ETHEKWINI’s multi-million-rand Western Aqueduct project is back on track following the announcement that Cycad Pipelines has been selected as the successful contractor for the seven kilometre sector of the water pipeline between Inchanga Station and Alverstone Neck. Construction is expected to commence by the end of April next year.
The entire 55km second phase of the Western Aqueduct begins at Inchanga Station and ends at Ntuzuma and includes two branch pipelines to Tshelimnyama and Mount Moriah.
It is expected to significantly strengthen the capacity of bulk water supply to the western regions of eThekwini, injecting up to 400ML/day. At the same time, it will boost much needed water supplies to the north of Durban.
eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) head, Neil Macleod, said EWS had unbundled the 55km pipeline project into six individual projects that would be rolled out over a seven-year period. It was initially intended to be constructed as a single, large contract but has been dogged by delays.
The second sector, covering the stretch between Alverstone Neck and Ashley Drive in Kloof and worth a similar value, has been released for tendering purposes.
“Further delays to this project will have detrimental consequences for Durban as current water supply infrastructure is unable to cope with the forecast future water demand. In addition to large commercial and industrial projects on the drawing board, the city’s population is expected to increase by at least 20 per cent by 2030,” Macleod warned.
He said lessons learnt from the first phase of the Western Aqueduct, which covered 19km from Umlaas Road to Inchanga Station, would further refine the environmental rehabilitation for the second phase.
