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2010-03-15: Progress report on infrastructure renewal across the City of Joburg    
  
Contents: 
2010-03-15: Progress report on infrastructure renewal across the

Johannesburg Water (JW) is a municipal owned entity responsible for the provision of water and sanitation services to approximately 3.8 million customers across the city. The entity is committed to ensuring that the residents of the city receive sustainable, quality, effective and efficient water and sanitation services. This includes the provision of individual water connections and water borne sanitation to all formal stands and a minimum of basic water services to informal stands.

This commitment is illustrated by the number of infrastructure related projects that are currently been implemented to provide adequate water services. Service delivery to residents remains a priority and the ageing municipal water and sanitation infrastructure has become a major concern for us as the entity.

Following the findings of a desktop study conducted in 2007 on ageing infrastructure, we were able to estimate the capital needed to wipe out backlogs in the rehabilitation and upgrading of municipal water infrastructure. The primary objective of the study was to develop a costing model to enable JW to prioritize the work required and thus develop a planned replacement programme.

From the 2007/08 financial year JW set aside approximately R100 million for pipe replacement programme in 32 suburbs across the city such as Bryanston, Wynberg, Ferndale, Florida, Kibler Park and Mondeor to name a few. The first phase of the pipe replacement programme commenced in August 2008 by replacing 120 km pipelines in identified areas and completed by September 2009. The above areas were identified as part of the phase one with phase two to be completed in June 2010. The second phase is in construction phase and should be completed in June 2010.

During the 2008/09 financial year, R717.9 million of the capital budget of R729.1 million was expended, representing 98.5% of the total expenditure. Notable water network projects implemented included replacement of bulk water supplying Newlands, upgrading of water supply in Sandton and upgrading of water infrastructure in the Linksfield-Parktown District were completed. Significant projects relating to wastewater treatment works included the completion of unit 5, construction of sludge drying area at Northern Wastewater Treatment Works and the construction of storage dam at the Olifantsvlei Wastewater Treatment Works is underway.