Name and Location
Northern aqueduct augmentation (NAA) project, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Client
eThekwini Water and Sanitation.

Project Description
The NAA project forms part of the eThekwini strategic master plan to deal with the increasing demand for water in the northern regions of Durban.

It is expected that the NAA project will inject 150-million litres a day of water into the area. The supply area will include the north-eastern regions of Durban north of the Umgeni river, south of the Tongaat river and east of Ntuzuma. Urban developments planned for Cornubia, King Shaka Airport, Dube Trade Port and the surrounding regions will also benefit from the project.

Water from the Western aqueduct (WA) project is proposed to be injected into the NAA system through a pipeline linking Emachobeni to Umhlanga Rocks. The project will include some of the reservoirs in Ntuzuma and Phoenix, as well as the Blackburn reservoir, in Cornubia.

The project will comprise three engineering phases spanning 55 km.

In Phase 1, 18-m-long steel pipes, ranging from 1 200 mm to 700 mm in diameter, will be laid to link two existing reservoirs in Phoenix to the proposed Blackburn reservoir. The steel pipeline will continue onwards to connect to the existing reservoir, in Umhlanga Ridge.

Phase 2 will involve the construction of the 1 200-mm-diameter pipeline between Emachobeni and the Phoenix 4 reservoir. It will close the link between the WA project and the northern most portions of the eThekwini water supply network. This section of work will be constructed simultaneously with the construction of Phase 1.

Phase 3 will run from Ntuzuma to Ogunjini. It will comprise the laying of 22 km of 600 mm and 300 mm pipelines, the construction of a ten-million-litre capacity reservoir and a booster pumpstation in the Ntanda region.

Value
The project is estimated at R860-million.

Duration
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Construction of the NAA started in March.

Esor Franki Construction, which was awarded the contract for the first phase of the NAA project at the beginning of this year, is on site.

The tender to construct the Blackburn Reservoir will be awarded soon.

The NAA is not being built in linear fashion. Segments in areas of critical need will be developed first, which will allow for the back feeding of reservoirs to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of water.

Construction of the second contract of the NAA project is expected to begin during the first half of this year.

Completion of the first and second contracts is scheduled for the second quarter of 2015.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Knight Piésold Consulting and Naidu Consulting (feasibility study) and Esor Franki Construction (Phase 1).

On Budget and on Time?
Too early to state.

Contact Details for Project Information
eThekwini Municipality, tel +27 31 311 1111 or email sizakala@durban.gov.za.
Knight Piésold Consulting (South Africa), Iain Watson, tel +27 31 276 4660 or
fax +27 31 262 2950.
Naidu Consulting, tel +27 31 262 0272, fax +27 31 262 2547 or email info@naiduconsulting.com.
Esor Franki Construction, tel +27 11 776 8700, fax +27 11 822 1158 or email info@esorfranki.co.za.