The environmental-impact assessment (EIA) of the R3-billion Olifants river water resources development project (ORWRDP) started last month, and should be completed by August next year. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (Dwaf) chief engineer: Options analysis for the northern part of South Africa, and ORWRDP project manager, Ockie van den Berg, says construction of the Limpopo/Mpumalanga project should start at the end of next year, with the bulk of work completed by 2010. A public-participation process has already been initiated. President Thabo Mbeki announced the building of a dam in the Olifants River system and the project also includes the construction of a main pipeline from the dam along the Roossenekal/ Steelpoort and Burgersfort/Chuniespoort roads, a secondary pipeline to the town of Jane Furse and a main pipeline will also be built from the existing Flag Boshielo dam to the Mokopane area. All the pipelines will include pumping stations and balancing reservoirs. It is expected that the project will provide up to 2 000 job opportunities during construction. The greatest benefits, however, will be from the long-term economic growth made possible by the increased availability of water. An economic-impact assessment of the project is under way.
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