Despair at oThongathi water crisis
SWATHES of oThongathi (Tongaat) are without water and eThekwini Municipality cannot give a time frame for when the flood-damaged water works in the town will be repaired.
Civic-driven efforts are supplementing those of the city, which is “trying to dispatch as many tankers as possible”.
Residents put the number they have seen in the streets at two.
“They are seldom seen and sometimes redirected into areas when they are hijacked,” said Krishna Reddy, chairperson of the Chelmsford Civic Association in the south of oThongathi. “Residents are frustrated. I cannot answer their questions but I can help (by providing water).”
City spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said all pumps and electrical equipment were damaged beyond repair at the plant that supplies the area. The city planned to buy a new 15 million-litre-a-day package plant, “while also trying to ensure that the mechanical and electrical work is undertaken to procure and install new pumps”.
A package plant is a pre-manufactured treatment facility used to treat wastewater in small communities or on individual properties.
“At this stage, rebuilding the plant will take time as it requires a full plant design, and an exact time frame cannot be provided yet,” said Mayisela.
DA councillor Dolly Munien said she would need seven tankers a day to meet demand. Two tankers have been allocated to her ward while four have been allocated to other areas of oThongathi.
Thirty-three areas of uThongathi, supplied by eight reservoirs, are without water.
They are Emona; Vanrova; Hambanathi; Metcalfe area, Gandhi’s Hill; Tongaat Central; Plane Street; Watson Highway; Brake Village; Belvedere; Rajkomaar’s Farm; Flamingo Heights; Watsonia; Belgate; Gwala’s Farm and informal areas; Chelmsford; Buffeldale; Mithanager; Watsonia; Trurolands; Gandhinager; Amanzinyama offices; Walter Reid Road; Jon Roz; Wewe; Maidstone; Fairbreeze; Sandfields; Pringle Village; Noodsberg Road; Mgwaveni; Culs Farm and Burlan.
Mayisela said the new package plant would need to be as close as possible to the actual water works so the potable water produced could be stored on site and pumped to the reservoirs.
“Water will be abstracted from the Wewe River as was previously done at the water works.”
Meanwhile, Umgeni Water, which supplies raw water to municipalities, which must be treated before it is fit for drinking, said it had made headway in restoring its supply to the eThekwini Municipality after the water utility’s water distribution networks were damaged in the floods.
Umgeni Water spokesperson Shami Harichunder said that Durban Heights Water Works, which in normal times, Umgeni Water supplied with 540 million litres a day, was now receiving 490 million litres a day.
When the full impact of floods was felt on April 13, supply to eThekwini Water and Sanitation fell to 380 million litres a day, he said.
Hazelmere Water Treatment Works’ supply – 75 million litres a day in normal times – was now 70 million to 75 million litres a day.
As a remedial action, three of the four shaft pumps that supply water from Inanda Dam to Durban Heights Water Works as an emergency, have been brought into use.
Regarding Hazelmere, Harichunder said the plant was now producing, on average, 90% of daily demand from iLembe District Municipality, Siza Water and eThekwini Metro.
“This plant supplies five systems and the bulk storage reservoirs are between 49% and 100%. The supply areas are Verulam, Waterloo, Sea Tides, La Mercy, Ballito, Ndwedwe and Groutville.”
Explaining the process leading towards repair work being done on the damaged infrastructure, Harichunder said a comprehensive assessment of two damaged aqueducts would be followed by a letter of appointment, giving the green light for the work to begin.
“In the heavy rains from April 8 to 12, a rock fall occurred in Wushini, Inanda, resulting in the pipes breaking and dislodging.”
They have since been temporarily withdrawn from service.
“This resulted in a deficit of raw water supply to the Durban Heights Water Works.”
This supplies north, south, central and inner west regions of Durban through the reticulation infrastructure of eThekwini Water and Sanitation.