NAMA KHOI- WATERSITUATION: AN OVERVIEW
1. Introduction
The Nama Khoi Municipal Area is situated in the North Western side of the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.
It forms part of the Namakwa District Municipality with the town of Springbok as the administrative centre. The
municipality includes the communities of Springbok, Steinkopf, Okiep, Rooiwinkel, Concordia, Komaggas,
Buffelsrivier, Nababeep, Bulletrap, Vioolsdrif, Goodhouse,
Kleinzee and Carolusberg.
The Nama Khoi Municipality is the largest Municipality (15 025
km2) in the Namakwa District Municipality with a population of ± 64
000 people.
Springbok, close to the N7, is the most densely populated area,
and functions as the sub-regional centre for administrative,
commercial and higher order social facilities.
The rural settlements in the municipal area are largely monofunctional rural settlement areas with a poor economic base. It
depends primarily on the surrounding agricultural resources to
drive their limited economy. Mining used to form the backbone of
the economy with tourism being seen as the new frontier for
economic development
2. A historical overview of watersupply
After various studies, if was concluded that there is neither enough
nor good quality ground water or other sources of water to sustain
the growing population of Namaqualand, except the Orange river. In 1973 a pipeline and water purification plant
were constructed by the Department of Water Affairs(DoWA) to supply the main towns in Namaqualand with
potable water extracted from the Orange river. The scheme was administered by the DoWA until the Namakwa
Water Board(NWB) was established in 1979 and the infrastructure sold to the NWB in 1982.
The NWB supplied potable water to their main consumers which was the then local municipality of Springbok,
the Okiep Copper Company and the De Beers Namaqualand mines. The three main consumers were
represented by Board members elected by them and appointed by the Minister.
The NWB is a Water Board established in terms of the Water Services Act, Act 108 of 1997(WSA). The primary
purpose of the NWB is the provision of sustainable potable water services to the towns of Steinkopf, Bulletrap,
Nababeep, Okiep, Carolusberg, Concordia, Springbok and the De Beers Mining operation and settlement of
Kleinsee in the Namaqualand region of the Northern Cape.
The water service area is a water scarce area that is characterized by small towns spread over a vast area. The
Water Service Authority (WSA) to whom water is delivered is the Nama Khoi Municipality.The NWB abstracts
raw water from the Orange river at a point near Goodhouse. The raw water, abstracted, is delivered to the
purification and treatment works at Henkries and after treatment, the potable water is distributed via pipelines to
the towns of Steinkopf, Bulletrap, Nababeep, Okiep, Carolusberg, Concordia and Springbok.The total population
in the area supplied with potable water is approximately 48 000 people.
Pipelines and their current conditions
The main pipeline that delivers water to the towns consists of a rising mains of approximately 48km and a gravity
mains of approximately 64km. The rising mains consist of a 19km, 419mm steel pipeline with coupon lining
replaced in sections from 1992 till 2005, and a 457mm steel pipeline with mortar lining which was installed in
1973. The mortar lining pipeline needs replacement as in many places the mortar has come loose and or water
seeps between the mortar and the pipe wall causing corrosion.
The gravity mains consist of a 520mm steel pipeline with mortar lining and was installed in 1973. The lining of
the mortar has in many instance broken up and water seeps between the mortar and the pipe wall causing
corrosion. On part of the pipeline the water pressure was up to 36 bar which was reduce with the installation of a
pressure release valve to 23bar in 2005. The pipeline has deteriorated to such a state that frequent pipe burts
occur and the supply to towns is constantly interrupted.
The involvement of the Okiep Copper Company(OCC) & De Beers Namaqualand Mines
Since its establishment the NWB had the operations and maintenance done by the Okiep Copper
Company(OCC). The Company supplied the personnel, equipment and expertise to operate and maintain the
scheme until its downscaling in 1998 when some and in 2004 the remaining personnel and equipment were
transferred to the Board.
The De Beers Namaqualand mines built a pipeline, of approximately 80km , from the main reservoir in
Nababeep to Kleinzee to supply water to their mining operations and the town, Kleinzee. Although the
Department of Water Affairs was subsidizing some of the construction cost, the pipeline was constructed and
operated by De Beers.
Tariff-structures
2008/2009
2009/2010
2010/2011
2011/2012
R 3.68
R 1.47
R 6.37
R 2.54
R 9.14
R 3.64
R10.07
R 4.01
Potable water
Raw water
3. Future projections
A R160million allocation
Many submissions were made and all spheres of government were approached for possible funding to avoid the
impending crises due to the frequent failure of the pipeline. Currently,the number of consumers is not enough to
sustainably fund the replacement of the infrastructure.
The Minister of Water Affairs appointed the Sedibeng Water Board(SWB) in January 2010 to compile a report
on the infrastructure needs of the Namakwa Water Board. Sedibeng presented the Minister in March 2010 with
their report ,indicating that infrastructure, to the value of more than R 500 million needs to be replace within 3
years.
The following allocation(through the RBIG program) was made to the Sedibeng Water Board to upgrade the
infrastructure of NWB:
2010/11
R 3 000 000
2011/12
R 16 000 000
2012/13
R 41 000 000
2013/14
R 103 000 000
Proposed masterplan
Ongoing consultation for the distribution of the available funds for the replacement of the most urgent
infrastructure is taking place between the DoWA, Sedibeng Water, NWB and the Nama Khoi municipality. The
Sedibeng report is used as a guide to facilitate the process.
Due to the lack and distribution of funding, only the replacement of part of the main gravity feed pipeline and
distribution lines between Okiep, Nababeep, Carolusberg and Concordia will receive priority.
A report is being compiled by BVi Consulting Engineers to indicate the most suitable future water supply for the
Namaqualand
The involvement of BVI
BVi Consulting Engineers, a national consulting firm with a office in Springbok since 1991, was involved in the
replacement of part of the rising mains and other projects for the NWB. When the last personnel and
infrastructure were transferred to the NWB in 2004, the chairman of the NWB was also the then CEO of the
Namakwa District Municipality(NDM) and therefore the management and administration were handled in part
by the NDM. In 2008, at the expiring of the NWB members’ term of office, new board members were appointed.
Some of them did not have the managerial and administrative capacity, previously supplied by the NDM .The
NWB had advertised for a CEO but could not find a suitable candidate and BVi was appointed to supply this
services on a part time basis.
BVi has been appointed by the SWB to oversee the replacement of the current infrastructure. It has also been
appointed by the DoWA to do a report on the future water supply to Namaqualand.This report will be used as a
masterplan for the replacement of the infrastructure.
Talks with Sedibeng Water Board(SWB)
In accordance with section 46 of the Water Services Act, Sedibeng Water Board has been instructed by the
Minister to take over the responsibility, assets and liabilities of the NWB with immediate effect on 3 March 2011.
This process,which will lead to the disestablishment of the NWB, once all transfers and other legal
matters have been completed, is currently underway.
4.
Huidige waterverspreiding
Die Namakwa Waterraad(NWR) verskaf die water deur middel van ‘n 138km pypleiding vanaf die Oranje-rivier
by Henkries tot by Okiep.Hiervandaan word water deur die munisipaliteit aan ongeveer 55 000 duisend inwoners
versprei met behulp van damme en/reservoirs.
Die munisipaliteit het damme en/of reservoirs in die volgende dorpe:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
Steinkopf:
Bulletrap:
Okiep:
Concordia:
Nababeep:
Springbok:
Carolusberg:
Matjieskloof:
Totaal:
1
1
4
2
1
3
1
1
14
Die NWR het ook ‘n paar damme, wat gebruik word met die verspreiding van water.Wanneer krisisse soos
pypbarste ontstaan gebruik Nama Khoi vyf waterlorries om die water by sy verbruikers te kry.
‘n Telemetriese stelsel is sowat ‘n jaar gelede in gebruik geneem, sodat amptenare onmiddellik op ‘n rekenaar
by die munisipale kantoor kan bepaal, wat die watervlakke van die groot damme is.
Die Blue Drop-opleiding vind gereeld plaas sodat amptenare geskool word ten opsigte van die gehalte en graad
van water, wat aan verbruikers verskaf moet word.
The Blue and Green Drop Certification Programmes are challenges as listed in the Municipal Turn Around
Strategy. Quality of drinking water is non-negotiable and received undivided attention.We achieved only 22% in
the assessment for water quality management.
Training of employees to develop their career pathing is a challenge due to the set criteria for participation in job
related training courses.
The existence of the Namakwa Water Board as the water services provider needs to be clarified as a matter of
urgency to secure bulk water provision.
5
Recent developments with regard to waterprovision
The NWB has recently been disestablished and taken over by SWB. In the meantime, R160 million was made
available by the DWA for the refurbishment of the aging infrastructure of the NWB.
The money will be spread over a three year term and a feasibility study has been conducting by SWB to
determine the optimal refurbishment of the present infrastructure.The transfer of management, staff, assets and
liabilities are also being done.
On the 13th of April, a team from SWB visited the area and held talks with the Nama Khoi municipality.
Resultantly, SWB will send a delegation to assist the municipality with the Blue Drop Evaluation System and the
purification of water. The establishment of an accredited laboratory for the Namaqua area was one of the other
issues discussed with SW.
The next round of talks with SWB is scheduled for the 4th of May.
The above-mentioned developments clearly indicate that the waterprovision in the Nama Khoi area enters a
brighter future.