Cap Town - The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Department has urged residents to reduce non-essential water consumption as the Faure Water Treatment Plant will be shut down.
The shut down will take place this weekend from Friday to Monday to allow for the insertion of a 2 400mm diameter bulk water pipeline.
The work forms part of the City’s 162 million Baden Powell Drive bulk water pipeline project to strengthen water supply to Khayelitsha residents.
In a statement the City said: “The new infrastructure, currently under construction, will be linked to the 2 400mm diameter pipeline to strengthen the water supply and boost water pressure in the eastern sections of Khayelitsha, which have seen rapid growth recently.”
The areas that will be affected by this work are the Cape Town Film Studios and Amazon. The Stellenbosch municipality may also be affected, considering the municipality’s drinking water is supplied from this bulk water main.
The City has requested residents in Eerste River, Strand and De Wijnlanden to store water in sealed containers for domestic use and to keep taps closed. Residents in these areas will be experiencing lower water pressure.
Production in Steenbras and Blackheath will be intensified to make up for the Faure treatment plant’s shut down.
“General demand reduction will however help further reduce the risk of unforeseen complications or pipe bursts associated with the work,” said the City.
Water tankers will also be provided to assist residents with water supply in the area.
Additionally, the City has advised of water supply disruption affecting the Belgravia and Thalmen areas in the Northern Suburbs
The Water and Sanitation Department will be installing a pressure reduction valve (PRV) on the main water supply to the Belgravia and Thalmen areas in the Northern Suburbs, which will result in the disruption of the water supply to these areas from 10am until 2pm on Thursday.
This follows on from zero-pressure tests that were done prior to the installation of the PRV, to assess the most effective location on the network within the identified water supply zone.
Residents are advised to store water in clean, sealed containers for use during this period and to ensure that their taps are closed to avoid water loss and/or damage when the supply is restored.
This work forms part of the City of Cape Town’s Water Demand Management Strategy. Managing water pressure more effectively reduces the possibility of pipe bursts and water wastage, the City said.