Public participation opens for bulk water upgrade in Port Shepstone
Affected parties have until July 7 to submit written comments to Donavan Henning at donavanh@nemai.co.za.
The Ugu District Municipality’s R1.2b Climate Resilient Cwabeni Bulk Water Upgrade Project has been given the green light to secure long-term water supply for the greater Port Shepstone area, projected to serve around 370 000 people until 2052.
A key component of the project is the proposed Umzimkhulu Estuary Weir, now open for public participation.
Affected parties have until July 7 to submit written comments to Donavan Henning at donavanh@nemai.co.za.
The weir, which is part of the national Department of Water and Sanitation’s regional upgrade, aims to provide an additional 24 megalitres of water per day, while safeguarding against saltwater intrusion and supporting the ecological health of the estuary.
The project includes three major components:
* A new climate-resilient river abstraction weir.
* A 15 million m³ off-channel storage dam in Cwabeni, 35km upstream.
* A 700mm steel pipeline to the Boboyi waterworks to supply potable water to 21 wards in Ray Nkonyeni Municipality and four in Umzumbe Municipality.
According to project engineer, Rowen Clark of ENsync Engineers, the system will ensure 98% domestic water security even under 100-year drought conditions, with continuous river flow to protect the estuary.
Concerns were raised about Ugu’s ability to manage the project, given the current state of some water infrastructure.
Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and could take up to three years to complete.
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