Dam project on track

Polihali: Now racing ahead after years of planning setbacks

- Sechaba Mokhethi

Construction of Lesotho's giant Polihali Dam, which will boost the water supply to Gauteng, is advancing after years of delays.

The dam in Mokhotlong is part of phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

It is advancing after years of planning setbacks.

By the end of July, about R18 billion of the project's R53 billion budget had been spent, according to the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) spokesperson Mpho Brown.

At the confluence of the Senqu and Khubelu rivers, Polihali Dam will create a reservoir covering more than 5 000 hectares and holding 2 325 million metres³ of water.

Once completed, it is expected to boost annual water transfers to Gauteng from 780 to 1 270 million metres³ and raise electricity production at Lesotho's Muela hydropower plant by 40% from its present output of 72 megawatts.

During a media tour of the project last week, Brown said about 30% of the main dam works was complete by July.