Work to rehabilitate the Sundays River Canal is expected to begin tomorrow, the 24th June 2024, until the 04th July 2024.
The canal within the Lower Sundays Government Scheme (LSGWS), supplies domestic and industrial users in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM).
Gary van Niekerk, Executive Mayor of the Metro, said the rehabilitation is important to secure reliability and sustainability of water supply for various water users.
Last month, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) said the repair of the canal is a result of a May 2017 incident, where a section of the canal embarkment slipped, about 4.4km south of Enon. The department then constructed a temporary embarkment using a plastic membrane, but now, a secondary embankment failure has occurred.
Now engineers must demolish the canal upstream and tie-in sections, downstream.
At a briefing on Friday, Van Niekerk urged residents to use water sparingly because NMBM remains dependent on supply of water from the Scheepersvlakte Balancing Dam, which can only supply 70 Mililiters of water per day.
The DWS has allowed the Municipality to use more water from the Kouga, Loerie, Church and Impofu schemes, during this period.
Despite recent heavy rains, NMBM’s
largest water supply, Impofu dam remained at around 42%.
Who will be most affected?
Residents supplied by the Nooitgedagt and Western reservoirs are expected to have low pressure and water outages during the rehabilitation.
Nooitgedagt supplies Motherwell, Wells Estate, Bluewater Bay, Parts of Chatty, Kariega and Despatch.
The Western Supply areas include Bloemandal, Chatty, Bethelsdorp, Despatch and Reservoir Hills.
Barry Martin, NMBM Senior Director, said the Nooitgedagt scheme and inner city boreholes will supply 70 Mililiters per day to Motherwell, Wells Estate, Bluewater Bay, parts of Chatty, Kariega and Despatch.
The Coega Kop Water Treatment Works will supply the Coega SEZ and Markman.
Picture: Supplied