Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu will on Friday, 13 January 2023, officially recommission Aqueduct 1 and open Reservoir 3 at Umgeni's Durban Heights Water Treatment Plant, in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal.
The afore-mentioned water infrastructures were recently refurbished by uMgeni Water, as the Implementing Agent. The Aqueduct 1 and 2 were severely damaged due the floods that took place in the province last year. The reservoir was taken off-line in 2019 for repairs after safety issues were identified at the water storage structure.
Minister Mchunu will be joined by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial government delegation, led by Premier Ms Nomusa Dube-Ncube, eThekwini mayoral delegation, led by Mayor Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda, and Umgeni Water Board delegation, led by Chairperson Ms Ziphozethu Mathenjwa.
Durban Heights Reservoir 3 is a 350ML reservoir situated just outside the Durban CBD and supplies potable water to over five hundred thousand people in Durban and the surrounding area.
Both Aqueducts 1 and 2 were damaged by rock falls on five sites due to torrential rains that caused flooding and massive landslides. Aqueduct 1 is made of steel and has a capacity of 105 Ml/d, while Aqueduct 2, a mainly Prestressed Concrete Pipe (PCP) transfers 155 Ml/d.
Aqueduct 1 was completed in December 2022 and Aqueduct 2 will be commissioned by 10 June 2023.
Source: Government of South Africa