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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
APRIL
2015
PROJECTS AND CONTRACTS
Head of eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS), Ednick
Msweli, said recently that the city’s biggest ever bulk
water pipeline project was proceeding in accordance with
the project plan. He said he was confident that all of the
contracts that make up the full 39 km second phase of the pipeline as
well as its branch pipelines would be completed on time.
The soon-to-be-completed portion of the pipeline comprises two
7 km segments and are being completed by Cycad Pipelines and WK
SA Construction respectively.
The largest segment of the Western Aqueduct, which is being
constructed by Esor Construction, measures 25 km and stretches from
the Ashley Drive break pressure tank to the NR5 Reservoir at Ntuzuma.
It is scheduled to be complete and fully operational with all construc-
tion and road reinstatement finalised by mid-2017.
As this contract gathers momentum, extensive work is scheduled
to begin shortly along the railway line servitude from Alverston to
Kloof Station.
“Because construction will take place along the servitude, the
impact will be peripheral and won’t affect traffic unduly,” said Martin
Bright, project manager for the Western Aqueduct.
He added that work on the Ashley Drive break pressure tank was
progressing well. On completion during the third quarter of 2015, it is
expected to hold 20 mega litres of water.
EWS wished to thank residents along the pipeline route for their
patience and understanding during construction and apologised for
major disruptions to Cadmore and Lello Roads in Kloof and added that
the extensive Cadmore Road upgrade was expected to be complete by
the middle of this year.
Bright explained that, because Durban’s new Bus Rapid Transport
(BRT) system was under construction, it had been decided to escalate
work on the 1 km long segment of the Western Aqueduct where the
BRT is expected to run in order to minimise disruptions and ensure
that restricted access to businesses was minimised wherever possible.
EWS appeals to the public to bear with them, as it tackled
construction along this densely populated and complicated route
that experiences high volumes of traffic.
Construction began in January and will be finished by the third
quarter. Contracts for two further sections of the Western Aqueduct
– the Wyebank Break Pressure tank and the pipeline that will link the
Western Aqueduct to Mt. Moriah – are expected to be awarded during
the third quarter of 2015. These will run for 15 months.
The main truck pipeline running from Inchanga to Ntuzuma is
under construction and, in April 2015, the Kloof line along Haygarth
Road, running under the N3 to Tshelimnyama will begin.
All branch pipelines are expected to be completed by the third
quarter of 2017.
Msweli said that EWS was extremely proud of the progress made
on the second phase of the Western Aqueduct. He pointed out that the
eThekwini Municipality had recognised a need to be proactive and put
in place critical infrastructure that would have a major impact on the
future of one of South Africa’s most rapidly growing cities.
The first phase of the Western Aqueduct, which measures 20km
and stretches from the Umlaas Road Reservoir to Inchanga was
commissioned at the end of 2012.
Combined, these two phases of the Western Aqueduct are
intended to both replace and augment existing infrastructure that
brings water into Durban from the Midmar and recently constructed
Springrove Dams.
The Western Aqueduct is expected to significantly strengthen
the capacity of bulk water supply and meet the needs of the greater
eThekwini region for the next 30 years.
The Western Aqueduct project has been designed and is being
monitored by the Knight Piésold/Naidu Consulting/Royal Haskon-
ingDHV Joint Venture.
WESTERN AQUEDUCT
commissioned
14 km SECTION
of the
A 14 km stretch of pipeline from Inchanga
Station to Ashley Drive in Kloof, which makes
up the first two contracts of the R1,8-billion
second phase of the Western Aqueduct, is
currently being commissioned and tested
and should be fully operational by mid-year.
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The Ashley Drive break pressure tank is under construction, when complete
it will hold 20 mega litres of water.