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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
MAY
2015
PROJECTS AND CONTRACTS
Ednick Msweli, newly appointed head of eThekwini Water
and Sanitation (EWS) confirmed this week that the two
multi-million rand contracts that make up a portion of the
Northern Aqueduct Augmentation (NAA) are expected to be
complete in the fourth quarter this year.
This includes a 6 km section of the pipeline that begins at Duffs
Road and ends at the Phoenix 2 reservoir and a 22 km segment of
the pipeline that stretches from the Phoenix 2 Reservoir in Phoenix,
continues to Waterloo and then to Umhlanga with a feed to the
planned new Blackburn reservoir.
The current Northern Aqueduct has reached capacity on various
sections of the trunk mains as a result of growth in demand. As a
result, although there is sufficient water to meet current needs, there
is not sufficient network capacity to deliver it to areas that need it
most. Construction of the NAA will resolve this.
Msweli said that the NAA, which comprises seven individual
projects, would not be constructed in linear fashion. Segments in
areas of critical need will be put in place first.
He confirmed that, by the end of the year, the pipeline to the
Waterloo Reservoir will be complete. “This will alleviate the water
shortages and rationing currently being experienced in the Phoenix
and Waterloo areas. These areas currently receive water from
Hazelmere Dam which is low. We will be able to reroute water to
compensate for this.”
Martin Bright, project manager for the NAA, said that the actual
construction of these two contracts was complex with special meas-
ures being taken to accommodate residents, preserve environmen-
tally sensitive flora and rehabilitate excavation sites.
Although a large portion of the pipeline has been routed through
sugar cane fields, a critical portion does traverse busy residential
areas, crossing busy thoroughfares. He urged residents to be patient
as EWS worked to alleviate the
water shortages that are currently
causing concern.
He said motorists could expect
traffic interruptions over the
next two months along Phoenix
Highway. As the road is not wide,
construction has to extend into
the road.
Bright added that EWS had
already commissioned consult-
ants to undertake the Environ-
mental Impact Assessment and
design of the link from Reser-
voir Hills (also known as Durban
Heights) to Duffs Road. This will go
out to tender in early 2016.
Construction of the 30 month
long contract is expected to start
in mid-2016. This, too, will entail
an extremely complex construc-
tion process that involves excava-
tion and laying of a 1,2 m diameter
steel pipe along a route of approx-
imately 15 kms.
Phases of
AQUEDUCT
nearing completion
Construction of R250-million worth of
urgently needed bulk water infrastructure
in the northern part of the eThekwini
region is nearing completion.
>
Excavating the trench along which the 1,2 m diameter water pipe will be laid
to allow sufficient bulk water to supply the northern parts of Durban.
The bulk water pipe has been laid in
the excavated area in the centre of the
Phoenix Highway.