Yes, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) successfully developed and implemented the Integrated Biological Remediation Plan for the Hartbeespoort dam (HDRP) from June 2006 to March 2016. The programme was halted from April 2016 to consider an alternative institutional model for long term implementation. It is anticipated that the date for the reinstatement of the HDRP will be in January 2020. The Department of Water and Sanitation intends to continue to engage Rand Water as the Implementing Agent based on the current available budget of R24 million. A decision to opt for the Fast Tracking option of the programme can be done after the confirmation of additional funding.
The Fast Tracking Option incorporates more intensified dam basin rehabilitation activities, as well as intensified catchment activities including:
This option was decided upon by DWS because a sustainable turning point would be attainable sooner and maintenance options would then be more cost effective in the long term.
The minimum ongoing Operation and Maintenance costing in the Business Plan (2016) was R30 million. An escalation of 33% was added for the last 3.5 years and the cost to date is R40 million. On the same basis, the costing for the Fast Tracking option to date is R69 million, and the Full Scale implementation and extension to other dams will be between R140 and R173 million. Amongst others, upstream catchment activities will include:
The focus actions to implement the HDRP for the dam will include the following: