More than two months after the Tshwane metro’s March deadline for the Highveld water supply stabilisation project, the metro has announced that the main pipeline installation has been completed.

While water supply in the area has been stabilised, one component of the project remains outstanding.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that the installation of the 450mm steel water pipeline at the Hennops River crossing was completed in March and is currently operational.

“The installation of the pipeline was completed on March 13. The only outstanding work relates to the scour chamber, which is required for maintenance purposes. The pipeline is currently operating satisfactorily,” said Mashigo.

He explained that the 450mm steel water pipe has been fully installed and connected to the existing pipeline network, ending months of uncertainty over the long-delayed project aimed at restoring a reliable water supply to Highveld.

Mashigo reported that the metro completed most of the construction work announced in January.

“However, the scour chamber remains incomplete due to delays in manufacturing specialised pipeline sections required for installation. Discussions are also ongoing about whether to use manhole rings or in-situ concrete for the scour chamber construction.”

Mashigo noted that because of the outstanding work, the pipeline has not yet been formally handed over to the municipality.

Despite this, he confirmed that the water supply in the Highveld has now been stabilised.

“Water supply in Highveld has been fully stabilised,” Mashigo reiterated.

He added that the metro is actively monitoring the pipeline’s performance and assessing overall water supply stability in the area.

“The city is still actively involved in monitoring and assessing the performance of the pipeline and the overall water supply stability in the area.”

In January, the metro had told Rekord that the project was expected to be completed by March, provided construction proceeded according to schedule.

At the time, Mashigo explained that the pipe had already been delivered and securely stored at the contractor’s designated facility near the site.

However, installation had been delayed due to the annual builders’ break.

Preparatory work completed before construction resumed included site clearing, establishing safe access to the work area, core drilling, and rerouting the leaking water pipe.

This allowed for the construction of a second bridge access, which was required for the replacement works.

The metro had also stated that work resuming in January would focus on installing support brackets, hanging the steel pipe, and fitting valves to connect the new section to the existing pipeline.

Mashigo later clarified that the relocation of about a 200m section of pipeline out of the riverbed was initially considered but did not form part of the final project scope.

However, resilience-related improvements, such as scour valve chambers and supporting infrastructure, were included.

The Highveld project was initiated after disruptions caused by the failure of the 450mm pipeline last year.

As an interim measure, the metro restored supply through a ring feeder system while isolating the leaking line. This allowed residents to continue receiving water despite periodic disruptions.

The rerouting project was originally scheduled to begin in May last year and conclude by August.

However, it was delayed due to financial constraints and the need to finalise service-level agreements between the metro and the developer.

These agreements were eventually concluded, with the developer agreeing to fund the project at an estimated cost of R2-million through bulk contributions.

Highveld resident Daniel van Tonder expressed relief over the progress made after months of delays.

“Residents have been frustrated for a long time, so being able to have a stable water supply is definitely a welcome improvement,” he said.

He added that while residents appreciate the progress so far, they hope the metro will complete the remaining work soon and maintain transparent communication about the project’s final close-out.

Ward 65 councillor Gert Visser previously told Rekord that urgent intervention from the metro was needed to resolve the ongoing water supply challenges in Highveld.

He also emphasised the importance of clear communication from the metro.

Although the project has not yet been fully finalised, the metro has assured residents that the pipeline is operating satisfactorily and that Highveld’s water supply has been stabilised.

ALSO READ: Mooikloof and Wapardand substations up and running again – metro

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok or WhatsApp Channel