Name and Location
Olifants River Water Resources Development Project Phase 2 (ORWRDP-2), Limpopo, South Africa.

Client
The Department of Water and Sanitation, represented by the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) for Phases 2B to 2G.

Project Description
The ORWRDP forms part of the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission's strategic infrastructure projects, aimed at fast-tracking development and growth across South Africa, creating jobs and aiding basic service delivery.

The ORWRDP comprises two phases and several subphases:

Phase 1 involved the raising of the Flag Boshielo dam by 5 m, which has been completed.

Phase 2 (Phases A to I) involves the development of additional water resource infrastructure in the middle part of the Olifants river water management area.

Phase 2A entails the construction of the De Hoop dam, which will be a bulk storage facility to augment the current water supply around the Steelpoort and Olifants rivers, both in Limpopo. Water will primarily be supplied to increasing mining activities around the Steelpoort area.

The De Hoop dam, which will be the thirteenth-largest in the country, is expected to have a 347-million-cubic-metre reservoir capacity.

This phase also includes the construction of a roller-compacted concrete (RCC) gravity dam on the Steelpoort river, en route from Stoffberg to Steelpoort, near the existing provincial road (the R555), of which a 20 km portion has been realigned. The dam wall is being built downstream from the confluence of the Steelpoort and Klip rivers, the latter being a tributary joining from the eastern side.

Phases 2B to 2G will entail the construction of a bulk distribution system to be funded and implemented by the TCTA.

The project will consist of more than 200 km of pipelines ranging from 800 mm to 1 800 mm in diameter, several pumpstations and storage reservoirs.

Value
R4.5-billion.
The bulk distribution system will cost an estimated R7.6-billion.

Duration
The construction of the De Hoop dam started in July 2007 and was initially expected to be completed in April 2011; however, owing to construction challenges, the dam will be completed in the 2013/14 financial year.

The first construction contract of the bulk distribution system started in early 2012 and will be completed by the end of 2014.

Further phases will be packaged into future contracts, with the last contract likely to be completed in 2019.

Latest Developments
President Jacob Zuma officially opened the 347-million-cubic-metre De Hoop dam, in Sekhukhune, Limpopo, on March 24.

With the completion of the De Hoop dam, the Department of Water and Sanitation is focusing on accelerating the implementation of the bulk distribution system at an estimated R7.6 billion.

Construction of the first pipeline, which connects the De Hoop dam to Steelpoort, is well advanced and is expected to be completed by September. This pipeline will supply raw water to the water treatment works at Steelpoort and to certain areas in Jane Furse.  Further phases of the pipelines to Sekuruwe, in the Waterberg, and to Pruissen, in the Capricorn areas, are expected to start this year, with a target completion date of 2019.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
For Phase 2A, De Hoop, the key contractors are:
Main Road Contractor (realignment of the R555 road):
Hillary, Liviero & Eigenbau (HLE) joint venture [JV] (main contractor).

Main Civil Contractor (De Hoop dam):
De Hoop Construction West and subcontractors B&E International and Quanza JV (supply of fine and course aggregate, crusher run and rip-rap); Limpopo RR & Construction (drilling and blasting); Regray Security (site security); SA Rock Drills (drilling and grouting of dame foundations); Drakensburg Technologies (supply of standard formwork); Formscaff (supply of special formwork); Allied Plant and Hire (erection of RCC conveyor system); SA French (erection of tower crane); NSI (commissioning and maintenance of batch plants); Twin Cities (supply of cement); Dura Pozz Bulk (supply of fly ash); BASF (supply of cement additives) and Steeledale Reinforcing (supply and fixing of reinforcement).

For TCTA, the status of key contracts is as follows:
The Aurecon Ndodana JV was awarded the design and supervision contract in 2009, following an open tender process. Basil Read was awarded the construction contract for Phase 2C and Phase 2H in February 2012.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
De Hoop Dam project manager Martin Richard, tel +27 12 336 8072.
De Hoop Dam contractor's representative Wouter Theron, tel +27 13 260 1110/1111, fax +27 13 260 1356 or email wouter@dhcw.co.za.
TCTA, tel +27 12 683 1200, fax +27 12 683 1300 or email info@tcta.co.za.
HLE JV, Ed Hillary, tel +27 15 293 1221.