Letlhakane sewage system to be centralized
Kaelo Kebotse | Wednesday June 13, 2018 15:34
The Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Service, Kefentse Mzwinila told Parliament on Tuesday that funding for the construction is not available and the project is expected to be budgeted for in the 2019/20 financial year.
Mzwinila was responding to question from Boteti East MP Sethomo Leatisitswe who wanted to know when Letlhakane will have a centralised sewage system and whether it is true there was a consultant paid to do this project and that he delivered on his mandate but the plans were shelved because of lack of money.
He also wanted the minister to state the name of the company mentioned and how much was paid and why the project was not included under the National Development Plan (NDP) 11. He also wanted to know what projects are anticipated in the near future and which of those that exist need a centralized sewage line and to state the dangers posed by lack of a sewage line to the populace.
The minister stated that as a medium term intervention, whilst awaiting the implementation of the centralised system, the ministry would maintain and rehabilitate the existing wastewater treatment ponds. “These interventions are funded under the World Bank Loan,” he said.
Mzwinila that there was a consultant engaged and that the designs for the centralised sewage system including the requisite Environmental Impact Assessment were suspended due to lack of funds, permitting the designs from the consultants will be reviewed and implemented. “The name of the consultant engaged was Waterweb Works (Pty) Ltd and he was paid P5 million. In a tough prioritisation process, the project could not be accommodated in NDP11 since first priority was project that were already ongoing,” he said.
The Minister noted that lack of sewerage schemes within the village posed a high risk of populating the surrounding environment. He said the continued use by the community of pit latrines and septic tank soak ways will also populate the groundwater. These communities are always encouraged to build sealed pit latrines whilst a long-term solution is being identified. In reference to the long-term solutions he gave an example of a centralised sewage system.