Desalination plant leaves sour taste
One of the areas that will be affected by the building of the plant is the Illovo valley.
Opposition is mounting against proposed plans to build a desalination plant on the Illovo River.
Umgeni Water Amanzi proposes to construct and operate a sea water desalination plant in the Lovu area, using sea water reverse osmosis (SWRO) technology.
Umgeni Water is a state-owned entity and is the largest supplier of bulk potable water in KZN.
The future of the South Coast is greatly dependent on an alternative water source to augment water supply, of which desalination is one option.
As conventional water resources near their full yield potential and with climate change likely to increase the risks associated with water supply, attention is sharply focused on seawater desalination as the ‘ultimate solution’ to the looming water crisis in many South African coastal towns and cities.
Once the plant is up and running, there will be minimal employment for local people.
The main intake pipe will be situated in Winklespruit and sea water will be pumped in from about a kilometre out to sea. There are three proposed routes for the water to be pumped to the plant’s proposed site close to Mother of Peace.
About 55% of the treated water will be used for consumption, while the remaining 45% of water, known as brine, will be pumped back out to sea.
The proposed desalination plant will produce some 150 mega-litres a day of freshwater when at final capacity, and will have an average inflow rate of 389 mega-litres a day. About 183 mega-litres a day of brine (concentrated sea water) will be discharged back into the sea.
The plant will have a payback period of 20 to 25 years with the potential of a lifespan extension. It may be constructed in two phases over a period of five years and will occupy an area of about 70,000 square metres, excluding servitudes for pipelines.
One of the areas that will be affected by the building of the plant is the Illovo valley.
The estuary has finally recovered since the closure of the sugar mill 10 years ago and the plant will complete destroy it.
“The desalination plant will have a huge impact on the Illovo River,” said Illovo Business Park manager, Ken Lombard, who was one of the few people to take part in a poorly-attended public meeting in December where he voiced his opposition to the proposal.
“The estuary has finally recovered since the closure of the sugar mill 10 years ago and the plant will complete destroy it.
The proposed plan is to build the plant in between Mother of Peace and the river and the pumpstation at The Boardwalk in Winklespruit. The pipeline will cross the river at Lower Illovo, which is a bad idea. I’m not happy with them putting it here. It is too close to the flood plain, although they said it’s not.
Once the plant is up and running, there will be minimal employment for local people.
The brine they plan to pump back into the ocean is also toxic.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp, send an invite to 061 694 6047
The South Coast Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?
Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.
