Hazelmere Dam remains on track for December completion date

Progress is being made at Hazelmere Dam with the final 4 post-tensioned anchors – the largest in the world – to be installed within the coming months, putting the project’s completion on course for December this year.

While the original project of raising the dam’s spillway by 7m to a height of 93m began in 2015, delays and setbacks caused continuous disruptions which forced construction company Group Five to bring work to a halt in 2018.

The Department of Water and Sanitation failed to pay Group Five R40-million needed to buy specialised material needed to complete the job.

This eventually saw the construction company sever ties with the department, which late last year reopened discussions which led to the return of Group Five.

Work to complete the raising of the dam wall resumed in December, which was followed by an oversight visit by Water and Sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu in January.

He stressed the importance of completing the project, noting his embarrassment about the number of setbacks experienced over the years. At the same time, 10 of the 83 post-tensioned anchors remained to be installed.

The project had an original completion date of June 2017. Original costs had also snowballed from R110-million to R800-million.

A site visit and media briefing on progress made was held at the dam wall last Thursday.

Once complete, the wall will have been raised by 7 metres, stabilised and a piano key weir (PKW) system built in to allow for a free overflow spillway which requires far less maintenance than a mechanically operated spillway gate.

The raising of the wall will increase water availability for the North Coast by some 10 million m3 per annum to keep up with the region’s growing needs. Upgrades are also being made to the intake tower, electrical system and some minor civil works are required.

Hazelmere Dam, located on the Mdloti River, was constructed as a concrete gravity dam in 1975.

The supply area of the dam extends from KwaDukuza (Stanger) in the north, to Groutville, Blythedale, Ballito and Verulam to the south.

Should the project stay on course it would mean catching rainfall from the rainy season, which runs from late November into January.

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