Reducing non-revenue water in the city 

THE CITY is rolling out a non-revenue water educational and awareness campaign, in collaboration with Umngeni-uThukela, to encourage the public to conserve water. 

The campaign kicked off at the Workshop Shopping Centre and in the Warwick Market on 14 February where the public was educated about the negative impact of non-revenue water as well as being encouraged to conserve water. 

Non-revenue water is produced, clean water which is lost somewhere in the water distribution system and never reaches its final destination. This means water that is not used or paid for. This affects the City's revenue and available resources. 

EThekwini Municipality is facing the global challenge of water scarcity and is grappling with dwindling available water resources that are unable to meet the current demands. 

Currently, the Municipality faces the high non-revenue water with a ratio of 56.7 percent. This is attributed to ageing and vandalism of infrastructure and illegal water connections. This results in water supply not being shared equitably among residents. 

The City urges the public to save water and to use it sparingly to avoid a drought in the future. The public is encouraged to report leaks timeously and to report any vandalism and illegal connections. 

The Municipality has assembled a team to formulate a plan and implement strategic interventions to reduce non-revenue water to acceptable levels. Remedial action includes pipe replacement, installation of pressure reducing valves, reservoir inlet and outlet metering, investigation of properties with zero consumption, and the installation of meters in informal settlements. Some of these interventions are already underway and are starting to bear tangible results. 

  siphelele.buthelezi@durban.gov.za 

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Hope restored for Stonebridge residents 

As part of water restoration efforts in Phoenix, Ward 39, a team from the City's Water and Sanitation Construction Branch is hard at work upgrading the 

existing asbestos pipes to MPVC pipes. 

This aims to improve water quality and pressure and as well as reduce frequent burst pipes. 

The project started in 2021 and is expected to be completed by December. The project covers 20 783km. The size of the pipelines being laid range from 200 diameters to 75mm MPVC, and 50mm to 25mm high density polyethylene pipes feeding from the Phoenix Reservoir 1.

The allocated budget for this project is R20 million, funded by the Urban Settlement Development Grant. 

This project consists of an internal team of 50, and 13 people from the community employed as general workers. 

Project Manager Thokozani Madonsela said the project is being solely run by the Water and Sanitation Unit. 

The Unit is working with the Roads and Stormwater Department to rehabilitate excavated roads and sidewalks during the pipe laying process. 

     lethiwe.ngcobo@durban.gov.za