The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) tunnel maintenance operations are currently ongoing since the tunnel shutdown on 01 October 2024, until they are are completed on 31 March 2025.
One and a half month later, maintenance work is on-going as planned by the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) on the South African side and the Lesotho Highlands Development Agency (LHHDA) in Lesotho. TCTA is undertaking the maintenance operation on Water Delivery Tunnel North within South Africa, and LHDA is focusing on the transfer tunnels at the Muela Hydro power station in Lesotho.
The tunnel system requires general inspections, and repair works to be conducted at approximately 5 years intervals to ensure the integrity and reliability of the entire water tunnel system. As a result of the tunnel shutdown, 700 million m3 per annum will be transferred in 2024, resulting in a shortfall of 80 million m3 from the normal annual transfer volume.
Water from Lesotho flows through the tunnels into the Ash and Liebenbergsvlei Rivers in the Free State, and eventually spill into the Vaal Dam. The Ash and Liebenbergsvlei Rivers supply water to the local municipalities of Dihlabeng,Nketoana and Mafube in the Free State, as well as to the agricultural irrigators in the area.
Prior to the tunnel shutdown in September, Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina engaged with the Executive Mayors of Thabo Mofutsanyana and Fezile Dabi District Municipalities with an objective of ensuring that the municipalities continue to provide water to their communities during the tunnel shutdown. She encouraged the municipalities expedite plans for sustainable water supply communities in municipalities affected by the tunnel shutdown. The Department of Water and Sanitation embarked on relief interventions for municipalities along the Caledon River, Wilge River, Vaal River and Rhenoster River. The interventions includes the upgrading of water treatment works, upgrading of raw water pumps, upgrading of abstraction works, the construction of new reservoirs as well as the development of groundwater resources by drilling and equipping boreholes. All of these projects are under way, and are critical in ensuring sustainable water supply to communities during the tunnel system shutdown.
Municipalities had to implement water restrictions especially to regulate irrigation in their area of operation for the duration of the closure. The Department also Gazetted water usage by farmers in the area from 1 October till 31 March 2025, which stipulates that water users on the left bank of the Ash and the Liebenbergsvlei rivers may absract water for agricultural purposes from 06:00 to 06:00 on Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday. On the right bank of the Ash and the Liebenbergsvlei rivers abstraction of water may be from 06:00 to 06:00 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. These restrictions are necessary to ensure that there is enough water during the closure of the tunnel.
The Department of Water and Sanitation, together with the affected municipalities engaged with the communities through their public education programmes, with the aim of encouraging responsible water usage and water conservation, particularly during the time of a tunnel closure. With the recent rains and more rain expected in the coming months, it is expected that there will be a much needed water to sorage facilities at some of the municipalities.