A massive R84-million has been set aside for the upgrading of Mohokare Local Municipality’s sewerage and water treatment plants as part of a drive to eradicate the bucket system in its key townships.

The two major projects of upgrading the sewage treatment plant in Zastron and water treatment plant in Rouxville have both resumed following the termination of the previous contractor’s contract for failing to meet the stipulated requirements.

The construction of sanitation treatment plan worth R21-million which started in 2009 was terminated in 2012 when assessment showed that work done by the contractor on site was poor.

A new contractor was subsequently appointed and work resumed in August last year. It is anticipated that the upgrading of civil work in the plant will be completed at the end of this month while mechanical and electrical work will only get underway once a sub-contractor has been appointed.

Municipality mayor, Mokgoro Agnes Shasha, expressed satisfaction with the progress thus far during a recent visit to the construction site.

“We are looking at a 95 percent completion on civil work in this project and as soon as the contractor is appointed for mechanical work, he will be given six months to complete the project,” said Shasha.

She said the upgrading will see the plant handling the growing population of the area of Zastron, which is now estimated at about 14 000.

“We have three more townships which were developed in 2007, which were also connected to the treatment plant. It is now difficult for the plant to cope with the population volume as it is too small. As a result, we experienced regular blockages in some parts of the area. Less than 50 households were left without a connection to the sewage line and still using bucket system,” said Shasha.

She said that the upgrading of the water treatment plant worth R63-million in Rouxville is also expected to be completed in June this year.

“This will also help in ensuring that 1 777 households in the area, which were not connected to the main line due to lack of water capacity, will be connected. Both sewage and water treatment facilities need to be maintained and upgraded to ensure a satisfactory quality of effluent, the provision of capacity to keep pace with developmental growth and the disposal and re-use of the sewage sludge in an environmentally friendly manner,” said Shasha.

The construction of the water treatment plant has created work opportunities for 53 community members including eight women.