DURBAN – THE Lower Thukela Water Treatment Works has been hailed for bringing water security, assurance of water supply to communities in iLembe District Municipality and its surrounding areas.
Ashley Starkey, provincial head of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Water and Sanitation, said that this was not only about the provision of domestic water, but also about how this water contributed to the economic upliftment of communities.
A statement by the department said the Lower Thukela Water Treatment Works was commissioned in September 2017 at a cost of R1.9 billion and was funded jointly by the Department of Water and Sanitation and Umgeni Water, which also manages the operations of the Water Treatment Works.
The water treatment works produces 34 million litres per day (34 megalitres per day) and is one of the biggest bulk potable water infrastructures in the province, it said.
The plant, said the statement, abstracted raw water from Tugela River, which was then processed and stored at a 30 megalitres reservoir. The reservoir supplies potable water to about 28 000 households or 140 000 people in the iLembe District Municipality.
Pravesh Boodhoo, the area manager of Umgeni Water also reiterated that the Lower Thukela Water Treatment Works has uplifted the standard of water supply in the coastal areas – from Thukela to uMvoti.
“This plant essentially mitigated water challenges in the area and has maintained 100% water supply assurance,” he said.
Boodhoo said: “There is no problem with bulk water supply but there are reticulation issues that need to be resolved at the municipality level.
“I must, however, say that the municipality has implemented programmes that will ensure that there is no interruption of fresh water supply to the communities.”
Lower Thukela Water Treatment Works is interlinked with the Hazelmere Dam which supplies water to Honolulu and Avondale reservoirs. However, if Hazelmere cannot supply water due to operational problems, Thukela Water Treatment Works is able to continue water supply, it said.
The plant also has its own power sub-station. It is not affected by problems of electricity cuts in the district, thus maintaining its optimal supply of water to the coastal areas.
THE MERCURY