Durban - A baseline study is being conducted on the water losses experienced by eThekwini Municipality as part of the Water Conservation and Demand Management initiative, water entity Umgeni Water has revealed.
The study comes as a result of an agreement between the City and the water entity which was reached in September last year.
It is hoped that once completed, the initiative will result in a massive cut in water losses by the municipality.
According to the auditor-general’s report on eThekwini, the City had water losses of 56.2%, meaning it was losing more than half of the water purchased from Umgeni Water.
The municipality is the water entity’s biggest client.
Umgeni Water stakeholder relations manager Shami Harichunder revealed that the initiative would look at, among other areas: Identifying locations where significant water losses are prevalent. Evaluating the extent of losses and developing strategies to manage them through measures that produce tangible results. “When the baseline study is completed, its findings, recommendations and management plans will be presented to eThekwini Metro, the Department of Water and Sanitation, KwaZulu-Natal Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department and other stakeholders,” said Harichunder.
Harichunder indicated that the Department of Water and Sanitation and the KZN Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department have been updated about the agreement and partnership and have endorsed the initiative.
“It is common knowledge that one of the major causes of water losses is ageing infrastructure, which requires significant investment for replacement or repair.
“A constraint remains inadequate or lack of funding,” he said.
He added that the study among initiatives being undertaken which were aimed at managing available water resources effectively while construction and commissioning of the uMkhomazi Water Project was under way.
“The uMkhomazi Water Project is a sustainable means of augmentation through provision of water from a new source, the Umkhomazi River.
“The sheer magnitude of this project means that, at a conservative estimate, it will take approximately seven years for construction to be completed,” Harichunder said.
The project will be constructed at an estimated cost of R30 billion and is expected to deliver 600Ml/d of potable water to eThekwini Metro, which is required to supply the outer west of Durban.
South African Water Chamber’s Benoît Le Roy said while it was worrying that a lot of water was lost by cities, it came as no surprise.
The chamber is an entity that advocates for investment in the water sector, which it regards as crucial for the country’s development.
“The SA water architecture dates to 1956 and needs a serious rework in my opinion – its not working,” said Le Roy.
Aside from the infrastructure, Le Roy added, load shedding was affecting the delivery of water.
“Water delivery systems are not designed to be switched on and off, which is what load shedding is doing and destroying infrastructure beyond repair,” he said.
He expressed concern at the high level of water loss in eThekwini, labelling it catastrophic and in need of being remediated without delay.
According to Le Roy, it is important to have a clear plan on water as it plays an important role in people’s daily lives and is important for development.
At an ANC KZN rally to celebrate the governing party’s 111th anniversary, ANC KZN chairperson Siboniso Duma acknowledged that water supply and provision remained a challenge and there needed to be greater efforts from the government to ensure that everyone had access to it.