The Drakenstein municipality has been awarded a R1.4-billion Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) grant over the next three financial years.

National Treasury awards these grants to selected municipalities to fund large and strategic interventions with projects required to have a minimum total cost of R1-billion and significant long-term impacts on economic growth, social equity and employment creation.

“This is definitely a game changer for us – not only for our area’s wastewater and sanitation service levels, sustainability and resilience, but also for the confidence that National Government is expressing in our municipality’s financial management and spending capabilities,” says Drakenstein municipality executive Mayor Alderman Conrad Poole.

The municipality, which covers Paarl, Wellington, Mbekweni, Gouda, Saron, Hermon and Simondium, will spend the grant funds on wastewater and sanitation upgrades and rehabilitation.

These include the upgrading of the Paarl Wastewater Treatment Works (PWWTW) and the construction of the Southern Paarl Bulk Sewer, as well as the rehabilitation and upgrade of Drakenstein sanitation infrastructure to ensure sustainability and resilience.

“Residents across Drakenstein will benefit from this grant as it will ensure increased bulk sewer capacity to unlock future developments, which include social and private residential housing, commercial hubs and industrial opportunities,” says Poole.

He cites other benefits such as improved sewage treatment processes, reduced energy demand and operation and maintenance costs at the PWWTW; improved quality of effluent released into the Berg river; and compliance with the prescribed effluent quality standards.

It will also bring about significant economic and socioeconomic benefits; a broader tax base and higher revenue generation; and sustainable opportunities such as green energy, which will also reduce the high electricity demand at the PWWTW.

“The BFI project is necessary as a number of integrated residential and commercial developments with noticeable economic and socioeconomic benefits are planned which would put added pressure on existing systems. The BFI project will increase the wastewater and sludge treatment capacity for Paarl, Wellington and surrounds to accommodate the current demands and to cater for future demands and developments.”