Construction at the Nooitgedacht low-level water scheme project is expected to resume on Monday after it was stalled for about five months.
Phase three of the project, which is the final phase, will ultimately ensure Nelson Mandela Bay has a guaranteed supply of water. This is as the city’s dam levels are sitting at a combined average of 48%.
The multimillion-rand project has stalled for months due to delays in payment from the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality to the consultant.
Due to cash-flow problems at the department of water affairs, the metro was drawn in to assist with the consultant fees to the tune of R15m.
Situated near Addo, Nooitgedacht phases one and two already treat 140Ml of water a day from the Gariep Dam for the Bay. The final phase is expected to add a further 70Ml of water a day.
Amatola Water CEO Vuyo Zitumane confirmed payments to the contractor had been made.
“The contractor and the consultant are expected to be on site on Monday.”
Amatola Water is the implementing agent managing the Nooitgedacht phase three project on behalf of the department of water affairs.
On Friday Zitumane said the municipality had confirmed processing a payment of R3.5m which would allow the contractor to go back on site.
Physical work on phase three was not even halfway when the contractor stopped working on numerous occasions due to delayed payments and financial constraints.
The date of completion was moved a number of times – with the new completion date set for 2020.
In May 2017, the then minister of water affairs, Nomvula Mokonyane, said her department would fund the third phase of the water scheme expansion to the tune of R318m.