Residents are urged to brace for a 24-hour water shutdown from tomorrow night. uMngeni-uThukela Water will implement a planned maintenance shutdown of its Durban Heights Water Treatment Plant to allow for the completion of repair work on Aquaduct-2, which was destroyed in the floods in April 2022.
The shutdown will start at midnight on Wednesday October 11 and will remain off for 24 hours until midnight on Thursday, October 12, said uMngeni-uThukela Water spokesperson Siyabonga Maphumulo.
“Aqueduct 2 is a large-diameter pipeline that supplies raw water to the plant for purification and supply to customers. The planned maintenance shutdown requires the isolation of Aqueduct 2 to allow for the inspection of its last section,” he said.
“Depending on the inspection outcomes, carbon fibre repair kits will be installed on those identified sections of the Aqueduct. This critical maintenance exercise forms part of uMngeni-uThukela’s plans to restore its bulk water infrastructure following damages sustained during the April 2022 floods. During this time, parts of the eThekwini Metro will experience a reduced supply of water.”
The following areas that are supplied by the Durban Heights Water Treatment Plant can expect disruptions or low water pressure during this time:
- Durban North
- uMhlanga
- Phoenix
- Inanda
- Ntuzuma
- KwaMashu
- Umlazi
- Chatsworth
- Folweni
- Chesterville
- Westville
- Pinetown
- KwaSanti
- Savannah Park
- Klaarwater
- Verulam
- Redcliffe
- Richmond Farm
- Queensburgh
- Shallcross
- St Wendolins
- Welbedatch West
- Demat
- Luganda
- Mawelewele
- parts of Nagina
- Washington Heights.
Mr Maphumulo said uMngeni-uThukela Water will continue to work with the eThekwini Metro to ensure that disruptions are minimal, and that the maintenance work is kept to schedule. He urged the public to use water sparingly.