Water from Lesotho gushes into SA's conduits 7 months after shutdown

CLARENS - Water is now gushing from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWT) tunnel into South Africa after being out of operation for seven months.

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina officially launched the reopening of the tunnel in the Free State today.

The 38-kilometre tunnel channels more than 700 million cubic meters of water from Lesotho to South Africa annually.

It was dewatered in October last year to allow for essential maintenance inside and outside the tunnel.

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When Eyewitness News last visited the (LHWT) tunnel in October last year, it was completely dry — without a single drop of water in sight.

Instead, what could be seen were dozens of engineers and construction workers conducting inspections inside the tunnel.

They were sealing surface cracks, protecting the structure against corrosion, and assessing its overall structural integrity.

On Sunday, water is flowing through the tunnel into South Africa at full capacity, en route to the Vaal River integrated system.

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo says the tunnel is now fit to operate for another five years.

"This planned maintenance could not have been postponed. If it was postponed, there would have been far reaching implications around supply and assurance."

Majodina says she’s pleased that, despite the tunnel being out of service for seven months, the country did not experience a water shortage.