R230m dam for Ilembe
The new Imvutshane Dam to provide 12 million litres of water.
Deputy minister of Water and Sanitation Pamela Tshwete, Ilembe District municipality and Umgeni water officially launched the R230m Imvutshane Dam in Maphumulo on Monday.
The dam, between Stanger and Greytown, can hold 3.1 million cubic metres of water and consists of a 223 metre long, 28-metre earthfill main embankment and 74 metre long, seven metre high saddle embankment. It is estimated that more than 150 000 people will benefit from the dam.
Umgeni Water chief executive Cyril Gamede said the dam is a category two dam (medium sized).
“The dam is presently 95% complete and it should be done in a few weeks or about the middle of April,” said Gamede.
Imvutshane Dam will supply water to 11 wards of Maphumulo municipality and ward four, five, six and seven of Ndwedwe municipality.
According to Gamede through this dam, which is phase two of the Maphumulo Bulk Water Supply Scheme, Ilembe will be able to reduce the water backlogs of 86 164 people or 10 770 households to 58%.
“The third phase of the project will encompass the augmentation of the capacity of the water works that was built during phase one, as well as water transfer from the Hlimbithwa River to Imvutshane Dam. The implementation and timing of this phase will depend on demand,” said Gamede.
Ilembe currently depends on the Imvutshane River to supply six million litres a day. When the dam is complete they will be able to get 12 million litres a day.
Eight families were displaced by the construction of the dam and on Monday seven of them received new houses. The eighth family had preferred a payout because they plan to relocate.
KwaZulu Natal MEC of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Ilembe deputy mayor Dolly Shandu and Maphumulo municipality mayor Happy Ngcobo, all emphasized the importance of saving water.
Deputy minister of Water and Sanitation Pamela Tshwete urged the people of Ilembe District to take care of the infrastructure in their areas.
“The government spends R7bn a year on water, so if we use water wisely some of that money can be used for other developments in the country,” said Tshwete.
