Continued efforts to ensure uninterrupted water supply
Date: 2023-02-09 09:01:02
Continued efforts to ensure uninterrupted water supply
Municipal teams have been working to ensure a steady water supply to residents. They have been carrying out repairs across the City including uMlazi, Phoenix and Verulam.
THE MUNICIPALITY assures residents that it is doing everything in its power to ensure an uninterrupted water supply for consumers. Head of the Water and Sanitation Unit Ednick Msweli said teams are on the ground carrying out repairs in various areas including uMlazi, Phoenix, Hammarsdale, and Verulam. “The interruption of water supply is due to various factors which includes burst pipes and vandalism of infrastructure. We appeal to communities to refrain from this illegal conduct,” said Msweli.
The interruption in western areas is due to reduced water inflows to reservoirs in the west as well as Ntuzuma reservoirs because of a technical fault at the Midmar Treatment Works. This treatment works is operated by uMgeni Water. The technical fault has since been resolved and some lower-lying areas have started receiving water while those located upstream are still experiencing outages.
Msweli said in addition, load shedding is also compounding water supply challenges especially for areas with pumping systems such as certain sections of uMlazi, Folweni, Illovu, parts of Chatsworth, Ntuzuma, Verulam, Nagina, Klaarwater, Demat, Luganda, and Welbedacht. He said areas in the north are expected to have some relief from water supply challenges following the opening of Reservoir 3 at the uMgeni Durban Heights Treatment Water Plant. “Repairs at this large water storage have been completed. However, it will take a few weeks for the system to fully recover and for the City’s reservoirs to start supplying these areas.
However, we are already seeing some improvement,” he said. The public is reminded that there is an ongoing rationing process that was introduced by the Municipality to deal with the water supply challenge. With the heatwave sweeping across the City, the public is urged to use water sparingly for the systems to fully recover.
