Durban — Days before water was expected to flow regularly through the taps of oThongathi, north of Durban, eThekwini Municipality mayor Mxolisi Kaunda provided a commissioning update for the oThongathi Waterworks Treatment Plant, which was nothing short of good news.
Kaunda briefed the media on site on Wednesday and revealed the commissioning date for the plant.
The plant was damaged during the floods in April which led to disruptions to the water supply in oThongathi.
“As of tomorrow (Thursday), the municipality will embark on the much-anticipated stage of recommissioning the plant that will see residents receiving water from their taps. We are also going to use the commissioning period from October 27 to November 1 to fill the on-site reservoirs with treated water. This will include testing the quality of water to ensure that it meets all safety requirements.
“Once the reservoirs have been filled, we will be able to distribute potable water to the community. Today (Wednesday), we will be commencing with filling of the Hambanathi reservoir which will take a period of about eight hours,” Kaunda said.
He said that although the Hambanathi reservoir will be supplied with potable water first, the following reservoirs will be filled:
- Emona reservoir
- Metcalf reservoir
- Belvedere reservoir
- Tongaat South
- Mamba Ridge-Jan Ross-Burbreeze system
In August, Kaunda said rebuilding work to the oThongathi Water Treatment Plant that was destroyed during the April floods would be completed in October for full restoration of water supply since the community was without a consistent water supply.
Kaunda was talking on-site after a contractor was introduced to the oThongathi residents to rebuild the plant in July.
The construction work to rebuild the plant is expected to cost R31 million. The work on the plant should be completed by October to allow full restoration of the water supply in affected areas.
Among other issues, Kaunda also addressed the following:
- The water and sanitation infrastructural repairs of the Ohlange Sewerage Pump Station, Roadhouse Pump Station (uMgeni River), and Kingsway 2 Pump Station (Winkelspruit River)
- Speculation around the city’s water quality and the postponement of rugby matches
- Impact and costs of vandalism of the city’s critical infrastructure, including electricity and water and sanitation infrastructure, and
- Theft of equipment at Sizakala and Human Capital centres.
Daily News