The Senteeko Dam in Mpumalanga recently raised serious safety concerns that its wall was at imminent risk of failing because of heavy rains. Although this immediate risk has since decreased, the Department of Water and Sanitation says the dam still has serious and ongoing safety risks.

By Lloyd Phillips, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has therefore ordered the Shamile Communal Property Association (CPA), which owns Senteeko Dam, registered as My Own Dam, to immediately implement time-sensitive actions to stabilise the dam and thereby prevent any further deterioration that puts lives, livelihoods and property downstream in jeopardy.

Also read: WARNING! – Imminent failure of Senteeko Dam in Mpumalanga

Heightened Risks

The DWS said on Wednesday: “This intervention follows ongoing technical assessments that confirmed that the dam is still in a compromised and partially failed condition.

“These risks are heightened during periods of rainfall and cannot be ignored or deferred. Engineers have consciously avoided lowering the water level too rapidly because this could trigger a rapid drawdown failure of the already compromised dam structure.”

The DWS has given the Shamile CPA’s appointed professional engineer (APP) seven days to determine the specific remedial measures required to prevent further deterioration of the Senteeko Dam, and to convey these to the department’s Dam Safety Office for review and approval.

The Shamile CPA will then be required to immediately appoint a suitably qualified contractor to undertake the approved rehabilitation and repair work. The APP is obligated to oversee all such work to its conclusion and to the DWS’s satisfaction.

“Failure to comply with these instructions will result in further enforcement action as provided for by law”.