The cost to refurbish the Standerton Water Treatment Plant (WTP) exceeds the cost of building a new plant, said Alberto Franco, a DA Clr in the Lekwa Local Municipality (LLM).

Franco took DA leaders Angel Khanyile and James Masango to the plant on January 13 to identify the cause of water shortages in Standerton.

The refurbishment cost was initially R164m, with the Seriti New Denmark Colliery donating another R6.2m.

Another project, building a 5Ml tank, started in May 2024 and was scheduled to be completed last June, but remains incomplete.

Franco explained the WTP’s many challenges, including mismanagement of the workforce, shoddy materials, and construction mistakes.

He said the workforce is not properly used, with only one or two workers assigned to tasks like welding when several workers would be more efficient.

Work on the WTP started in September 2023 and was expected to be finished in eight months.

“This mismanagement has left the plant incomplete for more than two years,” Franco said.

He claimed the work is so far behind that the pipes on the site are now outdated due to more advanced plastic welding techniques. Maps and charts of underground pipes have been lost, forcing contractors to excavate blindly and damage several pipes.

“There is a complete shortage of planning on this plant,” Franco stated.

Franco pointed out a valley of open cables and pipes, saying that excavating and laying new pipes there is a fruitless expense and that placing pipes above ground would be a better alternative.

Several open holes reveal patchwork pipes ranging from asbestos to plastic and cast iron, showing the extent of repairs.

He added that there is no maintenance worker or safety inspector to ensure proper PPE, endangering the workforce.

Excavated areas do not adhere to safety regulations, and features across the site are broken or not up to code. Overgrowth from no maintenance by the municipality’s Department of Parks and Gardens further hinders work. Franco also noted the absence of municipal security.

Of the four abstraction pumps, only two work. Pumps previously in the chemical treatment section were removed and never replaced. The new pumps ordered from overseas do not work. Masango said a leak is causing already abstracted water to re-enter the channel and return to the river, constituting a loss.

The lab that tests processed water no longer operates, with all its equipment removed. The WTP has an abstraction capacity of 390Ml, insufficient to supply all residential areas.

“This refurbishment does not address the problems faced by township residents,” Masango said.

Khanyile, describing the situation as a crisis, questioned why refurbishment was chosen over extension. The delegation concluded that the refurbishment was not cost-effective and the funds could have been better used to build a new plant big enough to cater to all areas of Standerton.

According to Lubabalo Majenge, the LMM spokesperson, the tank is only 56% complete, while the entire refurbishment project is 79% complete. He said all correspondence about the WTP should go to the Gert Sibande District Municipality.