Umgeni Water's Sham Harichunder says the Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant is operating at optimum level and full drinking water supply continues to be made to eThekwini Metro, iLembe District Municipality and Siza Water.
Over the past week potable water or drinking water production and supply from the Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant, outside Verulam, has been as per normal and in conformance with agreements.
According to Harichunder, on average, 85Ml/d (85 million litres) of raw water arrived at the plant to be treated and an average of 83Ml/d (83 million litres) were supplied as potable water to Umgeni Water’s customers, eThekwini Metro, iLembe District Municipality and Siza Water.
He explained that Umgeni Water was a water services provider which designates to it the role of bulk water service provider to Water Services Authorities (municipalities).
He said the function of Water Services Authorities (municipalities) was to supply water directly to consumers. Umgeni Water does not supply water to consumers (households, business, industry and Government sector, etc.).
Harichunder said: "Water received by eThekwini Metro is supplied to consumers in Waterloo, Verulam, Sea Tides and La Mercy. Of the total daily average 38, 26 Ml/d that was supplied to eThekwini Metro from the Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant over a 39-day period, between January 1, 2023 - February 8, 2023, supply to the Waterloo Reservoir averaged from a low of 4.3 Ml/d (12 January 2023) and peaked at 24.1Ml/d (1 February 2023).
“Water is supplied to the Waterloo Reservoir from the Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant through a pipeline of eThekwini Metro. Monitoring of water resources received and the levels of reticulation reservoirs is the responsibility of a Water Services Authority.
Harichunder said on January 11 at 5am, the eThekwini Metro control room requested Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant staff to stop pumping to the Waterloo Reservoir.
"The Waterloo pumps were tripping and the Umgeni Water artisans diagnosed and repaired the problem at 11pm, after which pumping to the Waterloo Reservoir resumed. On other days in this 39-day period, eThekwini Metro’s demands for the Waterloo Reservoir ranged from 11.2 Ml/d to 23.9 Ml/d. The agreed daily volumes of supply to the Waterloo Reservoir is 14 Ml/d," he said.
Harichunder said this means that in the 39-day period, demand for the Waterloo Reservoir was below the agreed volume of 14 Ml/ on six occasions, five of which were in January and one in February. On these days, demand ranged from 4.3 Ml/d to 12.4 Ml/d.
He said on the other days in this 39-day period, demand exceeded the agreed volume for the Waterloo Reservoir.
Harichunder explained that on Wednesday, February 8, water supply from the Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant was interrupted from midday to 1pm after staff of Umgeni Water were requested by an official of eThekwini Metro to halt pumping into the pipeline that conveys water into the Waterloo Reservoir because eThekwini Metro staff needed to repair a leak on this pipeline.
"Pumping resumed after an hour. Supply from the Hazelmere Water Treatment Plant to all of eThekwini Metro’s reservoirs in Verulam and Waterloo is occurring normally, although demand for the Waterloo Reservoir has increased significantly. As a consequence of increased demand, water balancing, between raw water that is conveyed to the plant and potable water that is produced, has to be regularly and carefully monitored," Harichunder said.
He added that when potable water storage on site is depleted significantly, pumping of raw water out of the plant is temporarily halted to allow the reservoirs to fill again to operating rule levels.
"Staff of Umgeni Water and eThekwini Metro are working closely together to try to identify sources of increased demand for the Waterloo Reservoir and develop ways of managing it to agreed volumes. Similarly, supply to iLembe District Municipality and Siza Water is also occurring normally through regular provision of contracted volumes. Water supplied to iLembe District Municipality is reticulated to consumers in Ndwedwe and Siza Water supplies consumers in Ballito and Umhlali," he said.
IOL