Planned water shutdown – your area might be affected
This is to implement a maintenance programme in preparation for the upcoming festive season.
Ugu District Municipality has said it will for the next two weeks undergo a partial shutdown at its Umthamvuna raw waterworks pump station.
According to the municipality, this was necessary in order to implement a maintenance programme which included removing the low lift pump to replace and service rotating elements as a preventative measure in preparation for the upcoming festive season.
ALSO READ : New Ugu app aims to improve customer service
The affected areas include parts of Ramsgate and Port Edward, KwaNzimakwe, KwaXolo and parts of Izingolweni. Ugu spokesman France Zama said that consumer demand currently equalled pumping capacity.
“This averages 23 megalitres per day, which results in the storage dam operating on a fill and draw configuration.
“The planned partial shutdown will therefore result in the treatment works dropping production by 50 percent,” Mr Zama said.
A stakeholder engagement meeting attended by officials from Ugu, councillors, ratepayers’ association representatives and local business people was held at the Umthamvuna waterworks recently.
The shutdown as well as proposed future upgrades to the pump station were discussed at length.
“This means that the whole area supplied by this plant will be subjected to the Vula Vala schedule and there will be intermittent water supply to the affected areas.
“The initial plan was to start the process on Monday this week but due to an Eskom power outage at the plant, time frames had to be adjusted,” Mr Zama said.
Static tanks and water tankers would be made available, he added.
“We are continuously monitoring all supply systems to ensure full recovery of reservoir levels. We are also grateful for the rainfall that we are currently experiencing, and we do hope it will be a huge relief to all our affected areas, especially Harding which is hard hit by drought.
A feasibility study would also be conducted into the possible construction of a permanent weir across the Umzimkhulu river to avoid future saltwater ingress and to enable abstraction during drought periods, he said.
“Implementation of this plan however, is subject to the availability of funds and environmental authorisation processes.”
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
To receive our FREE email newsletter, click HERE
