The 14 kilometre stretch of water pipeline extending from Inchanga Station to Alverstone Reservoir and then on to Ashley Drive in Kloof is now complete and, following the conclusion of pressure testing and commissioning, will be handed over to eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) and brought into service.

Head of eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS), Ednick Msweli, says this important milestone indicates that the city’s biggest ever bulk water pipeline project is on target for completion in 2017

The completed segment of pipeline, which took a total of 24 months to put in place, comprises the first two contracts of the R1.8-billion second phase of the Western Aqueduct.

The first phase of the Western Aqueduct, which measures 20km and stretches from the Umlaas Road Reservoir to Inchanga, was commissioned at the end of 2012.

Project manager, Martin Bright, said that pressure testing of the pipeline that extends 7km from Inchanga Station to Alverstone Reservoir was underway and that Cycad Construction was expected to hand over the project to EWS during July.

He added that many residents in the Bothas Hill area, particularly those living at the bottom of the valley near the Inanda Dam, who had been under constant water supply pressure, would enjoy a more consistent supply of water as soon as the pipeline was fully operational.

The second contract between Alverstone Reservoir and Ashley Drive in Kloof, that has been completed by WK Construction, has been successfully tested and is due to be also handed over to EWS in July.

Bright thanked residents for their patience during construction and pointed out that motorists would not only notice that roadworks were complete but that all roads excavated to lay the pipe had been completely rebuilt in places.