Quthing, Feb. 09- The ongoing construction and upgrading of seven hydrometric stations in the Lower Senqu River catchment area in the southern part of the country is progressing smoothly and is expected to be completed by the course of next week.
The two-month project, valued at more than M4 million, is being implemented by local construction companies engaged by the Ministry of Natural Resources through the Department of Water Affairs. The project commenced last month.
Quthing District Principal Technical Officer in the Department of Water Affairs, Mr. Rethabile Monyane, told the Agency in an interview that the upgrades are aimed at strengthening the hydrological database, improving water resource monitoring, and supporting evidence-based decision-making for sustainable water utilisation.
He said the availability of reliable and up-to-date data will enable the department and other relevant institutions to make informed decisions on infrastructure developments such as dam construction and bridge building.
Mr. Monyane further explained that the new stations are equipped with modern digital data collection technology, which will eliminate the need for manual site visits and paperwork, reduce errors, and enhance data quality for scientific analysis and modelling.
He added that construction and upgrading works are currently being carried out at Qhoali, Qhoalinyane, Quthing, Sebapala, Mjanyane, Senqunyane and Makhaleng rivers. Mr. Monyane also noted that the project has created temporary employment opportunities for unskilled labourers from nearby villages. Meanwhile, a similar project is continuing in the northern region of the country. The existing hydrometric stations were originally installed in the 1960s.
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