Kaaimans River pump station receives R16-m upgrade

GEORGE NEWS - The R16m Kaaimans River pump station upgrade project has kicked off. The upgrade entails enhancing the mechanical and electrical components of the pump station to ensure that there is enough raw water storage in the Garden Route Dam.

It is scheduled to be completed in June 2024.

The project is currently in the construction phase, which includes the manufacturing, testing, and shipping of the various pumps, strainers (sieves), valves and electrical control equipment.

"Six new submersible robust pumps will be installed in the sump in the river, which will abstract the water and pump it through strainers (sieves), to supply the six new high-lift pumps," said André Scheepers, the project manager for Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) in the municipality's Civil Engineering Services Department.

"The pump station will operate in fully automated mode through sensing equipment which measures the river flow and adjusts the pumping rate accordingly, ensuring that the environmental release of 35 l/s is sustained to flow down the river at all times."

History

The Kaaimans River pump station was constructed in 1972 and pumped raw river water directly to the Old Water Treatment Plant.

After the completion of the Garden Route Dam (GRD) in 1980, which receives and stores raw water from the Swart River and Kat River, the Kaaimans pump station fell into disrepair.

It has since been upgraded and the pumping main pipeline was changed to discharge into the GRD. Still, due to lack of adequate maintenance, it again deteriorated and is currently in disuse.

The project is scheduled to be completed in June 2024.

2,77 million kilolitres

According to Civil Engineering Depart-ment Director Lionel Daniels, the Water Use Licence issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation authorises the municipality to abstract a maximum of 2,77 million kilolitres per year and limits the pumping rate to a maximum of 405 litres per second at any given time.

"This represents approximately 22% of the annual sustainable yield of the Garden Route Dam," he said. "It is therefore imperative to upgrade the Kaaimans River pump station to be again able to pump the Kaaimans River water into the GRD in times of good flow in the river and in doing so contribute to the sustained and adequate raw water storage in the dam."

The project will be completed in June 2024 and includes a three-year maintenance support programme, providing a smooth and successful transfer of operational and maintenance knowledge to the George Municipality personnel.

The project will be completed in June 2024 and includes a three-year maintenance support programme.

George Municipality may abstract a maximum of 2,77 million kilolitres per year and is limited to a maximum pumping rate of 405 litres per second at any given time.