Durban - Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, will tomorrow officially recommission aqueduct 1 and open reservoir 3 at Umgeni Water’s Durban Heights Water Treatment Plant in Reservoir Hills.
Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube is also expected to attend the event along with eThekwini mayoral delegation, led by Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, and the Umgeni Water Board delegation, led by Chairperson Ziphozethu Mathenjwa.
The Department of Water and Sanitation said the infrastructure was recently refurbished by Umgeni Water, as the implementing agent.
Aqueduct 1 and 2 were severely damaged due the floods that took place in the province last year while the reservoir was taken off-line in 2019 for repairs after safety issues were identified at the water storage structure.
The department said Durban Heights reservoir 3 is a 350ML reservoir situated just outside the Durban CBD and supplies potable water to over five hundred thousand people in Durban and the surrounding area.
“Both aqueducts 1 and 2 were damaged by rock falls on five sites due to torrential rains that caused flooding and massive landslides. Aqueduct 1 is made of steel and has a capacity of 105 Ml/d, while aqueduct 2, a mainly pre-stressed Concrete Pipe (PCP) transfers 155 Ml/d.”
The department said aqueduct 1 was completed in December 2022 and aqueduct 2 will be commissioned by 10 June 2023.