The Metolong Dam and Water Supply Program in the Kingdom of Lesotho, Southern Africa, has been recognized for excellence by the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) with an unprecedented two wins in the Infrastructure and International award categories. The awards were presented at the CMAA National Conference and Trade Show in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 13, 2015.
CDM Smith provided program and construction management services to the Millennium Challenge Account–Lesotho and the Metolong Authority, managing the design, procurement, scheduling, staffing and construction of a pivotal program. The Metolong Dam and Water Supply Program, consisting of 30 construction contracts and five major design contracts, provides potable water for more than 500,000 people in the region.
Funded by the Lesotho Millennium Challenge Corp., the European Investment Bank, a consortium of Arab funders, the World Bank, the Republic of South Africa and Lesotho, the program supports major towns including Lesotho’s capitol, Maseru, and helps to stimulate the region’s economy by creating jobs and improving health with clean water. CDM Smith helped secure nearly $200 million in funding for the $430 million public works program.
Major program components include construction of the Metolong Dam and raw water pump station, the water treatment works, the downstream conveyance system, an environmental and social management program, and capacity-building components. By identifying risks, building strong client relationships and creating an expert and globally literate program team, CDM Smith helped Lesotho improve sustainability and achieve significant operating-cost savings with program component schedule changes that minimized delays in the program’s completion. CDM Smith’s outreach also helped facilitate socioeconomic growth and encourage environmentally sound and socially responsible practices by addressing social, health and environmental issues.