Spanish” influenza pandemic broke out in the same year and affected the construction of the Barrage severely, frequent labour stoppages and migrant workers departing to their rural homes also influenced the completion of the Barrage.
It is estimated that one-third of the workers at the site could have become part of the influenza fatalities.
1923 – The Barrage was completed and on the 27 July 1923 Prince Arthur of Connaught, the then governor-general of the Union of South Africa, turned the switch to set into operation the 36 sluice gates.
The Barrage consists of a series of steel gates installed between concrete piers. There are 36 free roller steel gates with automatic lifting gear, each gate 30 feet (9.144m) wide by 25 feet 6 inches (7.62m deep and weighs 26 tons (23586,8kg) each.
With the balance weight, operating gear, and other appurtenances, the total weight of the gear for each opening is about 100 tons (90718.4kg). The pressure on each gate is roughly 300 tons (272155.4kg) when the reservoir is full.
When the gates are raised to their highest position, there is a clearance of 7.4 feet (2.255m) above the highest known natural flood which was 26 feet 6 inches (7.9238m) deep at the site of the Barrage in November 1917. More floods occurred after this date.
The company, Glenfield and Kennedy (which still exists today under the name AVK Holdings) which built the Barrage was situated in Kilmarnock, Scotland.
There is a scale model of the Barrage in the Dick Institute Museum, Kilmarnock, Scotland. (Research on Glenfield and Kennedy affirms their forward-thinking inventions and is world renowned for their success in water works construction).
Inquiries can be sent to petra@vaalexplorer.co.za
Sources: Rand Water, Vaal Explorer, Vereeniging 1892-1967, Ramon Lewis Leigh, Jason Sutcliff, Museums Development Manager, Parys Gazette, Dr Anthony Turton, Prof. Johann Tempelhoff, Petra Stuart, Vaalweekblad, Brandon Stuart.
