AN EMERGENCY project to raise the level of Hazelmere Dam, which serves a series of towns in northern KwaZulu-Natal, is close to completion and has contributed to lifting the water level to about 32% of capacity this week.
Severe drought has been felt in KwaZulu-Natal for more than a year, with water restrictions in effect in areas since September 2014. The province was declared a disaster area in October 2015.
Areas supplied by Hazelmere Dam include Verulam, Grange, La Mercy, Ballito and Umdloti.
Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane said on Tuesday the emergency solution was to build a pumping station and a 7.5km temporary pipeline to carry between 8-million and 12-million litres of water a day from the uThongathi River to the dam. This, combined with water restrictions, had helped to stabilise water levels in the dam.
She said although the emergency scheme was contributing, good rainfalls were needed to make a significant difference. High risks remained and consumers were urged to continue to save water.
In March, Umgeni Water said it would pump water from the uThongathi only until there was enough water to fill Hazelmere Dam to 70%, and as long as there was enough water in the river to supply the dam, as well as Tongaat Hulett’s mill and water treatment plant. The level of the river usually drops in winter, as KwaZulu-Natal receives most of its rain in spring and summer.
In April, the presidential infrastructure co-ordinating commission agreed to build or expand six dams in the next decade, one of which was Hazelmere. Department of Water and Sanitation spokesman Sputnik Ratau said on Tuesday the project was still in the planning phase, but it hoped to complete plans in the near future.
Delivery of water from completed dams was sometimes held up because of delays in completing reticulation at local level.
More than a decade ago, the department commissioned a study into the feasibility of raising the Hazelmere dam wall, but in a position paper in 2012, it said there were geotechnical issues relating to the stability of the dam wall. This had increased the capital cost of heightening the wall from R160m to R359m and the time of completion from two years to three.
Hazelmere Dam, north of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, in June. Picture: THULI DLAMINI
AN EMERGENCY project to raise the level of Hazelmere Dam, which serves a series of towns in northern KwaZulu-Natal, is close to completion and has contributed to lifting the water level to about 32% of capacity this week.
Severe drought has been felt in KwaZulu-Natal for more than a year, with water restrictions in effect in areas since September 2014. The province was declared a disaster area in October 2015.
Areas supplied by Hazelmere Dam include Verulam, Grange, La Mercy, Ballito and Umdloti.
Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane said on Tuesday the emergency solution was to build a pumping station and a 7.5km temporary pipeline to carry between 8-million and 12-million litres of water a day from the uThongathi River to the dam. This, combined with water restrictions, had helped to stabilise water levels in the dam.
She said although the emergency scheme was contributing, good rainfalls were needed to make a significant difference. High risks remained and consumers were urged to continue to save water.
In March, Umgeni Water said it would pump water from the uThongathi only until there was enough water to fill Hazelmere Dam to 70%, and as long as there was enough water in the river to supply the dam, as well as Tongaat Hulett’s mill and water treatment plant. The level of the river usually drops in winter, as KwaZulu-Natal receives most of its rain in spring and summer.
In April, the presidential infrastructure co-ordinating commission agreed to build or expand six dams in the next decade, one of which was Hazelmere. Department of Water and Sanitation spokesman Sputnik Ratau said on Tuesday the project was still in the planning phase, but it hoped to complete plans in the near future.
Delivery of water from completed dams was sometimes held up because of delays in completing reticulation at local level.
More than a decade ago, the department commissioned a study into the feasibility of raising the Hazelmere dam wall, but in a position paper in 2012, it said there were geotechnical issues relating to the stability of the dam wall. This had increased the capital cost of heightening the wall from R160m to R359m and the time of completion from two years to three.
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