The mechanical revamping of the Hamilton Park Pump Station in Bloemfontein will cost R19,2 million, with completion expected in April 2023.
The Mangaung Metro Municipality has appointed Hidro-Tech Systems as mechanical contractor, with Bigen Africa as consulting engineers, overseeing the implementation on behalf of the Metro’s engineering services.
Katiso Mokoena, civil engineer of the Bigen Africa group, says the pump station has formed an integral part of Bloemfontein’s bulk water distribution network since the early 1940s.
The upgrade is intended to increase the pump station’s efficiency.
“The new pump set will have a maximum delivery capacity of 600 l/sec at 51 m head,” explains Mokoena.
“In addition, work will entail the conversion and replacement of the electrical drive motors for both high-lift pumps 2 and 3. These will be replaced with new 400 V, 500 kW motors and variable speed drivers incorporating the latest optimising and management systems.
“The pump set to be replaced under this contract is the defined high-lift pump 1, installed in 1945, which has a maximum delivery capacity of 444 l/sec.”
Being the main driver of water supply in Bloemfontein, the pump station gets its water from the Maselspoort Water Treatment Works via the Hamilton Reservoir from the north, or directly from the southern feeder main that feeds the Arboretum reservoirs. The reservoirs’ distribution zones that the Hamilton Park Pump Station service are Arboretum, Dan Pienaar, Heuwelsig, Old Naval Hill, Pentagon Park and Signal Hill.
Mokoena explains that during a water supply crisis, high-lift pump 3 can also deliver water to the Welbedacht- Brandkop Reservoir through the western ring main.
Announcing the revamp on Thursday (15/09), Mxolisi Siyonzana, executive mayor of the Mangaung Metro, and Tebogo Motlashuping, acting city manager, both expressed confidence that this infrastructure project would address long-standing water supply issues in the great Bloemfontein.
“We are hoping water problems will be a thing of the past after completion of the upgrade,” said Motlashuping.
“Several businesses and investors have threatened to disinvest from the city because of water supply shortages.”
Siyonzana also expressed his faith in the revamp.
“I’m confident the project is going to end water problems in Mangaung. We cannot celebrate water achievement while residents of Naledi, Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu still are still having problems,” he said.
In Phase 7 in Bloemfontein, we are still faced with the challenge of water supply. “Water is a human rights issue, and having people in this era still having people still struggling to access water is a serious problem.”
