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

Location
Limpopo, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
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 are 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 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 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.

Phase 2B involves the development of bulk raw water distribution infrastructure in the middle Olifants river catchment area, comprising a 70-km pipeline from Flag Boshielo Dam to Pruisen near Mokopane with pumpstations and reservoirs. When completed, the project will provide water for use by both the mines and the Mogalakwena Local Municipality.

Phase 2C comprises a 40 km distribution pipeline from De Hoop Dam, which feeds the De Hoop Water Treatment Works at Steel Bridge, and a pumpstation near Steelpoort, where it can interconnect with the Lebalelo Water Users Association infrastructure. Water from the De Hoop Dam is for the mining industry along the eastern limb of the Bushveld Complex for municipal consumers in the Sekhukhune district municipality.

The bulk distribution system will enable the Flag Boshielo and De Hoop dams to function as a single system, ensuring a higher water supply assurance level. The additional yield is expected to be about 80-million cubic metres a year.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
R4.5-billion.

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

Planned Start/End Date
The construction of the De Hoop dam started in July 2007 and was officially opened on March 24, 2015.

The first construction contract of the bulk distribution system started in early 2012.

Latest Developments
The TCTA reported in its Integrated Annual Report 2017/18 released in October 2018 that a new funding strategy for Phase 2B of the project was being developed.

The DWS, meanwhile, said in its Annual Report 2017/18 released in August 2018 that there was no budget allocation for ORWRDP Phase 2D, 2E and 2F in the 2017/18 financial year.

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 [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 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.