ETHEKWINI Municipality recently completed the launch of Work Package 1, marking a major milestone in the City’s ongoing efforts to secure the region’s water supply. 

Also read:  Southern Aqueduct project nears completion

This newly activated segment comprises a new 4km steel pipeline, connecting Shallcross to Westcliff. The pipe replaces the much older and degraded pipeline. With this upgrade, the pipeline now connects the Westcliff Reservoir directly to Chatsworth Reservoir No. 1.

Municipal officials noted that the completion of Work Package 1 had already begun to enhance the system’s ability to provide water. 

Ednick Msweli, who serves as the Executive Director for Technical Services, said that this operational launch represented a vital stride in constructing a more robust and enduring bulk water supply network.

“The successful commissioning of this section of the Southern Aqueduct demonstrates the Municipality’s commitment to investing in infrastructure that improves the reliability and resilience of our bulk water supply network. While this phase delivers an immediate improvement to system performance, the completion of the remaining sections later this year will significantly enhance the aqueduct’s overall capacity to meet both current and future water demands for communities across the south and central areas,” said Msweli.

Also read: Water cuts return to eThekwini

The other Work Package progress

The municipality confirmed that Work Package 3 is still slated for completion by the end of May. Meanwhile, work on the other sections continued to advance consistently, with an expectation for their full completion before the end of the year.

These ongoing efforts involve a 6km stretch of pipeline from Westville to Shallcross and another 6km extending from the Durban Heights Water Treatment Works over to Westville.

Information on the Southern Aqueduct

The Southern Aqueduct itself was often considered one of the City’s most vital pieces of bulk water infrastructure. It served approximately 1.2 million residents, channelling water through an intricate network of 33 reservoirs.

For quite some time, the existing bulk pipeline network, which is now over 50 years old, had grown increasingly susceptible to leaks and various failures, a direct consequence of its age. 

With an estimated cost of R1.2b, this 24km upgrade to the Southern Aqueduct is expected to enhance the overall water provision, curtail water losses and build a more enduring service delivery capacity. 

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