The Usuthu Water Purification Plant in KwaZulu-Natal is undergoing an expansion to increase output by 20 mega-litres per day. The expansion is said to have a R19 million price tag.

The plant and several reservoirs, which are based in Nongoma, were first commissioned in 2015 as part of a long-term project established by the Zululand District Municipality to address the water and sanitation needs of the community.

One of the contracting companies working on the piping aspect of the project is Plasti-Tech Piping Systems.

Bradley Chamont, a managing member at the company, said the water purification expansion project will see many companies who are experienced in the water sector come on board.

When the purification plant was first installed, the municipality’s mayor at the time, Mpiyakhe Hlatshwayo, said the project formed part of the municipality’s programme to deliver water services to communities which had been suffering for some time.

“The situation was aggravated by the severe drought that continues to affect the whole district and the province of KwaZulu-Natal,” he had said.

When construction of the plant began in 2015, Hlatshwayo also handed over a contract to construction company Stefanutti Stocks for the building of a three mega-litre concrete reservoir and an access road worth R38.8 million for the Nongoma community.

“This forms part of our programmes to deliver water services to our communities which had been suffering for some time,” he said. “The situation was aggravated by the severe drought that continues to affect the whole district and the province of KwaZulu-Natal.”