INTERVENTIONS PUT IN PLACE TO DELIVER WATER TO COMMUNITIES IN ETHEKWINI AFFECTED BY ALGAE OUTBREAK

MEDIA AND PUBLIC STATEMENT
Wednesday, 28 August 2024 

uMngeni-uThukela Water and the eThekwini Municipality have put in place an immediate plan to relieve communities affected by water shortages due to an upsurge in algae in raw water. We would like to apologise and reassure residents that we are working around the clock to resolve the situation.

uMngeni-uThukela Water has provided an additional 30 water tankers to add to eThekwini Municipality’s fleet of tankers that are being dispatched to communities affected by the reduction of treated water to parts of the City due to the algae outbreak.

These water tankers will deliver water twice a day, in the morning and the evening, to areas affected by the water shortage.

Over the past two weeks, uMngeni-uThukela Water’s Durban Heights Water Treatment Works has been treating lower than normal volumes of water due to an upsurge in algae in raw water from the Nagle-Albert Falls system. As a result, some areas in the north, south of eThekwini which receive their bulk water supply from the Durban Heights Water Treatment Works have experienced water outages. Some parts of the outer west of eThekwini that are also supplied through the Nagle-Albert Falls system have also been affected.

While the challenge of the presence of algae still persists in the raw water being received from the Nagle Dam-Albert Falls system from treatment, there has been a gradual decrease in the volumes of algae.

This has enabled uMngeni-uThukela Water to treat and supply additional volumes of water to the eThekwini Municipality. However, due to the low levels of water at the Durban Heights Water Treatment Plant, it is anticipated that it will take between 5 and 7 days for the system and reservoirs in eThekwini to stabilise.

In the meantime, uMngeni-uThukela Water and the eThekwini Municipality will continue providing water tankers to all communities affected by the water shortage.

uMngeni-uThukela Water continues with efforts of optimising its treatment processes to rid the water of excess algae. This includes using advanced chemical treatment methods to unclog its filters.

The raw water quality is also being monitored daily and we anticipate that the problem will be resolved once the algal count from Albert Falls-Nagle Dam subsides.

While the increased presence of algae is not common in the colder winter season, there has been an increased algal count at the Durban Heights Water Works which has led to the clogging of filters.

In order to relieve the communities affected by the water shortage, water tankers will continue to be dispatched in the affected areas until the situation normalises.

The Municipality liaises with Ward Councillors for the purpose of Informing residents about the arrival of the tankers in their area.

Ward Councillors are elected public representatives and assist in coordinating deployment of water tankers in their respective wards.

Residents are encouraged to engage with their Ward Councillors and to check eThekwini Municipality’s social media pages.

Jointly Issued by uMngeni-uThukela Water and the eThekwini Municipality

Rains Prompt Water Release from Mvutshane Dam – Monday, 30 October 2023

Torrential rains over the past few weeks have significantly pushed up water levels in the Mvutshane Dam in Maphumulo under the ILembe District.

On Monday, 30 October 2023, water levels at the dam reached the 70% mark which exceeds the stipulated safe operating levels that require the Mvutshane Dam to be maintained at between 40% and 60% capacity.

It is important to release the excess water so that it does not undermine the integrity of the dam structure.

Therefore, uMngeni-uThukela-uThukela Water will at 10am Tuesday, 31 October 2023, be releasing water from Mvutshane in order to reduce the dam to the permissible safety levels. Water released from the Mvutshane Dam will make its way into the Hlimbithwa and Umvoti Rivers which will result in significant swelling of these rivers.

Umngeni-uThukela appeals to the public to avoid crossing these rivers and low lying bridges as any attempt to do so could pose significant risk of drowning or getting washed away.

We further urge communities to safeguard any property, including livestock, located on riverbanks while the water releases are in progress.

The release of water from the Mvutshane Dam will be stopped once the water reaches 60% or less of the dam’s storage capacity.

Issued by: Office of the Chief Executive, Corporate Stakeholder Management Unit.


ISAZISO SOMPHAKATHI

Izimvula ezinamandla ziphoqe ukuncishiswa kwamanzi edamini iMvutshane – uMsombuluko, 30 October 2023

Izimvula ezinamandla kulamasonto ambalwa edlule zenyuse kakhulu umthamo wamanzi edamini laseMvutshane endaweni yakwaMaphumulo ngaphansi kukaMasipala wesifunda Ilembe.
 
NgoMsombuluko womhlaka 30 Okthoba 2023 umthamo wamanzi kulelidamu wenyuke wayoshaya ku 70% nokuyisikalo esingaphezulu kakhulu kunaleso esibekiwe sokuthi amanzi agcinwe kulo kumele abe phakathi kuka 40 no 60%.
 
Kubalulekile ukuthi amanzi agciniwe ahambisane nesikalo esibekiwe kungenjalo kungaba nobungozi bokuthi kulimale ingqalasizinda yedamu.
Ngenxa yalokhu, uMngeni-uThukela uyaphoqeleka ukuthi unciphise amanzi kanti sesithathe isinqumo sokuthi ngoLwesibili, 31 Okthoba 2023, sidedele amanzi edamini iMvutshane. Lokhu kuyoholela ekutheni imifula efana neHlimbithwa kanye noMvoti igcwale kwazise idamu liyobe lichithela kuyo. Siyacela ukuba umphakathi ukugweme ukuwela lemifula ngalesisikhathi ngoba kungaba nobungozi bokugwiliza kumbe ukwemuka.
Sithanda futhi ukukhumbuza umphakathi ukuthi uqikelele ukuphepha kwempahla, kubalwa imfuyo, okungenzeka ibe sososebeni lwemifula.
Ukudedelwa kwamanzi eMvutshane kuyoyekwa uma idamu selehlile layoshaya ku60% kumbe ngaphansi kwawo.

 

 

 

UMNGENI-UTHUKELA RICHARDS BAY OPERATIONS TO CONDUCT 24-HOUR MAINTENANCE SHUTDOWN Monday, 23 October 2023

The maintenance shutdown will last for 24-hours from 8am on Tuesday, 24 October 2023 until 8am on Wednesday, 25 October 2023.

The Nsezi Water Treatment Plant shutdown is to allow for work to be conducted on the chlorine contact tank and forms part of the Plant upgrades currently underway. A leak will also be repaired on the D-500 pipeline that supplies Empangeni and surrounding areas with water.

Meanwhile, the shutdown of the Alkanstraand Waste Water Disposal System is to repair a pipeline that disposes off industrial waste.

During the maintenance shutdown, some of our major industrial clients including Foskor and Mondi and some parts of Empangeni will experience some water interruptions.

uMngeni-uThukela apologises for the inconvenience but at the same time reassures its stakeholders and the public that the maintenance work is aimed at ensuring an uninterrupted water supply in future.

Every endeavour will be made to complete the work in the possible time.

 Issued by: Office of the Chief Executive, Corporate Stakeholder Management Unit


ISAZISO ESIBHEKISWE EMPHAKATHINI

Ukuvalwa kwesikhashana kwesiphehlimanzi iNsezi Water Treatment Plant kanye ne Alkanstrand Waste Water Disposal Plant ngoLwesibili, 24 Okthoba 2023

Uphiko lo Mngeni-uThukela oluphaka amanzi eRichards Bay namaphethelo  lwazisa amakhasimende kanye nomphakathi ngokuvalwa kwesikhashana kwesiphehlimanzi iNsezi Water Treatment Plant kanjalo nendawo eyamukela imfucuza ewuketshezi evela ezimbonini i-Alkanstrand Waste Water Disposal Plant ngoLwesibili, 24 Okthoba kusukela ngehora lesiyishagalombili ekuseni kuze kube uLwesithathu 25 Okthoba ngehora lesiyishagalombili ekuseni.

Lokhu kwenzelwa ukuqhuba umsebenzi wokulungiswa kwethangi lekhemikhali yokuhlanza amanzi ichlorine kanjalo nokuphesha ipayipi elikhulukazi eliphakela amanzi eMpangeni namaphethelo.

Kanti ukuvalwa kwe-Alkanstrand Waste Water Disposal Plant kona kwenzelwa ukuthi kulungiswe ipayipi elihambisa imfucuza ewuketshezi liyisusa ezimbonini.

Ngesikhathi kuqhutshwa lo msebenzi izimboni ezinkulu ezifana noMondi neFoskor kanye nendawo yaseMpangeni namaphethelo zingancishelwa amanzi eziwatholayo.

Umngeni-uThukela Water udlulisa ukuxolisa okukhulu ngokuthikamezeka okuzoba khona kepha siyaqiniseka ukuthi lo msebenzi uyokwenza ngcono isimo sokutholakala kwamanzi enkathini ezayo. Sizozama okusemandleni ukuqikelela ukuthi umsebenzi siwuphothula ngaphambi kwesikhathi esibekiwe.

Planned shutdown of the Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant currently underway

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Wednesday, 10 May 2023

A planned shutdown of the Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant, outside Verulam, began at 09h00 today (Wednesday, 10 May 2023) and is due to end at 16h00 today.

The reason for the seven-hour shutdown is to undertake modifications to the pumping systems for the Grange and La Mercy pumps, as part of uMngeni-uThukela Water’s maintenance plans to ensure continuity of water supply. If this work was not conducted, there would not have been redundancy in the pumping systems, which means that if a pump fails, uMngeni-uThukela Water would not be able to supply water.

eThekwini Metro, iLembe District Municipality and Siza Water receive drinking water from this plant for reticulation in Verulam, Waterloo, La Mercy, Sea Tides, Ndwedwe, Ballito and Umhlali. During the shutdown there will be no water supply to Waterloo, Verulam, Ndwedwe and La Mercy. Ballito will not be affected.

Reports received from the maintenance crew on site indicate that work is progressing as per schedule and that no delays are anticipated. uMngeni-uThukela Water provides an assurance that every effort will be made to complete the work within the allocated period. An apology is also issued for any inconvenience that may be caused.

Issued by the Corporate Stakeholder Management Unit Office of the Chief Executive, uMngeni-uThukela Water[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”Download Document ” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.umngeni-uthukela.co.za%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F05%2FPlanned-shutdown-of-the-Hazelmere-Water-Treatment-Plant-currently-underway.pdf|target:_blank”][/vc_column][/vc_row]