Name and Location
Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) Phase 2, Lesotho to South Africa.

Client
The governments of South Africa and Lesotho.

Project Description
Phase 1 of the LHWP was officially completed in 2004.

Phase 2 of the LHWP will include the construction of a new 165-million-cubic-metre dam, the Polihali, in Lesotho; a transfer tunnel from the Polihali dam to the Muela hydropower complex; expansions to the existing Muela hydropower complex; and advancing the infrastructure and environmental and social development programmes in Lesotho.

The project will feature a water delivery system to augment the delivery of water to South Africa.

The system will consist of the Polihali dam on the Senqu river and a 38 km water conveyance tunnel, which will connect the Polihali dam with the Katse dam. Water will flow by gravity to the Katse dam. Further, it will entail the development of key infrastructure, such as access roads to the project sites and camps, as well as power transmission lines and administration centres, including social and environmental projects and programmes.

This phase will also include the 101-m-high Kabong pumped-storage scheme and associated transmission lines.

The Polihali dam will include a 165-m-high concrete-faced rockfill dam and a 49.5 m saddle dam. Water from the dam will flow through a series of tunnels and through the Ash river, in the Free State, into the Vaal system, in South Africa. The dam is a strategic intervention to ensure the water availability of Gauteng and the rest of the Vaal river water supply, in the most effective manner.

The construction of the dam and other infrastructure will take place in conjunction with water conservation measures for the Vaal, improving water quality and curbing illegal use. The project will have a low energy requirement, as water will be transferred using gravity to South Africa without pumping.

Value
The water aspect of the project is likely to cost about R9.12-billion, including R2.727-billion for development of the Polihali dam.

Capital expenditure will also be directed towards the building of tunnels worth R2.289-billion, new infrastructure worth R1.296-billion, engineering works worth R1.226-billion, administration costs of R556-million, environmental expenses of R450.31-million and social costs of R572-million.

The pumped storage scheme will cost R6.136-billion and the associated transmission lines R1.5-billion.

Duration
Phase 2 water delivery is expected to come on line by December 2020.

Latest Developments
The South African government has received notification from the Lesotho government that the implementation of the project should proceed to avoid any further delays.

Further, the Department of Water Affairs has been instructed to continue with the implementation of the Polihali dam and tunnel.

On Budget and on Time?
Too early to state.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
C4/Seed joint venture (feasibility study), the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority [TCTA] (debt management and funding of the water-transfer portion of the project, as well as the operation and maintenance of the Delivery Tunnel North), Mops Civil (access road) and BKS (construction of measuring weir).

Contact Details for Project Information
Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, Leon Tromp, tel +266 5221 4035 or email leon@lhwc.org.ls.
TCTA project manager David Keyser, tel +27 12 683 1200, fax +27 12 683 1300 or email dkeyser@tcta.co.za.