Rand Water spokesman Mike Nxasana said the 40km pipeline, part of government's drought relief scheme, would begin in the Rand Water's system near Mamelodi, east of Pretoria, where the water would be piped via Cullinan to the Ekangala reservoirs north of Bronkhorspruit.

Nxasana said existing local sources did not have the capacity to meet water requirements.

Currently, water for Cullinan is pumped from the Wilge River dam and treated and distributed by Magalies Water. Water for the western Highveld region is pumped from Bronkhorspruit dam and distributed by Ikangala Water.

"Due to low rainfall in the catchment areas, the level of the dams has dropped to the point where even with severe water restrictions, the source is expected to be exhausted by the end of March 2004."

Rand Water was appointed because of its track record and expertise.

The regional water supply scheme would be designed to augment water supplies into the region and entailed the construction of two booster pumping stations and a 40km pipeline, which would be capable of supplying 30 million litres of water a day, he said.