PLANNED TEMPORARY WATER INTERRUPTION
Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 18:00
until Tuesday, 3 June 2025 at 18:00
CLICK HERE for the locations of Jojo Tanks and Roving Water Tankers
UPDATE: 3 June 2025 – 18:20
[IN VISUALS]: EXECUTIVE MAYOR CLLR MARTHA BARTLETT AND SPEAKER CLLR DIPUO PETERS AT MIDSTATION
UPDATE ON DAY-FIVE TECHNICAL REPORT, 03 JUNE 2025, 18:20
Sub-contractor site-manager, Kyle Peinke from Kevin Peinke and co, gave details to the Executive Mayor and Speaker.
1. Rubber seal has been repositioned, and bolts have re-flogged on the 900mm diameter pipeline (downstream) at Midstation.
2. A setback was experienced earlier today when the rubber seal kicked.
3. One pump at Riverton has been turned on again. The second pump will be in operation shortly. The pipeline supplies water directly to the Newton Reservoirs.
More Information On Precautionary Line Filling Measures:
* In restoring water supply, the line filling process requires a cautious approach to avoid air entrapment that might result in surges and pipe bursts.
* Residents will be informed once water has reached Newton Reservoirs;
Source: Communications Unit
UPDATE: 3 June 2025 – 13:00
UPDATE ON DAY-FIVE TECHNICAL REPORT – PLANNED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION, TUESDAY, 03 JUNE 2025, 13:00
The pumping into the distribution network from the Newton Reservoirs will be delayed due to a setback experienced at Midstation on the newly installed isolation valve on the 900mm diameter pipeline.
According to Mr Rikus Rossouw, project leader of engineering firm Bigen Africa, supply to residents in high-lying areas (Kimberley suburbia) is likely tomorrow morning.
In an interview with Mr Rossouw, is Sol Plaatje Municipality’s Executive Director of Infrastructure and Services Mr Walter Jood.
Next update: 18:00
Source: Communications Unit
UPDATE: 2 June 2025 – 19:30
LAST UPDATE ON DAY-FOUR TECHNICAL REPORT – PLANNED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION, MONDAY, 02 JUNE 2025, 19:30
The restoration of supply starts at 22:00 when Raw Water Pumps at the abstraction works will be started to fill the 2 and 9 Ml clearwater tanks at Riverton.
Line filling will start at around 24:00
• Water is expected to reach Newton Reservoirs at 04:00 tomorrow morning – reservoirs carrying capacity to be boosted.
We remain on course to provide tap supply before or at 18:00 tomorrow, Tuesday, 03 June 2025
Residents in low-lying areas are requested to switch-off JoJo connections for water to reach Newton Reservoirs.
Bulk Pipeline Leak Repairs
On the pipeline leak repair progress:
》 Out of the 16 major leaks, the last two:
1. Welding inside of the manifold at Riverton is nearly complete.
2. Leak on 900mm diameter pipeline near Roodepan’s Camelia Street – collar plate installation is almost complete.
Source: Communications Unit
UPDATE: 2 June 2025 – 10:00
UPDATE ON DAY-FOUR TECHNICAL REPORT – PLANNED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION, MONDAY, 02 JUNE 2025, 10:00
We are on schedule despite two minor setbacks.
In Sharp Focus – Update On: Riverton
- Raw abstraction pumps installations; all three (3) pumps & motors have been installed and tested. The protection devices on the three (3) pumps will be connected this morning.
- The cleaning of Clearwater Tanks at old Riverton Water Treatment Works – 9ML completed & 2ML at 90% progress; The 2Ml cleaning will be completed this morning. Disinfecting will be done on both Clearwater Tanks.
- The bulk electrical upgrade work connections and testing are complete.
- Clarifier desludging; second clarifier cleaning in progress.
- Repair work on the Highlift Pump manifold at old Riverton Water Treatment Works; welding work for leak repair on the outside was completed early this morning. Welding on the inside delayed due to water still present in the pipeline, and this will continue until this morning.
- Butterfly Valve replacement on 600mm diameter pipeline at Riverton almost done and will be completed early this afternoon.
Bulk Pipeline Leak Repairs
On the pipeline leak repair progress:
- 900 diameter valve installation at Midstation near Roodepan progressing well and will be completed at midday. Valve assembly to be lowered and bolted up at 12:00.
- 600 diameter valve downstream of Midstation will be complete today at 12:00;
– 14 out of the 16 major leaks are fully repaired, and the last two (2) will be fully repaired this afternoon; manifold at Riverton (details above) and leak on 900mm diameter pipeline near Roodepan’s Camelia Street.
Interview With: Mr Rikus Rossouw (Project Leader from engineering firm Bigen Africa and Mr Walter Jood, the Executive Director of Infrastructure and Services at Sol Plaatje Municipality.
Source: Communications Unit
UPDATE: 1 June 2025 – 21:00
LAST UPDATE ON DAY-THREE TECHNICAL REPORT – PLANNED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION
In Sharp Focus – Update On: Riverton
- Raw abstraction pumps installations; all three (3) pumps & motors have been installed and tested. The protection devices on the three (3) pumps will be connected tomorrow morning before 11h00.
- The cleaning of Clearwater Tanks at old Riverton Water Treatment Works – 9ML completed & 2ML at 90% progress; The 2Ml cleaning will be completed tomorrow morning. Disinfecting will be done on both Clearwater Tanks.
- The bulk electrical upgrade work connections and testing are complete.
- Clarifier desludging; second clarifier will be done tomorrow.
- Repair work on the Highlift Pump manifold at old Riverton Water Treatment Works; welding work for leak repair on the outside will be completed tonight. Welding on the inside was delayed due to water still present in the pipeline, and this will continue till midday tomorrow.
- Butterfly Valve replacement on 600mm diameter pipeline at Riverton almost done and will be completed at midnight.
- New Scour valve on 900mm diameter pipe at Riverton is complete.
Bulk Pipeline Leak Repairs
On the pipeline leak repair progress:
- 900 diameter valve installation at Midstation near Roodepan progressing well and will be completed at midnight. Valve assembly to be lowered and bolted up at 12:00 tomorrow.
- 600 diameter valve downstream of Midstation will be complete tomorrow at 12:00;
- 10 out of the 16 major leaks will be fully repaired tonight, and the last six (6) will be fully repaired tomorrow afternoon.
Source: Communications Unit
UPDATE: 1 June 2025 – 19:20
DAY- THREE TECHNICAL REPORT ON PLANNED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION
*Last and full Report to follow after 21:00
In Sharp Focus – Update On:
Riverton
Raw abstraction pumps installations; all 3 pumps & motors have been installed and functioning well.
The cleaning of Clearwater Tanks at old Riverton Water Treatment Works – 9ML completed & 2ML at 90% progress;
The bulk electrical upgrade work connections and testing ongoing;
Clarifier desludging; second clarifier will be done tomorrow
Repair work on manifold next to Highlift Pump at old Riverton Water Treatment Works; welding work for leak repair progressing well;
Butterfly Valve replacement on 600mm diameter pipeline at Riverton almost done; and Scour valve on 900mm diameter pipe in Riverton completed.
Bulk Pipeline Leak Repairs
On the pipeline leak repair progress:
– 900 diameter valve installation at Midstation near Roodepan progressing well; and 10 out of the 16 major leaks will be completed tonight and last six (6) will be fully repaired tomorrow.
Source: Communications Unit
UPDATE: 1 June 2025 – 13:00
[IN VISUALS]: SOL PLAATJE MUNICIPALITY’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES MR WALTER JOOD PROVIDES UPDATE ON DAY-THREE
In Sharp Focus: Repair work is on schedule, and water supply restoration on Tuesday, 03 June 2025, at 18h00, remain on course.
OLD RIVERTON WATER TREATMENT PLANT
The three raw water abstraction pumps and motors installed – testing underway
Testing on the 10MVA transformer ongoing • Major repairs on Manifold next to Highlift Pump Station scheduled to be completed tomorrow • Replacement of 600mm diameter butterfly valve ongoing; and Reservoirs – 9ML clear water tank completed and 2ML cleaning in progress.
BULK PIPELINE REPAIRS AND REFURBISHMENTS
• The installation of the 900 diameter valve downstream of Midstation is set for completion tomorrow.
• Eight (8) of the 16 major leaks are completed, and work on remaining eight (8) has been accelerated with the reinforcement of the various teams.
Source: Communications Unit
UPDATE: 31 May 2025 – 20:00
END OF DAY- TWO TECHNICAL REPORT ON PLANNED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION
- Out of the 3 Abstraction pumps that have been serviced, 2 pumps have been installed, and the last pump will be installed tonight.
- The cleaning of the 9 Ml Clearwater Tank at Riverton is complete, and the 2 Ml will be done tomorrow.
- The bulk electrical upgrade work is almost complete, with only another 4 hours required tomorrow for the final connections and testing.
- The desludging of one of the two Clarifiers at Riverton is also complete, and the second Clarifier will be done tomorrow.
- The large Pressure Reducing Valves at Kimdustria, Galashewe, and Homevale is complete.
Bulk Pipeline Leak Repairs
- On the pipeline leak repairs, we experienced some difficulties with leak repairs in the lower lying areas like Gogga as we had to drain the pipeline with pumps. This also affected work at the 900 diameter valve to be installed at Midstation.
Resources have, however, been deployed to other work fronts to limit the impact of these delays, and we don’t expect these setbacks to affect the reinstatement of water supply as scheduled.
The only major work left is the manifold at Riverton high lift pump station, the replacement of the 600 valve at Riverton, as well as the installation of the 900 diameter valve downstream of Midstation.
UPDATE: 31 May 2025 – 12:00
UPDATE ON DAY-2, SATURDAY, 31 MAY 2025 – PLANNED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION
Interview with project engineer from engineering firm Bigen Africa’s Mr Rikus Rossouw and Sol Plaatje Municipality’s Executive Director of Infrastructure and Services Mr Walter Jood.
Highlights: 1) Five (5) of the sixteen (16) major leaks completed. 2) Electrical work on the change-over to the new transformer at the Riverton Treatment Works is 80% complete. 3) One out of the three raw water abstraction pumps that had to be serviced at Riverton has been installed, and the last two will be installed this evening.
Source: Communications Unit
UPDATE: 30 May 2025 – 09:40
REPAIR WORK UNFOLDS
* Repair work on the raw water abstraction pumps has taken off at Riverton, where water is drawn from the Vaal River.
* All scours from Riverton to Kimberley have been emptied. The bulk pipeline is dry, serving as a basis for teams at major leaks sites to start with repair work.
• Fixing of leaking flange and booster pump in progress at Newton Reservoirs.
RELIEF WATER SUPPLY
All water tankers and flatbeds have been registered and are leaving Newton Reservoir for distribution to their assigned wards.
Residents are encouraged to contact our Call-Centre at 080 122 9010 for all supply enquiries.
Source: Communications Unit
STATE OF READINESS – PLANNED WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION OF
THURSDAY, 29 MAY TO TUESDAY, 03 JUNE 2025
UPDATE: 29 May 2025 – 09:00
The Sol Plaatje Local Municipality hereby declares its readiness to implement the Planned Water Supply Interruption that will be effected from, Thursday, 29 May at 18h00 to Tuesday, 03 June 2025 at 18h00.
A total of 16 major leaks on the 35km bulk pipeline stretching from Riverton to Kimberley are to be repaired during this city-wide five-day operation. The leaks have been a source of prolonged excessive water losses on the 900mm and 600mm diameter pipelines.
Emanating from the previous city-wide water interruption of April 2024, 27 major leaks were identified through the innovative deployment of the smart-ball, 11 leaks were repaired, and we will now be focusing on the remaining 16 leaks and the installation of new valves.
Planning: A series of planning meetings have been held, aimed at ensuring that we execute this critical operation with precision and restore water supply on time and as planned:
- All appointed contractors have set up the site at operational localities (leak sites);
- Internal supporting teams have been established: Mechanical, Waterworks, Electrical, Roads, Risk, and Housing.
- Occupational Health and Safety Regulations will be observed at all repair sites, and compliance will be strictly adhered to, with no member of the public being allowed access.
The repairs and refurbishments being undertaken on the bulk pipeline, water abstraction points and at the water treatment plants are an emphatic service delivery
intervention aimed at revamping our ageing water infrastructure and its maintenance backlogs.
CALL FOR RESIDENTS TO STORE WATER
We wish to repeat our call in urging all residents to store enough water for critical use with immediate effect ahead of the shutdown of the pumps at Newton Reservoirs and the closing of all valves tomorrow, at 18h00. The storage of water will assist in easing the demand during the interruption.
RELIEF WATER SUPPLY EFFORTS
We will once again enforce a relief water supply by placing JoJo tanks at 54 sites in the various wards and at accessible spots. Over 20 water trucks will also be deployed and will be roving within residential areas. Special supply provisions have been made for hospitals, homes for the aged, schools, and all other critical centres. Ward-based councillors will also assist with water distribution coordination. We urge residents to be patient and cooperate during the relief supply efforts.
We once again plead with residents to be vigilant and guard against the vandalism of the Jojo Tanks, especially the theft of the taps.
Joint Operations Committee: JOC, consisting of team leaders drawn from technical, emergency services management, communications, security, South African Police Services (SAPS), and Municipal Mayoral Committee, has been established and will be meeting daily during the operation.
Road Closures: No members of the public and private trucks will be allowed entry at the filling site – Newton Reservoirs. Road Closures – Waterworks and Reservoir Roads will be closed to allow ease of access for tankering from the reservoirs.
RESTORATION OF SUPPLY
Restoration of supply starts with achieving production levels before the valves at the Riverton pump stations are opened to start replenishing the clearwater reservoirs at Newton Reservoirs to boost levels. Upon satisfactory levels having been achieved at the Newton Reservoirs, we will run online filling mode – especially in high-lying areas – followed by low tap pressure to normal supply.
Communities should bear with us as the process explained above is a cautious measure aimed at avoiding the bursting of pipes in the distribution network.
When residents experience slightly discoloured water due to various minerals and substances, caused by dissolved organic matter.
We appeal that you run the taps for a short while until the water clears. If in doubt as to whether the water is fit for consumption, please we encourage the boiling of water before consumption.
Working Towards Guaranteeing Water Security And Water Access For All
We are grateful for the allocation received from the National Treasury through its Budget Facility for Infrastructure, worth R2.5 billion, that has assisted us in implementing the Sol Plaatje Bulk Infrastructure Refurbishment Programme (SPBIRP).
Last April’s repairs and the current operation are funded from the BFI grant. Apart from the water security guarantee, the investment into Sol Plaatje Local Municipality’s water infrastructure allows us to respond to the future water demand evidenced by a string of construction sites, a growing economy, and population, currently at 277,000. The old Riverton Treatment Plant was built in the 1940s, supplying a population of way under 77,000.
Issued by the Sol Plaatje Municipality Executive Mayor, Cllr Martha Bartlett
//END
Enquiries: Keobakile Musunse
Media Liaison Officer
Office of the Executive Mayor
Email: Kmusunse@solplaatje.org.za
Tel: 053 830 6203
BFI BULK PIPELINE LEAK REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE
UPDATE: 19 May 2025 – 14:00
The Sol Plaatje Local Municipality will implement a Planned Water Supply Interruption from Thursday, May 29, 18:00 to Tuesday, June 3, 18:00.
16 leak repairs and valves installation will be conducted on the bulk pipeline supplying Kimberley with water from Riverton.
The interruption is part of a larger investment in water infrastructure through the R2.5 billion Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) grant allocation that started in April 2025.
Please Store Water
Residents are urged to store water and reduce demand during the interruption.
This is For You and a Future of Reliable Water Supply
This is beyond an investment in water infrastructure. It is equally an investment in People and Businesses. We are determined to provide access to reliable water supply for communities’ well-being and for economic growth.
UPDATE: 16 May 2025 – 08:00
According to a newspaper clipping this morning, the planned water supply interruption will be from Thursday 29 May 2025 at 18h00 until Tuesday 3 June 2025 at 18h00. At this stage we are still waiting on Sol Plaatje Municipality for their official statement detailing the process.
Please ensure you store enough water for this interruption and for a few days extra as well.
We will keep all updated as updates are received.
