New dam operational soon
2007-07-12
THE new Berg River Dam has been completed and it will be linked by pipeline to the Regional Water Supply System Project (Berg Water Project) before the end of the month.
This will allow water to flow from the Berg River Dam to the Theewaterskloof Dam when it is full, via the existing tunnel system.
This will not only contribute to water recycling, but will also minimise flood risks.
Combining the two storage dams will increase the total yield and the reliable volume of water from the dams.
Due to the link-up of the pump station and pipeline from the Berg River Dam, the tunnel will be shut down until 28 July, a spokesperson for the Department of Water Affairs said. This limits the capacity available to the city.
The Berg River Dam has been built to meet the water needs of the growing population of Cape Town and neighbouring municipalities.
The dam is expected to start filling rapidly, but regular water releases will prevent stagnation of the Berg River.
Water will be let out into the river to mimic the natural course of nature.
According to Siobhan McCarthy, spokesperson for the developers TCTA, they are committed to maintaining the Berg River eco-system.
The river’s water quality is monitored on a regular basis, from the dam to the mouth at Velddrif. This will be maintained long after the completion of the dam.
A supplement scheme is currently under construction near the Drakenstein prison, which will collect floodwater and flow from smaller tributaries of the Berg River to be pumped back to the dam.
This spectacular construction site is currently the biggest water infrastructure project in South Africa, at a cost of R1,5 billion.
It is the highest concrete-faced rock-fill dam in the country, with a storage capacity of 130 million cubic metres of water.
The wall is 62m high and nearly one kilometre long.
The local community has benefitted from this project, with 600 jobs having been created for local labourers.
Two local companies have also been used to build 40 homes at La Motte forestry station, where the maintenance workers of the dam will be housed.
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