The eThekwini Municipality said it will be restricting water flow between 9pm and 4am until Reservoir 2 and 3 at the Durban Heights Water facility recover. File Picture: Shelley Kjonstad / African News Agency (ANA) Archives
The eThekwini Municipality said it will be restricting water flow at night to help recover reservoir levels at the Durban Heights Water facility in Reservoir Hills.
The restricted flow is a result of a “drastic reduction” in water pressure and flow to reservoirs, the city said on Wednesday.
The DH Treatment Works facility also reportedly experienced a power outage that affected the levels at Reservoir 2 and 3.
“Due to the current low level of Reservoir 2 and 3 at Durban Heights, the eThekwini bulk supply system has not yet fully recovered. This has resulted in potable water reservoir levels not being monitored and managed efficiently.
“In order to improve the water supply system, it was jointly agreed by both the city and Umgeni-uThukela Water that there will be restricted flows during the night. Operation teams will be shutting some reservoir inlets and outlets to help recovery of Reservoir 2 and 3 levels as quickly as possible,” the municipality said.
The restriction will begin at 9pm and end at 4am and has been in effect since Tuesday night.
The municipality has not stated when the restriction will come to an end but said “until levels at Reservoir 2 and 3 recovered substantially to fully pressurise the system”.
In September, the municipality said it's budgeting R1 billion towards fixing water infrastructure issues around the city in the upcoming financial year.
This came shortly after the South African Human Rights Commission released the “KZN Water Inquiry” report which said the municipality violated the rights of residents by failing to provide them with clean drinking water.
“To ensure supply of potable water to the communities we serve, the municipality has budgeted R1 billion for water services for the 2023/2024 financial year.
“This budget will be spent on the Southern Aqueduct project and the replacement of the water pipe system. Over the Medium-Term Revenue Expenditure Framework, R2.1 billion will be spent on the replacement of water pipes and other water loss interventions,” the municipality said.
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