Durban’s water woes continue as eThekwini unveils new reservoir projects
· The South African
The eThekwini Municipality has unveiled a series of major water infrastructure projects in the city’s Outer West, at a time when water supply problems and planned shutdowns have been affecting communities across Durban.
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The projects were unveiled by eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba on 23 July, during a programme that included visits to infrastructure projects and a community engagement attended by thousands of residents from KwaNyuswa, KwaNgcolosi, Embo and surrounding areas.
The announcement comes during a particularly difficult period for the city’s water network.
Durban water supply under pressure
In recent days, residents across large parts of northern Durban have faced interruptions linked to a major leak on the Northern Aqueduct.
At the same time, another planned 24-hour shutdown is scheduled to affect large parts of the city as essential work is carried out at the Durban Heights Water Treatment Works.
The latest shutdown, scheduled from 07:00 on Friday, 24 July, until 07:00 on Saturday, 25 July, will affect areas supplied by the Durban Heights system, including parts of Phoenix, Umhlanga, Durban North, KwaMashu, Ntuzuma, Newlands, Umlazi, Chatsworth, Pinetown and Westville, among many others.
The Northern Aqueduct leak has also affected water supplies across areas including Phoenix, Mount Moriah, Newlands, KwaMashu, Ntuzuma, Umhlanga, La Lucia and Durban North.
Against this backdrop, eThekwini is now highlighting longer-term investment in water infrastructure, particularly in communities where population growth has placed increasing pressure on existing systems.
New reservoir infrastructure planned
One of the key projects is the expansion of the KwaNqetho Water Reservoir to improve water supply in KwaNgcolosi.
Xaba said the municipality had initially upgraded the reservoir after a 2021 study found that the area’s population had grown by an additional 2 500 households.
The municipality subsequently decided to increase the reservoir’s capacity from 1 megalitre to 6 megalitres.
The municipality has also identified a site for a new reservoir in KwaNyuswa, where residents continue to experience intermittent water supply.
The project is intended to strengthen water storage capacity and improve the reliability of supply in the area.
“As a city, we continue to invest in water infrastructure to stabilise water supply in both urban and rural communities so that no one is left behind,” Xaba said.
A city dealing with multiple water disruptionsThe timing of the announcement is notable, with the municipality and water authorities currently carrying out several major interventions across the city’s water network.
The Northern Aqueduct was recently isolated after a major leak near the M25 Highway close to Duffs Road in Mount Moriah. All three pipelines were shut down to allow repair teams to access the flooded site safely.
At the same time, uMngeni-uThukela Water is carrying out essential maintenance at the Durban Heights Water Treatment Works, requiring a complete shutdown of the system for approximately 24 hours.
The work includes the rehabilitation of sections of Nagle Aqueducts 1 and 2, the installation of an isolation valve and the replacement of a sleeve valve that failed in March.
While these shutdowns are intended to address critical infrastructure issues and improve the long-term reliability of the system, they have added to the pressure being felt by residents already dealing with intermittent supply.