By Phenyo Selinda
The governments of South Africa and Lesotho have officially commenced the six-month maintenance shutdown of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) tunnel, a critical infrastructure that supplies water to South Africa and generates hydropower for Lesotho. The tunnel closure, which began on 1 October 2024 and will last until 31 March 2025, is essential for performing extensive maintenance and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the water delivery system.
Why the Shutdown Is Necessary
The Lesotho Highlands Water Project, established as a partnership between South Africa and Lesotho, plays a critical role in transferring water from the Lesotho highlands to South Africa’s Vaal River System. This water transfer is vital for water security in Gauteng and other provinces, as well as for supporting agriculture and industry. The LHWP also generates hydropower for Lesotho via the Muela Hydropower Station.
The current shutdown will focus on the maintenance of the project’s Transfer and Delivery Tunnels. These tunnels, stretching 45km and 37km respectively, were last maintained in 2019. During the inspection, significant corrosion was identified on the steel-lined sections of the tunnels. As a result, it is essential to grit-blast these sections and apply new corrosion protection to safeguard the infrastructure for another 20 to 30 years .
Impact on Water Supply and Electricity Generation
During the maintenance period, no water will be transferred from the Katse Dam in Lesotho to South Africa. This will lead to a shortfall in the annual water transfer, with around 80 million cubic metres less water being transferred in 2024. South Africa typically receives around 780 million cubic metres of water per year from Lesotho, but 700 million cubic metres were pre-transferred before the shutdown to minimise the impact .
Additionally, power generation at the Muela Hydropower Station will be halted during the maintenance, affecting Lesotho’s electricity supply. The Lesotho government has implemented contingency measures to ensure a stable electricity supply by increasing imports from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) grid. However, citizens have been urged to conserve electricity during the shutdown .
Preparations and Water Security Measures
Both South Africa and Lesotho have worked collaboratively to prepare for the tunnel closure, with an emphasis on ensuring minimal disruption to water supply and power generation. In South Africa, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has taken steps to mitigate the effects of the shutdown by leveraging the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), which includes 14 interconnected dams. These dams, including the Vaal, Sterkfontein, Grootdraai, and Bloemhof Dams, have sufficient reserves to meet water demands for the duration of the maintenance .
The IVRS allows water to be transferred between dams as needed, ensuring that water availability remains stable in key urban and rural areas across South Africa. A thorough risk assessment conducted in May 2023 concluded that the shutdown would have minimal impact on overall water availability, as most dams in the system are relatively full .
In Lesotho, measures have been put in place to minimise the economic impact of the shutdown. The government has ensured that water royalties, which Lesotho receives for supplying water to South Africa, will not be severely affected. Furthermore, local contractors from both South Africa and Lesotho, along with regional workers from the SADC, have been engaged in the maintenance process, creating employment and regional cooperation opportunities .
Call for Water Conservation
As the shutdown progresses, both South African and Lesotho officials have called on citizens to conserve water and electricity. Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina has urged South Africans to use water sparingly during this period, emphasising the importance of responsible water consumption to avoid unnecessary strain on the system .
Similarly, in Lesotho, Minister Mohlomi Moleko has appealed to citizens to conserve energy, as the country will rely more heavily on electricity imports during the shutdown of the Muela Hydropower Station .
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