A major upgrade of electrical lines between the Howieson's Poort pump station and the Waainek water treatment works will mean fewer water outages in Grahamstown by early next year.
A major upgrade of electrical lines between the Howieson's Poort pump station and the Waainek water treatment works will mean fewer water outages in Grahamstown by early next year.
A series of localised electricity shutdowns is planned in the next few months to repair and refurbish the overhead electrical lines serving one of Grahamstown's two water sources.
Municipal spokesperson Yoliswa Ramokolo said this was part of a Crisis Intervention Project aimed at reducing the risk of water interruptions arising from infrastructure breakdown.
Contractors Nomathemba Electrical said the line supplied a limited area, between the pump station and the treatment works that included two farms. Wednesday was the fourth scheduled shutdown of that section of the line, said Amatola Water's Area Manager Chris Nair.
The project is being managed by Amatola. Members of the public were astonished to see a long line of workers at the tops of the tall electrical poles, near Mountain View Manor, on Wednesday.
Nomathemba partner Brett Flanagan said the shutdowns in that section will continue every Wednesday until mid-December, provided the weather is dry.
He said the reason for the extraordinary sight is that a large team has to break down the existing supports, re-excavate for the new ones, and erect them.
This has to be done efficiently and simultaneously, so the supply can be restored quickly. Because of the rocky ground, the new poles are being erected in the same holes as the old ones.
Nair said the refurbishment of these electrical lines was critical because the frequent water outages and damage to equipment in the pump house and water treatment works was due to the unreliability of the electricity supply.
Nair said the shutdowns could continue until mid-february if rain caused further delays. Ramokolo said the project was one of many adopted to boost the municipality.
She said the Crisis Intervention Projects were allocated funds by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC).
Amatola is contracted by the municpality to manage the municipality's bulk water supply,
