KwaZulu-Natal’s main water supply system records marginal increase
The Ntshingwayo (Chelmsford) Dam level has remained at 65.9 percent for the past two weeks.
A weekly report on the status of dam levels issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation has shown an increase in KwaZulu-Natal’s Umgeni Water Supply System, which is up from last week’s 84.9% to 86.3% in the current week.
The Umgeni Water Supply System provides water to five dams and is one of the biggest in the province, getting support from the uMhlathuze Water Supply System as well as the integrated Vaal River system.
Midmar Dam, which is on the Umgeni System, is at 77.6%, up from 77.2% recorded in the previous week. Meanwhile, the Nagle and Inanda dams are at 98.6% and 95.7%, respectively.
Driel Barrage Dam on the Tugela River and Craigie Burn Dam are unchanged at 90.3% and 95.3%, respectively, while Hazelmere Dam, which provides water to the province’s North Coast, has increased from 46.4% to 58.4%. When compared to a similar period last year, it stood at 47.4%.
Despite most dams recording slightly above average percentages, the Department of Water and Sanitation has reiterated its plea to water users to use water sparingly, especially as temperatures are expected to soar ahead of the summer season, which will lead to increased evaporation in most water sources.
This is as the Department continues to work collaboratively with the provincial and local governments to ensure water security in the province through the implementation of bulk water projects such as Phase 1 of the uMkhomazi Water Project.
The project will transfer water from the uMkhomazi River to augment the Umgeni Water Supply System, which supplies domestic water to more than 5 million people and industries in the Durban and Pietermaritzburg regions, comprising the eThekwini, Msunduzi, uMgungundlovu,Ugu, Ilembe, and Harry Gwala municipalities.
The project scope includes a 33km long and 3.5m diameter raw water tunnel from the dam at Smithfield up to the uMlaza River Valley, as well as a 5.1km long and 2.6m diameter gravity bulk raw water pipeline that will connect the raw water tunnel to the Baynesfield Water Treatment Works, among others.
The Department also sent a stern warning to vandals who go out of their way to vandalise water infrastructure.
“We will not hesitate to take harsh measures to deal with such criminality, as it often sets us back as we work towards ensuring water security in the province and across the country. Infrastructure vandalism is a crime, and if a person is found guilty of this, they will bear the consequences,” said Wisane Mavasa, spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation.
Other dam levels in the province are as follows:
- Spioenkop: 83.4%
- Mearns: 69.8%
- Ntshingwayo: 65.9%
- Inanda: 95.7%
- Wagendrift: 86.8%
- Hluhluwe: 102.0%
- Goedertrouw: 99.6%
- Klipfontein: 86.7%
- SpringGrove: 74.4%
For more information, contact Wisane Mavasa, spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation, at 060 561 8935.
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