Section of Western Aqueduct soon operational

Head of eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS), Ednick Msweli, said the city's biggest ever bulk water pipeline project was proceeding in accordance with the project plan. He said he was confident that all of the contracts that make up the full 39km second phase of the pipeline as well as its branch pipelines would be completed on time.

The largest segment of the Western Aqueduct measures 25km and stretches from the Ashley Drive break pressure tank to the NR5 Reservoir at Ntuzuma. It is scheduled to be complete and fully operational with all construction and road reinstatement finalised by mid-2017.

As this contract gathers momentum, extensive work is scheduled to begin shortly along the railway line servitude from Alverston to Kloof Station. "Because construction will take place along the servitude, the impact will be peripheral and won't affect traffic unduly," said Martin Bright, project manager for the Western Aqueduct. He added that work on the Ashley Drive break pressure tank was progressing well. On completion during the third quarter of 2015, it is expected to hold 20 mega litres of water.

BRT system

Bright explained that, because Durban's new bus rapid transport (BRT) system was under construction, it had been decided to escalate work on the 1km long segment of the Western Aqueduct where the BRT is expected to run in order to minimise disruptions and ensure that restricted access to businesses was minimised wherever possible.

Contracts for two further sections of the Western Aqueduct - the Wyebank Break Pressure tank and the pipeline that will link the Western Aqueduct to Mt. Moriah - are expected to be awarded during the third quarter of 2015. These will run for 15 months.

The main truck pipeline running from Inchanga to Ntuzuma is under construction and, in April 2015, the Kloof line along Haygarth Road, running under the N3 to Tshelimnyama will begin. All branch pipelines are expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2017.

The first phase of the Western Aqueduct, which measures 20km and stretches from the Umlaas Road Reservoir to Inchanga was commissioned at the end of 2012. Combined, these two phases of the Western Aqueduct are intended to both replace and augment existing infrastructure that brings water into Durban from the Midmar and recently constructed Springrove Dams.