THE Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, conducted an oversight visit to Umgeni-Uthukela Water’s Lower uMkhomazi Bulk Water Supply Scheme on Tuesday 6 August.
Umngeni-Uthugela Water is the implementing agent for the over R20 billion project situated in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Ward 99) and uMdoni Local Municipality (Ward 18). The project has experienced interference and delays.
In a statement following the visit, Macpherson welcomed the work completed by Infrastructure South Africa to unblock the bureaucracy and red tape associated with the project to ensure that construction continues and is completed on time. The project is set to provide water to approximately 50,000 households in the South Coast within the eThekwini and Ugu District Municipalities.
The minister said Infrastructure South Africa’s involvement in the project highlights the importance of being involved in infrastructure projects moving forward to realise President Cyril Ramaphosa’s dream to turn the country into a construction site. “Infrastructure South Africa has been instrumental in the Lower uMkhomazi Bulk Water Supply Scheme to unblock any bureaucratic blockages, in some cases shortening the time for approvals in half. Importantly, their assistance and support have ensured that the project remains on time and within budget. The work of Infrastructure South Africa should therefore be replicated countrywide to unleash a wave of infrastructure investment which will help grow our economy and create jobs.”
Minister Macpherson said that during the oversight visit, further areas were identified where Infrastructure South Africa could play an important role, including electricity provision to the construction site as well as ensuring that future phases of the project proceed without delay to ensure speedy water provision to the region.
However, the minister again heard of problems related to criminal elements around public infrastructure sites, which have in this instance resulted in the death of three people already. “This is unacceptable and should be condemned in the strongest terms.”
In April this year, the then Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, conducted a site inspection visit at Phase 1 of the project, Goodenough abstraction point and pumping systems, which was then at 46% progress and was projected to be completed in December 2027.
The project is divided into two phases with the first phase consisting of a raw water component comprising of two independent systems:
- The Ngwadini system with off-channel storage; and
- The Goodenough System with an abstraction works and a raw water storage reservoir.
- Phase 2 entails a potable water component comprising the following packages:
- 100 Ml/day water treatment works;
5km gravity main pipeline to quarry reservoir; - Extension of quarry reservoir to 30 ML capacity;
The construction of a green star administration building.
The uMkhomazi Water Project
The Lower uMkhomazi Water Scheme project is part of the uMkhomazi Water Project which consists of the construction of an 81m high dam at Smithfield on the uMkhomazi River (with gross storage capacity of 251 million m3), a 33km (3.5m diameter) tunnel from Smithfield dam to the uMlaza River Valley, and a 5.1km, 2.6m diameter gravity bulk pipeline connecting the tunnel to the Baynesfield Water Treatment Works (WTW).
This part of the project will be funded and implemented by the Trans Caledon Water Authority (TCTA), an entity of DWS. The Umkhomazi Water project will result in a 55% increase in the amount of available water in the uMngeni Water Supply System.
There will also be a balancing dam and a water treatment works in the uMlaza River with a gravity pipeline to the Umngeni Water Supply System which supplies water to more than 5 million people in six districts namely, eThekwini, Msunduzi, uMgungundlovu, Ugu, Ilembe and Harry Gwala and industries in the province.
The Umgeni Water Supply System has experienced a water deficit from as far back as 2016, but its augmentation from the uMkhomazi Water Catchment is expected to increase fresh water supply from 394 million cubic metres a year to 608 million cubic metres a year.
