The Maun Water Supply and Sanitation project is scheduled to be completed in two phases- November this year and February 2023 with water distribution expected end of February.
Giving a brief overview of the project recently, DNK/Haas Joint Venture Project Engineer Davis Nkala said the project has four phases which comprise of Contract 1 up to Contract 4.
Contract 1 comprises water distribution in Maun and sanitation networks which includes the upgrading of water supply system and sanitation works which is expected to be completed in November this year with a projected cost sum of P1, 873, 965, 185, 72 and currently stand at 60% progress.
Nkala added that Contract 1 also comprise of construction of Disaneng storage tank, Zone 9 sewerage reticulation, Zone 10 vacuum pipe along the river banks and connecting of the 450mm diameter pipe crossing Thamalakane River to Disaneng Storage tank from the Shashe booster station. He indicated that pipeline is complete and await connection.
According to Nkala, the challenges faced by contract 1 included Covid 19 lockdown, land issues, increase in developments, design production and DEA Environmental Management Plan issues among others.
“Among all this challenges in Contract 1 we managed to find mitigation measures among others to shortened approval periods by Land Board, additional resources as well as extending working hours,” he said.
As for Contract 2 Nkala explained that it includes connection of boreholes, treatment and storage and construction of storage reservoir, Shashe booster station and the treatment plant at Nxaraga. The phase also includes connection of water supply pipes from Shashe Well field to Nxaraga, to the Shashe Booster station with the entire phase projected to cost P399, 887,675.61.
Nkala explained that the phase is anticipated to be completed in February 2023 because of the delay in the construction of the Shashe booster station and Nxaraga Treatment Plant which currently stands at 46% progress.
He said the Drilling and connection of Boreholes in the Shashe Well field and Kunyere North and South are at initial stages and contractors at respective areas have been facilitated to speed up their works looking at the fact that the boreholes are situated at the banks of the river and the river expect flood soon.
Nkala revealed that the Contract 2 also had some challenges when the project started in February 2021 which comprised of floods, collapsed boreholes and land expropriation issues. He however indicated that mitigation measures were carried, among them drilling of replacement boreholes, prioritization of work on river channels and engagement with Land Board for quick turnaround time.
Nkala said the Contract 3 which includes Sanitation treatment works in the eastern and western sides of the river is expected to start at the end of June and subsequently finish with Contract 4 which includes water supply and connection to the Maun’s satelite villages like Sexaxa, Matsaudi and Shorobe.
