Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo on March 16 oversaw the start of work on the Greater Breyten Water Supply Scheme project, in Warburton, Mpumalanga.

The project is scheduled for completion in May 2024 and will benefit the communities of Breyten, Chrissiesmeer, Lothair and Warburton in the Msukaligwa local municipality.

The project is part of the Msukaligwa Regional Bulk Supply Scheme which is aimed at ensuring that all water infrastructure has sufficient capacity to cater for future water demand over a 30-year design horizon until 2048.

The project scope includes the refurbishment of the Torbanite dam pump station, the installation of a new raw water rising main from Torbanite dam to the Breyten water treatment works (WTW), the refurbishment of the Breyten WTW, the installation of a new rising main from Breyten WTW to the Breyten WTW reservoirs, the replacement of secondary bulk mains supplying Breyten town, the installation of a new rising main from the Breyten WTW to the Chrissiesmeer bulk reservoirs, the construction of a new pump station at Chrissiesmeer reservoir site to provide bulk water supply to Warburton, the installation of a new secondary bulk main from the new Warburton reservoir to Warburton reticulation, the installation of a new gravity main from the Chrissiemeer bulk reservoirs to the Lothair reservoirs, the installation of reservoirs in Lothair and the installation of a new rising main from an in line booster pump station to the elevated tanks in Lothair.

“Today marks a major milestone towards achieving the infrastructure goals as articulated in our Water Master and National Development Plan of infrastructure development and provision of access to water to our people.

"We are very confident that after the completion of these water projects, our people will have access to water and decent sanitation, which will restore dignity to our people," Mahlobo commented.

He also spoke out against the vandalism and theft of water infrastructure and called on the community to work with government to prevent the theft and vandalism of water infrastructure.