WATER:
A critical risk factor is the long‐term availability of water as the region is severely water strained. The two main sources of water in the area are the Limpopo River (Sand and Nzhelele catchment, and the Nzhelele Dam. The bulk water demand for the fully developed EMSEZ southern site is currently estimated at 13910.5km3 for the 9‐year construction period. An additional possible alternative water source is Zhovhe dam on Mzingwane River (of Beitbridge water treatment plant/Thuli Moswa Dam); Runde (Tugwi-Mkosi Dam); Save (Chodo-Chitowe Dam);
Some Excellent Background
1. Catchment management.
This is important to understand longer term strategy to protect water resources in the Limpopo area
2. Critical analysis of the water needs
Here are two links to a critical analysis of the water and some broader issues for the Makhado Complex plans completed earlier this year, which may be useful.
The one is a report for FES, available HERE >>
The other is a webinar talking through the report at
Source - Nzhelele
Page 118 of EIA
The Nzhelele Dam is situated on the Nzhelele River, approximately 50 km northeast of Makhado (10 km south‐east of the farm Antrobus 566), in the Limpopo province (see the following figure).
The capacity of the dam is 55.3 million m3 (ref the report).
On 1 February 2019, the Department of Water and Sanitation gazetted the limiting of water in terms of Item 6 of Schedule 3 of the National Water Act of 1998 for irrigation, urban, industrial and mininig purposes from the Polokwane Water Supply System, Mutshedzi, Nshelele, Nwanedi and Luphephe, Albasini, Middle Letaba, Nsami, Modjadji, Tzaneen, Doorndraai and Glen Alphine subsystem/dams. Herein the Nzhelele Dam received a 10% restriction (2.9 Million m3 /annum) for irrigation usage of 29.01 million m3 /annum, therefore 26.109 million m3 /annum supply available
http://www.fao.org/3/y5744e/y5744e07.htm
Permissible extraction
Groundwater Page 122 ..... permissible groundwater abstraction volumes for all eight properties (8 x 45 m3) equals to 360 585 m 3per year at 1 litre per second
Surface water
(SEZ site comprises eight properties) from the surrounding rivers (Limpopo River, Sand River and the Nzhelele River) is 2 000 cubic metres per year.
Therefore permissible 0.377 million m3
Construction phase
Need
Identified as 139 million cubic meters over 9 years
Source
1. "The Limpopo Department of Water Affairs will provide 30 million cubic metres of water for the first phase of the Musina‐Makhado SEZ southern site projects"
Page 118 ref South African Energy Metallurgical Special Economic Zone Development Plan, April 2019
2. Surface and ground allocation
3. Zimbabwe zhove
Equation
139 - 0.37 - 30 - 30 = 90 shortfall
Source Zimbabwe
Page 116
1. identified water sources in Zimbabwe not currently in use, making Zimbabwe a potential water supply source. A cross border water transfer from Zimbabwe will require an international water user agreement.
2. An additional alternative water source is Zhovhe dam on Mzingwane River Zimbabwe which has at least 30 million m 3 per annum raw water which can be purchased from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority when agreements are in place. The Zhovhe dam is situated on the Mzingwane River – a tributary of the Limpopo River. Water can be abstracted from the Limpopo River on the Zimbabwe River banks as the water is released from the Zhove dam.
Please refer
Aphane Consulting, (2014). Development of a feasibility study for the Mutasshi/Musina corridor bulk water supply, Prepared for the Department of Water Affairs, Aphane Consulting, Polokwane
to Chapter 6 for more details on the water assessment by Matukane & Associates and Appendix U.