Head of EWS, Ednick Msweli, said that this important milestone indicated that the city's biggest ever bulk water pipeline project was on target for completion in 2017.
The 14km stretch of pipeline, which took a total of 24 months to put in place, comprises the first two contracts of the R1.8bn second phase of the Western Aqueduct. 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.
Project manager, Martin Bright, said that pressure testing of the pipeline that extends 7km from Inchanga Station to Alverstone Reservoir was under way and that Cycad Construction was expected to hand over the project to EWS during July.
The second contract between Alverstone Reservoir and Ashley Drive in Kloof, has been successfully tested and is due to be also handed over to EWS in July.
Bright confirmed that the third contract that will see the remaining 25km of pipeline laid from Ashley Drive to Ntuzuma is already well under way. He said that the contractor, Esor Construction, would be entering one of the more challenging parts of this project as it excavated the through fare near the Kloof Station in order to lay the pipeline.
He said this would lead to some traffic congestion and confirmed that road works would continue until 2017. Road closures and detours will be clearly sign posted. Another project milestone has been reached is the awarding of a fourth contract for construction of an urgently needed branch line running along Haygarth Road and under the N3 to Tshelimnyama to Esor Construction.
This 16 month long contract, worth R88m, is expected to relieve water shortages in the Tshelimnyama area. It will entail laying a pipeline with a diameter of 600mm from the entrance to Makaranga Lodge to the Haygarth Road Reservoir. From there, a 500mm pipe will take water to the existing reservoir in Tshelimnyama.
This contract entails laying 8km of pipe, crossing under the N3 at the Marianhill Toll Plaza. However, there will be no disruption to traffic or visible construction work affecting the N3. Esor Construction will construct a pipe jack that will push a 90m long concrete sleeve under the N3. The new water pipe will be inserted into this.
He added that work by Icon Construction 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. Construction is expected to take 18 months with completion expected towards the end of 2016.
