Question NW1470 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
19 August 2020 - NW1470
Mohlala, Mr M to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
What measures has her department put in place to guarantee bulk infrastructure that will transfer water to the people of Cinci in Ward 11 KwaMbonambi in the King Cetshwayo District in KwaZulu-Natal and (b) by what date will this infrastructure be in place to finally provide the community with access to water?
Reply:
Ward 11 of uMfolozi Municipality receives water from Nseleni Bulk Water Supply Pipeline through the Nseleni Pump Station, which receives its supply from the City of uMhlathuze. The existing Nseleni bulk water pipeline supplies water to Upper Nseleni, Khoza, Nseleni Town and KwaMbonambi areas. This pipeline is connected to the Mandlazini bulk reservoirs in Richards Bay with the Mzingazi Water Treatment Works (WTW) connected to the Mzingazi Lake as the source. The water supply from Nseleni is currently pumped for 18 - 24hrs/day into two reservoirs, the Shandu/Baqoge and Mawombe Reservoirs.
In addition, there are four operational boreholes within the aforementioned Ward. The Cinci borehole near Mawombe Stadium has one standpipe.
There are a number of illegal connections in the area that have a negative effect on the water supply to the Shandu/Baqoge and Mawombe Reservoirs. There is an area known as Mgababa located in-between the abovementioned reservoirs that does not have a reticulation system. The community in Mgababa has connected illegally on the rising main to Mawombe Reservoir resulting in the Mawombe reservoir receiving limited water.
The Councillor together with the strike committee members have been engaged to assist in dealing with the illegal connections. However, more illegal connections have been made to the pumping main, cutting water supply to the Mawombe reservoir. The situation is exacerbated by the limited water supply from the City of uMhlathuze because the area was affected by the drought.
The King Cetshwayo District Municipality is planning to augment bulk water supply to the Cinci area through the installation of an additional reservoir between the two existing reservoirs to service the Mgababa area thereby releasing water to the Mawombe Reservoir. This project will be implemented in 2021.
While the uMfolozi Municipality is attending to all water supply challenges within its area of jurisdiction, the priority is to address backlogs in areas where there is no water supply infrastructure services. These areas are currently being serviced through water tankers.