NEW WASTEWATER PROJECT FOR HILTON RESIDENTS

The building of a new wastewater treatment works in Hilton will make a big difference to the supply of water and sanitation to residents in the Midlands.

Speaking at a media event at Umgeni Water’s Howick office, Sibusiso Mjwara, the executive for infrastructure development, said that the increase in the number of developments on the Hilton N3 corridor, between Hilton and Howick, had increased the need for more wastewater services.

He added: “The construction of the new works is a short- to medium-term solution to provide services to the private developments alongside the N3 and to the Hilton Life Hospital, pending the long-term regional solution.”

Mjwara said phase one of the project, worth R36.9 million, got underway on January 11 this year and is expected to be completed in May 2022. It involves building a gravity main, piling, directional drilling, and installing a rising main and pump station.

A second contract, worth R20.9 million, has been approved with a start date set for November.

This second project is estimated to be completed by July or August 2022.

The improvements form part of the Vulindlela rural bulk water supply scheme, which covers approximately 280 square kilometres of area belonging to the Ingonyama Trust in the Msunduzi municipal area.

The original scheme was one of 12 national presidential lead projects prioritised in 1994 under the reconstruction and development programme. It was commissioned on March 21 1998 by former president Nelson Mandela.

Umgeni Water says that demand for potable water is expected to grow from 23 mega litres a day to around 48.4 mega litres a day, with an expected 61 500 households estimated to need water in both the Msunduzi and uMngeni municipal areas.