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Pipe replacement to curb water loss
The eThekwini municipality has set aside an amount of R850 million for a pipe replacement project that will curb water loss.
The asbestos cement water pipe replacement project will stop water loss by approximately 10,06 percent.
The project kicked off in some areas in Durban during June 2007 and is intended to be complete by July 2010. The replacement of water pipes will take place in various areas of north, south, west and central Durban.
In a media briefing held at the Durban City Hall last Thursday, Neil Macleod, Head of water and sanitation, said more than 300 dwellers living in informal settlements would benefit from the project, with those living where water pipes were being replaced being provided with toilets and other facilities.
He said the project had created job opportunities for the unemployed.
Workers have a distinctive Asbestos-Cement (AC) Replacement logo, which verifies that they are genuine workers.
The AC replacement project will affect the entire municipality from Tongaat in the north to Umkomaas in the south and Cato Ridge in the west.
The municipality has experienced burst water pipes as many of them were laid 25 to 55 years ago.
During the digging and replacement of these pipes, water supply will be disrupted for some time and the community would be informed prior to work commencing.
eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) project executive Alan Kee said, “The original pipes date from the 1950s, with the resultant burst causing water loss and consumer inconvenience. The old burst-prone pipes are being replaced with modified polyvinyl chloride pipes that have an estimated 50-year lifespan,” he said.
“A major goal is to ensure that smaller, locally-based businesses benefit from work generated by this project,” Kee added.
The city loses more than R2 million annually on burst pipes which results in major water loss. It is said that the project maintains close ties with city councillors on a ward-by-ward basis. Water supply disruption posters will be erected two days in advance with community liaison officers communicating face-to-face.
A Community Liaison Officer will be selected for each area to ensure that communication is maintained between all stakeholders. EWS has opened a hotline should consumers have concerns: 080 131 3013.
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