Masilonyana Local Municipality in the northern Free State has embarked on a project to move raw bulk water via a pipeline from the Sandvet Canal via Theunissen to Brandfort which has struggled with perennial water shortages over the years.

Masilonyana executive mayor Stephen Koalane said the move was aimed at bringing a sustainable solution to the Brandfort water challenges and address socio-economic situation of the community.

He said the department of water and sanitation had allocated nearly R82.8-million for the construction of the bulk raw water pipeline in Brandfort funded under a multi-year project through the regional bulk infrastructure grant.

“Through the municipal infrastructure grant we have spent over R21-million for the upgrading of the water treatment works and pump station,” said Koalane.

He said R1.8-million will be spent on the refurbishment of the Brandfort water treatment works through the accelerated community infrastructure projects.

The municipality also got approval for construction of a bulk raw water pipeline to Winburg for R90-million which will be connected to Sedibeng Water.

“We have also spent more than R31-million on installations of household, bulk and zone water meters in all towns,” said Koalane.

“Three boreholes to the value of R24-million were installed in Winburg to augment water supply into the Winburg water treatment plant.”

The mayor said the municipality was also going to spend a total of R6.1-million from its capital budget to refurbish both the Theunissen and Brandfort waste water treatment works.

He said the projects were expected to address the issue of the ever recurring sewer spillages.

The Winburg waste water treatment works is also being upgraded for R14.5-million.

And in line with the government’s plan to eliminate the bucket system as part of restoring people’s dignity, the human settlement department appointed Babereki Consulting to implement the rapid bucket eradication programme in Winburg and Theunissen.

In Theunissen, the project includes the installation of house connections to the value of R43.5-million with 55 jobs created.

About 549 toilets are also set to be built at a cost R4.7-million with 25 labourers employed and seven contractors contracted.

The Winburg project, according to the mayor, is valued at R6.2-million and 12 jobs were created.

The municipality, which carrying out several projects in the current financial year, has also appointed a service provider to survey and open a register in Soutpan and Verkeerdevlei for the recently approved township establishments.

The process is expected to take two months.

About 312 residential stands and five public sites were approved for Verkeerdevlei and 98 residential stands were approved in Soutpan.

It is also looking at building recreational facilities, developing new business centres, fencing various municipal amenities such as cemeteries, water treatment plants and recreational facilities.

Among its future projects, Masilonyana wants to construct a one mega-litre storage reservoir in Soutpan/Ikgomotseng for R3.2-million.

It will upgrade water treatment works in Theunissen phase two for R4.8-million.

The municipality also wants to upgrade the old Masilo Stadium at a cost of R7-million from the 15 percent of its municipal infrastructure grant allocation.

It has applied to the department of energy for R80-million for a project to upgrade and refurbish the Masilonyana electricity supply, among other projects.