7.

South Coast System

7.6.1

Nungwane Raw Water Pipeline

Planning No.

302.5

Project No.

UI0646A

Project Status

Design (as at January 2012)

Project Description
Water demands from the Amazimtoti WTP supply area have consistently increased over the years
with the AADD (12-month moving average) as at December 2012 equalling 51.34 M/day. The
sustainability of the growing demand and the efficient utilisation of the existing infrastructure
prompted the implementation of the South Coast Augmentation Booster Pump Station
(Section 7.6.1).
The implementation of the South Coast Augmentation Booster Pump Station will only be able to
sustain the total projected demand off Amanzimtoti WTP until the year 2020 with the support of the
treatment of water at the Amanzimtoti WTP. The existing 450 mm diameter Nungwane Raw Water
Pipeline (Figure 7.22), which supplies Amanzimtoti WTP with raw water, is in a poor condition due to
the corrosive action by sulphur-reducing-bacteria and this pipeline now has to be replaced.
The implementation of the South Coast Augmentation Booster Pump Station will afford a window of
opportunity to replace the existing Nungwane Raw Water Pipeline before the Amanzimtoti WTP is
required to augment the supply.
Key information on this project is summarised in Table 7.18.
Table 7.18 Project information: Nungwane Raw Water Pipeline.
Project Components:

New 450mm diameter, 14.7km long steel pipeline

Capacity:

20 M/day

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377

Figure 7.22 General layout of the Nungwane Pipeline.

Institutional Arrangements
The Nungwane Raw Water Pipeline will be owned, operated and maintained by Umgeni Water.

Beneficiaries
The replacement of the existing Nungwane Raw Water Pipeline will benefit the residents of the
Upper and Middle South Coast regions.

Implementation
The construction duration of this project is anticipated to be two years and is required by the year
2018. Currently the project is at Tender Stage. The total cost is estimated to be R 68.5 million.

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7.6.2

South Coast 2b Kelso to Umdoni

Planning No.
Project No.
Project Status

Feasibility (January 2013)

Project Description
The South Coast Pipeline (SCP) Project was initiated to extend the supply of water to the South Coast
Region. The project is implemented in a phased approach, with Phase 1 and Phase 2a completed.
The South Coast Phase 2b (SCP-2b) consists of a 600 diameter pipeline and forms two parts
extending southwards with an approximate length of 6km in total (Figure 7.23). The proposed
pipeline route runs parallel to the N2 highway, deviating from sensitive drainage areas and
vegetation where possible. The first section of SCP-2b will tie into the SCP-2a and lies between
Scottburgh South and Park Rynie. The remainder of the SC-2b pipeline continues from Kelso off-take
to Umdoni Reservoir.
The remainder of the South Coast Pipeline will ultimately be extended from Umdoni to Hibberdene
once the Lower uMkomazi Bulk Water Scheme is in place. The SCP will finally integrate with the
Bhobhoyi WTP (near Port Shepstone) Supply Scheme in the vicinity of Hibberdene. The integration of
the two schemes will provide a measure of operational flexibility. It will serve as a contingency for
drought situations in either system. The Lower Mkomazi scheme will provide an assured supply of
water to the area without being reliant on the Lower Mgeni System.

Institutional Arrangements
The bulk supply infrastructure of the Kelso to Umdoni link will be owned, operated and maintained
by Umgeni Water, who will sell potable water from this system to Ugu District Municipality as per
the Bulk Water Supply Agreement.

Beneficiaries
The construction of the South Coast Phase 2b pipelines will alleviate the pressure on the Umzinto
and the Mtwalume water treatment plants and supply system by supplying potable water directly to
communities within the Umdoni Municipality.

Implementation
The construction of this project is anticipated to be completed towards the end of October 2014.
The total cost is estimated to be R 65 million.

379

Figure 7.23 General layout of the proposed South Coast Pipeline Phase 2b.
380

7.6.3

Augmentation of Quarry Reservoir

Planning No.

305.12

Project No.

UI27

Project Status

Design is complete (as at January 2009)

Project Description
The immediate demand off the existing Quarry Reservoir is expected to be:

8.5 M/day Singhs and Clansthal

2 M/day Scottburgh South Reservoir (currently supplied from the SCP-1)
4.5 M/day Kelso Pennington supply off the SCP-2a
4.5 M/day Supplement to the Umzinto WTP only once both new links are installed.

This relates to an AADD of 19.5 M/day. At a peak day factor of 1.25, the immediate peak demand is
estimated at 24.4 M/day. With the current 7.5 M Quarry Reservoir, this equates to 9.23 hours of
storage on average demand and 7.38 hours of storage at peak demand.
Umgeni Water advocates 15 hours storage for a balancing reservoir if the reservoir is fed via a
pumping main, which in this case Quarry Reservoir is fed via the Umnini Pump Station.
The required storage based on the above requirement is 12 M when the existing 7.5 M reservoir
was constructed, provision was made to construct an additional 7.5 M section attached to the one
wall of the existing reservoir.
It is recommended that an additional 7.5 M reservoir be constructed as laid out in the design of the
existing reservoir (Figure 7.24 and Table 7.19).
Table 7.19 Project information: Augmentation of Quarry Reservoir.
Project Components:

An additional reservoir to augment the total storage capacity

Capacity:

7.5 M

381

382

Figure 7.24 General layout of the Quarry Reservoir Upgrade.

Institutional Arrangements
The Quarry Reservoir will be owned, operated and maintained by Umgeni Water.

Beneficiaries
The augmentation of the Quarry Reservoir will benefit the residents of the Upper and
Middle South Coast regions.

Implementation
The construction of this project is anticipated to be completed towards the end of May 2014. The
total cost is estimated to be R 15 million at 2012 prices.

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7.6.4

Ellingham Link

Planning No.

305.13

Project No.

UI105

Project Status

Design (as at January 2012)

Project Description
The Umzinto WTP is currently sustaining an average daily demand of 9.5 M/day. This current
demand is greater than the combined yield of both the dams. Since its commissioning, Phase 1 of
the South Coast Pipeline did remove some of the demand from the Umzinto WTP. However,
demands on the Umzinto System have continued to increase as a result of additional supply areas
being linked into the system.
It has become necessary to augment the water supply to the Umzinto WTP in order to reduce the
areas susceptibility to dry periods and to cater for future growth in water demands from the plant.
The proposed solution is to provide a link from the South Coast Pipeline to the Umzinto WTP.
The link pipeline will transport potable water from the Scottburgh South Reservoir to the
Umzinto WTP (via Ellingham Reservoir). Construction of the first section of this link from Ellingham
Reservoir to Umzinto WTP (known as the Umzinto Link) has been completed (Figure 7.25). This link
can immediately provide a measure of support of 2 M/day to the Umzinto WTP. This augmentation
can be increased to 4.5 M/day once the remaining section from the Scottburgh South Reservoir to
Ellingham Reservoir (known as the Ellingham Link) has been commissioned.

384

385

Figure 7.25 General layout of the Ellingham Link.

Key information on this project is summarised in Table 7.20.

Table 7.20 Project components and capacity for the Umzinto emergency project.
Project Components:

Ellingham Link
3 km long x 350mm diameter steel pipeline that links Scottburgh South
Reservoir to Ellingham Reservoir.

Scottburgh South Pump Station with two 9 M/day by 58m head, pump
sets (one operating and one standby).

Capacity:

9 M/day.

Institutional Arrangements
The bulk supply infrastructure of the Umzinto and Scottburgh South links will be owned, operated
and maintained by Umgeni Water, who will sell potable water from this system to Ugu District
Municipality as per the Bulk Water Supply Agreement.

Beneficiaries
The implementation of the Umzinto WTP emergency project will benefit the town of Umzinto and
surrounding inland rural areas.

Implementation
The construction of the Umzinto Link was completed in 2011. The Ellingham Link is currently being
designed and construction will be completed towards the end of May 2015. The total cost is
estimated to be R36.5 million.

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7.6.5

Mhlabatshane Bulk Water Supply Scheme

Planning No.

305.10

Project No.

UI0501

Project Status

Construction (as at January 2013 )

Project Description
Umgeni Water is currently implementing a bulk water supply scheme as part of a larger regional
scheme development by Ugu District Municipality, aimed at reducing water services backlogs in
certain rural areas in the Umzumbe and Hibiscus Coast Local Municipalities. This scheme extends
from Phungashe, within the Nhlangwini Tribal Authority in the north, to Assisi Mission, within the
Shabeni Tribal Authority, in the south. It falls mainly within the Umzumbe Local Municipality, is
bounded by Sisonke District Municipality in the north, the Mzimkulu River in the west and south, the
Umzumbe River in the east, and the Shabeni and KwaMadlala areas of the Hibiscus Local
Municipality in the south.
The bulk component of the scheme comprises of a dam on the Mhlabatshane River (a tributary of
the Mzumbe River), from where water will be pumped to a WTP situated in close proximity to the
command reservoir (Figure 7.26). Potable water will then be sold to Ugu District Municipality from a
command reservoir for reticulation through an extensive gravity-fed network to the various
communities in the area. Some of the reticulation components currently exist as stand-alone
schemes, with the remainder still to be installed.
When water demands from this scheme exceed the firm yield of the dam, then the intention is to
develop the second phase of the project. Water will be abstracted directly from the Mzimkhulu
River, pumped to the WTP (which will need to be upgraded) and then fed into the reticulation
system via a command reservoir.
Key information on this project is summarised in Table 7.21.

387

158

Figure 7.26 General layout of the Mhlabatshane BWSS.

Table 7.21 Project information: Mhlabatshane BWSS.

Project Components:

Phase 1:
Dam 29.9m high composite earth embankment and central concrete
spillway,
Raw water pump stations at the dam and intermediate booster;
Raw water rising main 400mm dia. steel pipeline 2900m length
WTP 4M/day upgradeable to 8M/day,
Potable water pump station,
Potable water rising main 350mm dia. uPVC pipeline,
Reservoir 2M upgradeable to 4M, and
Potable water gravity main 200mm dia. uPVC/steel.

Capacity:

4 M/day(initially)

Institutional Arrangements
Umgeni Water will own, operate and maintain the bulk water supply components of the Scheme.
Ugu District Municipality will own, operate and maintain all reticulation components of the Scheme.

Beneficiaries
The supply of water is at a basic level of service for domestic use only, and a 0% population growth
rate has been assumed as the area is regarded as being deep rural (Table7.22)
Table 7.22 Number of people per supply zone for Mhlabatshane BWSS.
Supply Zone

2007

2037

Bhekani

1197

1197

Nhlangwini (west)

25401

25401

KwaCele 1

11723

11723

Hlubi

4826

4826

Mabhaleni (west)

10426

10426

KwaCele K

9519

9519

Frankland

4200

4200

Qwabe P

6360

6360

Shabeni

16605

16605

KwaMadlala

10705

10705

Total

101062

101062

Implementation
The impounding of the Mhlabatshane Dam started on the 17 March 2012. The Water Treatment
Plant is under construction and will be completed in April 2014. The total estimated capital cost for
Phase 1 is R186 million.

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Phase 2
Water will be abstracted directly from the Mzimkhulu River, pumped to the existing WTP (which will
need to be upgraded) and then fed into the reticulation system via a command reservoir.
Key information on this project is summarised in Table 7.21.
Table 7.23 Project information: Mhlabatshane BWSS Phase 2.
Project Components:

Phase 2:

The proposed Phase 2 project will consist of the following

components:
Abstraction weir and abstraction works, with de-silting
mechanism
Raw water pump station and associated electrical and
mechanical works
Raw water rising main
Raw water intermediate/booster pump-stations and
associated electrical and mechanical works
Balancing tanks / reservoirs
The existing 4 M/day water treatment works is to be
upgraded to an 8M/day plant, which includes a clearwater pump station
Command Reservoir increase from 2M to 4M in storage
capacity
Eskom connection/s
Capacity:

8 M/day in total

Implementation
The total estimated capital cost for Phase 2 is R130 million and is currently in the Pre-feasibility
Stage.

390