Name of the Project
Olifants River Water Resources Development Project – Phase 2 (ORWRDP-2).

Location
Limpopo, South Africa.

Client
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), 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, which aim to fast-track 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 will be completed in phases A to I and involves the development of additional water resource infrastructure in the middle part of the Olifants river water management area.

Phase 2A entailed 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, will have a 347-million-cubic-metre reservoir capacity.

This phase also included 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 was 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 bulk distribution system will allow for the Flag Boshielo and De Hoop dams to function as one system, ensuring a higher water supply assurance level. The additional yield is expected to be about 80-million cubic metres a year.

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.

Jobs to be Created
Not stated.

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 officially opened by President Jacob Zuma on March 24, 2015.

The first construction contract of the bulk distribution system started in early 2012. Further phases will be packaged into future contracts, with the last contract likely to be completed in 2019.

Latest Developments
The TCTA reported in its ‘Integrated Annual Report 2015/16’ released in November 2016 that Phase 2B of the ORWRDP was under review with the DWS.

Phase 2C, which comprises 40 km of pipeline from De Hoop dam to Steelpoort, is under construction, with the water expected to be available from the end of the financial year ended March 31, 2017.

The affected properties of ORWRDP phases 2D, E and F have been identified and the acquisition process is being finalised.

Contractual arrangements are also being finalised as the TCTA directive for implementing the project has been withdrawn.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
For Phase 2A, De Hoop – key contractors:
Main Road Contractor (realignment of the R555 road):
Hillary, Liviero & Eigenbau (HLE) joint venture (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 dam 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
TCTA, tel +27 12 683 1200, fax +27 12 683 1300 or email info@tcta.co.za.
DWS communication services Sputnik Ratau, +27 12 336 6813, fax +27 12 336 6592 or email RatauS@dws.gov.za.