Name of the Project
Raising of the Clanwilliam dam.

Location
The project is located on the Olifants river, in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).

Project Description
The Clanwilliam dam was built in 1935 and was raised to its current level, with a storage capacity of 128-million cubic metres, in the 1960s.

A feasibility study completed on the project in October 2007 found that raising the wall by 13 m is technically feasible and economically viable.

The proposed project will improve the safety of the dam and increase the yearly yield of the dam by 69.5-million cubic metres, of which a portion will be used to assist with the development of resource-poor farmers.

The project will include:

• remedial works to the dam’s foundations;
• the raising and realigning of portions of Old Cape road, which will be affected by the raised dam;
• raising the Algeria road crossing over the Olifants river, as a result of the raising of the dam’s full supply level;
• protecting the N7 towards Citrusdal that will be directly affected by the raised dam;
• maintenance of farm roads and residences along Renbaan road directly affected by the raised dam;
• the upgrading and expanding of the conveyance network downstream of Bulshoek dam; and
• other affected infrastructure, including a hydropower plant.

Potential Job Creation
The project has the potential to create about 3 800 permanent jobs.

Capital Expenditure
The project is estimated at R3.5-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
The first sod was turned on October 8, 2018. Completion is expected to take four years.

Latest Developments
Work on the Clanwilliam dam wall-raising project is progressing, with indications that the long-awaited project will be completed by March 2023.

The project will result in the capacity of the Clanwilliam dam almost doubling after the existing wall is raised by 13 m.

“Practically, it means an entirely new wall is being built up against the existing one, just 13 m higher. The original wall was built in 1935 and also requires maintenance work to sustain its integrity. This project will address those concerns too,” Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Minister Anton Bredell has said.

The national Department of Water and Sanitation has progressed the first phase of the project with the relocation of the N7 highway in the region of the dam.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

On Budget and on Time?
Too early to state.

Contact Details for Project Information
Department of Water and Sanitation media liaison officer Sputnik Ratau, tel +27 12 336 6813 and RatauS@dwa.gov.za.