With the prospects of an El Niño drought being forecast this winter, Hazelmere Dam is still not filled to capacity.
Holding up the process is the removal of two families living in the dam basin to alternate housing, several years after work commenced to raise the dam wall by seven metres with the intention of doubling capacity.
Construction began in 2015 with an original completion date of June 2017 but a slew of setbacks saw completion delayed by nearly six years – and the original cost balloon from R110-million to R800-million.
The dam currently holds around 80% capacity and water being released frequently to manage the level has been a thorn in the side of downstream Umdloti and La Mercy’s communities.
The recurring flow of river water out to sea at the Umdloti River mouth – also caused by high rainfall – has turned the ocean water murky for the majority of the summer months. This has dealt a blow to fishing and other ocean-based recreational activities, especially over the festive season.
Negotiations for a resettlement agreement with the two remaining families are ongoing, but no timeframe for a conclusion can be given at this stage.
“One family has already relocated to temporary accommodation provided outside the dam basin, while the dam operational office has been vacated. Resources are being mobilised by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to demolish the office building,” said DWS spokesperson Wisane Mavasa.
She said the department was working on an urgent temporary intervention to relocate the remaining two families, pointing out they were not illegal squatters as previously suggested but rightful inhabitants of the properties in question.
Mavasa said the long-term solution involved building new permanent houses and a dam office in the surrounding area.
The design phase of the project has been completed and approval process prior to the start of construction is underway.
The permanent structures, originally anticipated by July this year, will now be complete by year-end.
Addressing the delay in mitigating a potential drought, Mavasa said five out of the seven metres have already been impounded.
“The remaining two metres serve as a buffer during flood conditions, as the Hazelmere Dam has a high ‘time in concentration’. This means that rainfall within the catchment area arrives at the dam in a short period of time.”
The two-metre buffer allows the dam operator to circumvent any abnormal rainfall conditions.
However, this does not impact the supply to Umgeni Water that abstracts water for treatment and distribution.
Mavusa said, based on current operating procedures for the dam, at 80% in February the department did not foresee any cause for concern in terms of storage availability in the short term.
“At a 100% starting storage level, the dam can sustainably supply the water treatment plant capacity at Hazelmere Dam of 75 million litres per day.”
A 2023 analysis indicated full water treatment plant capacity can be supplied with the dam’s new 75% capacity. During drought conditions starting storages are likely to be lower than 100%, for example at 60% capacity in which case water restrictions of about 15% would be required in a worst case scenario,” Muvasa said.
There is a twist in the tale though that could leave communities unnecessarily parched in a next drought cycle.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a high ranking DWS official highlighted the very serious issue of certain municipalities losing more than half the water they buy from bulk water suppliers mostly through leaks and theft – an issue to be further investigated by the Courier in coming weeks.
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