The City of Johannesburg has completed the construction of a R90-million reservoir in Orange Farm, increasing water storage capacity from nine hours to 27 hours and reducing disruptions in water supply to high-lying areas of the region.
The 33.5 megalitre concrete reservoir was built at a cost of R90-million over 28 months and supplements water supply to the Orange Farm South Water District.
“Residents of Orange Farm, Stretford and Lakeside in the south of the city no longer have to endure long water interruptions when Joburg Water works on the infrastructure following the construction of a multimillion-rand reservoir in the area,” said City of Johannesburg MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services Councillor Nico de Jager.
“Construction of the second Orange Farm reservoir provided black contractors with a substantial portion of the work. Sixty-four skilled professionals were employed and an additional 14 semi-skilled labourers, also from around Orange Farm and surrounds, were hired,” added Joburg Water MD Ntshavheni Mukwevho.
This had resulted in two Orange Farm residents being absorbed by the reservoir’s main contractor Murray & Roberts as part of its incubator programme to be trained as general construction foremen with the possibility of working for the contractor on a full-time basis.
