The water pipeline project was to ensure the long-term water security of the Mangaung Metro and surrounding towns in the southern Free State.

In an interview with OFM News, the provincial head of the national department, Tseliso Ntili, says they are still advancing and finalising the plan towards further implementation. Ntili says before one starts with such a massive project, a feasibility study needs to be implemented. From the feasibility study, one needs to be able to look at the implementation plan, and this makes it a sensitive project to deal with, says Ntili.

He further says the project is not only focused on Mangaung, but also other municipalities in the Free State. He says the department technically needs to know exactly where the ending part of the pipeline is going to be in terms of joining the current Caledon river system, which is pumping to Mangaung. Ntilli says at this stage, the project is still under planning and the plan needs to be finalised in order to look at the water economics.

“It’s not something you can just wake up to, and just plug in a hosepipe to go and water somewhere, or carry water somewhere,” Ntilli says.

“We need to be able to consider all aspects of water development of the project in order to understand each and every aspect of it. We, as the department, drove this particular process from the beginning and we are also driving it towards the future. Because, with the analysis of looking at the Caledon River System - which is really going to give us a little bit of a problem in terms of the facilitation that side - this was one of the key actions in terms of water development, in order to be able to get the water from the Gariep. At this stage, we are still doing several analyses, which we will also include to the user on the ground,” Ntilli adds. 

OFM News