Prince Albert’s water network will have extra capacity when three new boreholes are connected to the network by the end of June 2024. These boreholes were drilled in the previous financial year and were funded from the 2022-2023 water infrastructure grant of R6.5 million.
The contractor Phambili Civils has been on site since April and has already started to connect the boreholes to the network. They will also replace all the PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipes with HDPE (high density polyethylene) pipes, which are more durable and flexible; and therefore better resistant to flood water and other severe weather conditions.
The aquifer recharge hole was also reopened. The hole was originally drilled in 2010 but became blocked over time. This hole will allow the Municipality in future to pump surface water from the Dorpsrivier into the aquifer, from where it can be extracted through the boreholes when needed. This recharge process ensures that the groundwater undergoes the same natural treatment process as other borehole water. At the same time, it is also an affordable way to store water, rather than building new storage reservoirs.
After the opening to the aquifer was cleared, the contractor attempted to recharge the aquifer by pumping river water into the ground. However, it was found that the ground was saturated after the recent good rains, which showed that we are in an excellent position in terms of our natural water supply. The aquifer recharge pipes and pump are safely stored away, so that when the need arises, they will be ready to recharge the groundwater and provide a stable supply to the boreholes.
Slowly but surely we are improving our municipal water infrastructure, which will ensure greater water security for future dry seasons.