ETHEKWINI NEWSFLASH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAYOR XABA INSPECTS SOUTHERN AQUEDUCT LEAK REPAIRS AS TEAMS WORK TO RESTORE WATER SUPPLY
The eThekwini Municipality Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba conducted a site inspection in Westville today to assess progress being made by the Water and Sanitation teams in repairing a leak along the Southern Aqueduct that was detected last week.
The incident has significantly affected water supply to the central and southern regions of the city.
The Mayor also visited Chatsworth Reservoir 4, which supplies most parts of Chatsworth as well as some reservoirs in Umlazi, to assess first-hand the impact of the burst on reservoir levels. The affected reservoirs are supplied through a single pipeline.
The affected areas include, among others, Northdene, Chatsworth, Umlazi, Folweni, Nsimbini, Shallcross, Malvern, and Klaarwater.
“I am pleased to report that experts have been commissioned to repair the concrete pipeline from underneath, and they have assured me that they will work throughout the night,” said Mayor Xaba.
The Mayor appealed to residents for patience and understanding as teams continue to work diligently to resolve the problem and restore normal water supply.
The concrete pipeline runs parallel to the existing 1 200 mm-diameter steel pipeline. Once the R1.2 billion Southern Aqueduct Project, which involves the installation of a second 1 200 mm-diameter steel pipeline, has been completed, the existing concrete pipeline will be decommissioned.
The project is expected to be completed by December this year and will bring much-needed relief to more than 1.2 million people by ensuring a more reliable water supply.
Mayor Xaba said he was pleased with the progress the teams are making on the ground. Out of the six packages, two have been completed, and the municipality is on course to complete the remaining packages before the end of this year.
Ends
Issued by eThekwini Municipality’s Marketing and Communications Directorate
