Hazelmere Dam could fail by February

If people don’t save water and the drought continues there is the sobering possibility of dam failure.

“Failure is when a dam becomes dry and all that is left is silt,” said Corporate Stakeholder Manager, Umgeni Water, Shami Harichunder.  

“Potential failure dates for dams – based on the worst case scenario of no rainfall and savings achieved – are Midmar: May 2017; Albert Falls and Nagle: April 2017; Inanda: December 2017. Potential failure date for Hazelmere Dam is February 2017, and Ixopo Dam is also February 2017.

The Hazelmere Dam level is at 44.89 per cent today (Tuesday July 5), a decrease from 45.71 per cent  measured  on Tuesday, June 28.

The dam is reducing at a rate of 0,5% weekly according to Harichunder.

At a recent meeting of Mgeni system Joint Operations Committee, held at Umgeni Water, presentations were given on the current water resource situation within Umgeni Water’s Mgeni system including projections of impact of current usage, likely dates for dam failures to occur and extensive deliberations on these issues.

The mandatory water restrictions of 50 per cent are already in place in the Hazelmere system, which supplies the north of eThekwini and iLembe, and Ixopo system, which supplies the towns of Ixopo and surrounds. Hazelmere and Ixopo dams are being supported by water transfer through emergency schemes that were constructed in mid-2015.

Mandatory water restrictions of 15 per cent in Durban, Pietermaritzburg and uMgungundlovu are to remain and the situation will be reviewed fortnightly and if need arises for restrictions to be increased, an application to this effect will be made to the Department of Water and Sanitation.

“There is an underlying message in the present situation: water savings have become imperative and that, to secure water resources in the future, consumer behaviour has to change now.”

. The Joint Operations Committee comprises Umgeni Water, eThekwini Metro, Msunduzi Local Municipality, uMgungundlovu District Municipality, Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Department of Water and Sanitation. Mgeni system supplies all of Msunduzi, all of uMgungundlovu, greater part of eThekwini and parts of Ugu and the number of consumers who receive water from this system amounts to about 4 million.

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