Construction of R250 million worth of urgently needed bulk water infrastructure in the northern part of the eThekwini region is nearing completion.

Ednick Msweli, newly appointed head of eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) confirmed last week that the two multi-million rand contracts that make up a portion of the Northern Aqueduct Augmentation (NAA) are expected to be complete in the fourth quarter this year.

This includes a 6km section of the pipeline that begins at Duffs Road and ends at the  Phoenix 2 reservoir and a 22 km segment of the pipeline that stretches from the Phoenix 2 Reservoir in Phoenix, continues to Waterloo and then to Umhlanga with a feed to the planned new Blackburn reservoir.

The current Northern Aqueduct has reached capacity on various sections of the trunk mains as a result of growth in demand. As a result, although there is sufficient water to meet current needs, there is not sufficient network capacity to deliver it to areas that need it most. Construction of the NAA will resolve this.

Msweli said that the NAA, which comprises seven individual projects, would not be constructed in linear fashion. Segments in areas of critical need will be put in place first.

He confirmed that, by the end of the year, the pipeline to the Waterloo Reservoir would be complete.  “This will alleviate the water shortages and rationing currently being experienced in the Phoenix and Waterloo areas.  These areas currently receive water from Hazelmere Dam which is low. We will be able to reroute water to compensate for this.”

Martin Bright, project manager for the NAA, said that the actual construction of these two contracts was complex with special measures being taken to accommodate residents, preserve environmentally sensitive flora and rehabilitate excavation sites.

Bright added that EWS had already commissioned consultants to undertake the Environmental Impact Assessment and design of the link from Reservoir Hills (also known as Durban Heights) to Duffs Road. This will go out to tender in early 2016.

Construction of the 30 month long contract is expected to start in mid-2016. This, too, will entail an extremely complex construction process that involves excavation and laying of a 1.2m diameter steel pipe along a route of approximately 15kms.