R30 billion needed to solve water problem

THE Limpopo government needs about R30 billion to address the chronic shortage of water in the Sekhukhune district alone

The money will be used to upgrade the existing dams, piping water from sources to communities and building more dams.

Competition for water between wild and domestic animals and people is a daily experience in the region, with only those who can afford able to draw water from boreholes in their yards.

A meeting between Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa and Limpopo delegates was held recently to come up with a comprehensive proposal on issues affecting water shortage.

Local government and housing MEC Soviet Lekganyane told Molewa during the briefing that special and urgent intervention was needed to curb the water crisis in Sekhukhune, Mopani and Lephalale in Waterberg.

Giyani in the Mopani region was declared a disaster area last year.

Lekganyane said the R30billion would also help to upgrade dams such as De Hoop, while the rest of the money would be channelled to the reticulation and waste water treatment.

"The protracted shortage of water could also become a thing of the past soon for Mopani and Vhembe areas following the injection of money to upgrade the Nandoni Dam, which supplies water to the two districts.

Upgrading has been commissioned for R52million.

Already, a R250 million project to instal acute pipes to draw bulk water from the dam to areas such as Giyani and Modjadjiskloof is under way.