Senzo Mchunu, Minister of Water and Sanitation, has urged the KwaZulu-Natal provincial and local governments, the Umgeni Water Board, and the private sector to collaborate to ensure water security in the province.
Minister Mchunu was speaking at an event commemorating the recommissioning of aqueduct 1 and reservoir 3 at the Umgeni Water Treatment Works in Durban Heights, eThekwini Municipality.
Mchunu was accompanied by a delegation from the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government led by Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, and the Umgeni Water delegation.
The meeting was held in December of last year, and a multidisciplinary team was formed to deal with water service issues in the eThekwini Metro and the rest of the province.
“This will allow us to get an update on the progress made in activating some of the decisions taken during those meetings. A technical team was also formed to conduct assessments on the city’s needs, allowing us to “come up with a way forward on what needs to be an urgent priority,” according to Mchunu.
Concerning the recommissioned repaired infrastructure, the Minister thanked Umgeni Water for completing the refurbishment of Aqueduct 1 on time, which will now restore up to 350 ml/d of potable water to residents of Durban North and surrounding areas who have been experiencing intermittent water cuts since the last year’s floods and subsequent refurbishment.
“I’d like to thank Umgeni for a job well done; aqueduct 1 is now fully repaired, and we’re looking forward to commissioning it.”
This means that raw water will flow from the dam to the reservoir at a rate of 90 ml/d.
“This is welcome news because the water supply will be restored. Now, we are anticipating the completion of Aqueduct 2 by the end of June, as per your schedule, to increase the volume of much-needed water to the communities,” Mchunu said.
The Minister has also urged leaders to caution residents against building infrastructure on servitudes and riverbanks in order to avoid future tragedies like those seen during the floods.
“What we witnessed in April last year was sheer horror, it is something that we do not want to see ever again in our lifetime.
As a result, we urge you, as leaders of these communities, to work with residents to avoid building on top of pipes and near floodplains, as this will endanger their lives and prevent us from carrying out our repair work effectively in situations like this.” Mchunu continued.
Dube-Ncube thanked the teams that worked on the repairs, led by Umgeni Water and overseen by the Department of Water and Sanitation, for working tirelessly to make this day a reality.
“We appeal to residents, industries, and businesses to play their part by paying for water provision so that we can maintain and expand our water infrastructure.
Let us repair leaks in our homes and report those that require municipal attention, conserve and use water sparingly, and recognize that water is a critical but scarce resource,” Dube-Ncube said.
Umgeni Water, the implementing agent, recently refurbished the infrastructure.
Aqueducts 1 and 2 were severely damaged on six separate occasions by rock falls caused by torrential rains that caused flooding and massive landslides.
In his closing remarks, Mchunu mentioned the near-completion of the Hazelmere Dam wall expansion project, as well as the construction of Smithfield and Ngwadini dams in the upper uMkhomazi as part of the more prominent Umkhomazi Bulk Water Supply Scheme to supplement the current water supply.
