AECOM, a global leader in infrastructure consulting, has been awarded a contract by the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) to provide consultancy services for Phase One of the uMkhomazi Water Project (uMWP-1). This phase involves the development of the Smithfield Dam and related infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The project includes the construction of the 81-meter-high Smithfield Dam, which is part of the broader uMkhomazi Water Supply Scheme. Additionally, the scheme features a 32-kilometer-long tunnel, which will be contracted separately. The main objective is to supplement the Mgeni Water Supply System (MWSS) with water sourced from the uMkhomazi River.
"As the leading firm in water supply and dam design, our team is ideally equipped to support TCTA's critical investments aimed at tackling local water scarcity," said Beverley Stinson, AECOM's global Water business chief executive. "Drawing from our extensive experience in delivering major and sustainable water supply projects worldwide, we are confident this program will provide long-term local benefits through a stable supply of clean water."
The uMWP-1 project is expected to manage the storage and transfer of approximately 220 million cubic meters of raw water annually. This will be achieved by constructing an 81-meter-high earth core rockfill dam and a 26-meter-high saddle dam of the same design. AECOM’s responsibilities will encompass project management, engineering design, construction oversight, and environmental compliance. Their scope of work also includes the development of access roads, road realignments where necessary, three gauging weirs, and the potential addition of a mini hydropower station. In line with its commitment to local socio-economic upliftment, AECOM will subcontract 30% of the work to black-owned businesses and suppliers.
"uMWP-1 is one of the largest water infrastructure initiatives undertaken in South Africa in recent years, offering an important opportunity to bolster local industry and the economy," stated Hamed Zaghw, AECOM's CEO for the Middle East and Africa. "We are eager to deliver on TCTA’s community engagement goals by implementing a comprehensive strategy for empowerment, including skills development for historically disadvantaged individuals and companies."
AECOM has notable experience in dam construction within South Africa, having served as the consulting engineer for the 37-meter-high Spring Grove Dam on the Mooi River in KwaZulu-Natal. That project, which began in 2011 and was completed in November 2013, provides 139.5 million cubic meters of water, primarily for municipal and industrial use.
