Tugela bulk water scheme nearing completion

The old story about seven fat years and seven thin years seems particularly applicable to the water woes of South Africa, and the Dolphin Coast is no exception, albeit the other way around.

From years of droughts to street floods in Durban, things sure have turned the corner and the Lower Thukela Bulk Water Supply Scheme (LTBWSS) is just another part of the effort to ensure that water shortages will be a thing of the past for the North Coast.

The LTBWSS includes planning, design and construction of a new 110 Ml abstraction (phase one) and 55 Ml water treatment works on the Tugela River near Mandeni.

Inspection of the scheme is currently being conducted by the construction companies in order to identify and correct defects that may be found.

Once this process has been completed – which is expected to be in the first week of November – production and supply to iLembe are likely to increase, according to Umgeni Water spokesperson Shami Harichunder.

“From a financial perspective, this is one of the largest bulk potable water infrastructure projects to be constructed in KwaZulu-Natal,” said Harichunder.

Construction on the plant began in February 2013 and has, to date, cost about R1,6 billion, which is in line with budgeted cost.

“The plant is already in trial operation and some communities in Darnall and Zinkwazi have begun receiving potable water from this scheme through iLembe District Municipality’s reticulation network.”

The 55Ml abstraction plant can serve between 28 000 and 45 000 households (230 000 people). It will provide a reliable and sustainable supply of safe drinking water to communities that had to rely on small schemes in the past.

The plant was completed with certain components constructed for the future and ultimate capacity of 110 Ml/d.

During construction, work was created for members of local communities and some permanent job opportunities are expected to become available for operation and maintenance of the scheme.

In a nutshell, the project comprises infrastructure to draw raw water from the Tugela River, treat and then distribute it into the existing bulk supply network to provide water to various surrounding communities in iLembe, south of the river from its first phase and then northwards from a future 55Ml second phase.

Harichunder said the second phase would be built when it was needed.

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