Limpho Sello
THE El Nino-induced drought of early this year has severely affected the Metolong Dam’s capacity to cater for the country’s water needs amid revelations that the dam is only 34 percent full and supplying less than half of its installed capacity of water per day.
This was revealed during the recent media familiarisation study tour organised by the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO).
The aim of the tour was to enable the media understand the importance of water sources, the treatment process and the challenges of meeting a rapidly growing demand for potable water in the capital city and surrounding towns.
It was also revealed that the Metolong Water Treatment Plant currently treats 45 mega litres of water to serve the domestic, commercial and industrial needs of Maseru, Mazenod, Morija and Teyateyaneng among other areas.
According to the Metolong Treatment Plant Production Manager Ms Lintle Maliehe, the dam has a capacity of treating 93 mega litres of water per day, which therefore means they are currently availing less than half the water they should providing.
The dam is a M5.7 billion public works project launched in 2011 with the intention of providing a new raw water supply for Maseru and the surrounding towns.
The dam was built on the South Phuthiatsana River, approximately 35 kilometres from Maseru to supply treated water to more than 500 000 people for domestic and industrial use.
It was also meant to stimulate the region’s economy through the creation of jobs and the improvement in health due to clean water.
The dam is 83m-high, 60m-wide at the foundation and 9m-wide at the top, with a crest length of 210m, which can hold 63.7 million cubic metres of water.
Media practitioners toured the dam construction site, pump stations, treatment plant and the control rooms among other departments.
Ms Maliehe said the treatment plant was operated non-stop for 24 hours each day to ensure clean water was availed to the public.
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