Water and Sanitation Dept says not responsible for delays in Lesotho Highlands Water Project
The tunnel, which had been undergoing maintenance since October last year, was not restored to operation by its scheduled deadline at the end of March.
The Lesotho Highlands Water Project in Free State, Clarens. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - The Department of Water and Sanitation says it is not responsible for the delays in reactivating the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP).
The tunnel, which had been undergoing maintenance since October last year, was not restored to operation by its scheduled deadline at the end of March.
Its main function is to transport over 700 million cubic meters of water annually from Lesotho to at least five South African provinces to ensure water security in the region.
The tunnel was finally brought back online on Sunday.
Over the past seven months, the department, in collaboration with its Lesotho counterpart, has been meticulously carrying out maintenance on the LHWP.
READ: Water from Lesotho gushes into SA's conduits 7 months after shutdown
The 38-kilometre-long tunnel required a thorough inspection for surface cracks and corrosion. It was recoated using 43,000 litres of paint.
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina said the work on the South African side was completed before the end of March, with delays occurring primarily on the Lesotho side.
"On the Lesotho side, they were not done. Their delays were caused by inclement weather and they requested an additional three weeks. We were patient with them because we also received heavy rain, so we had to allow them to do things in the correct manner."
The tunnel is now back in operation, transporting water from Lesotho into South Africa's Vaal River integrated system.