The Western Aqueduct, Durban’s biggest ever bulk water pipeline project, is well underway. Residents in the Upper Highway area are asked to please bear with eThekwini Water and Sanitation as install massive 1 400mm (1.4m) steel pipeline that will bring much needed bulk water to Durban.

The WA project as a whole extends from Umlaas Road, through Inchanga, Alverstone, Hillcrest and New Germany from where it crosses the Umgeni River to Ntuzuma. The first phase of the Western Aqueduct, from Umlaas Road to Inchanga, has already been constructed and was commissioned in December 2011.

Two contracts for the construction of the second phase of the pipeline have been awarded and construction is already underway. Contract 1 - from Inchanga to Alverstone Nek Reservoir – would not adversely affect most road users as the bulk of the construction activities are taking place within registered servitude areas and on private properties.

However, the contract 2  - from Alverstone Nek Reservoir to Ashley Drive in Hillcrest – is expected to cause disruption and have a major impact on road users as construction activities will take place in and across busy roads from Assegai to Hillcrest.

Construction work is scheduled to have the minimum negative impact on road users. Attempts will be made to accommodate road users, especially residents, as much as possible. In addition, EWS will do its utmost to notify drivers of potential blockages or road closures well ahead of time so that they can plan alternative routes.

The actual pipeline excavation for the second contract, in road reserves, will begin during the week of October 28. Trenches of various lengths will be excavated but the scheduling of this will be such as to cause as little disruption to residents as possible. Access to properties will be maintained at all times with specific disruption for a couple of hours when the pipe is placed into the trench and when the trench is open in front of a driveway entrance.

Roads that will be affected by pipeline are:

·Cadmoor Road: Approximately half of the length of Cadmoor Road will be dug up to accommodate the pipeline construction. Road users can expect major disruptions from November 04.  Road users should note that segments of Cadmoor Road will be closed and that travel in a single direction will only be permitted, either to the left from the driveway entrance or to the right, depending on the location of the pipe trench.

The pipeline will be laid in short lengths with trenches of about 25 metres long excavated at any given time. Once all the pipes have been installed, the road will be widened and straightened. 

·Emoyeni Drive: Pipeline construction in front of Hillcrest Primary School will be undertaken during the December school holidays after schools have closed. Should construction work in this portion of Emoyeni Drive progress well, the work will continue across Hospital Road into Tunzini Road up to the point when schools re-open in 2014.

The Commonage Road/Emoyeni Drive one way system which prevails during peak hours will be implemented on a permanent basis during pipeline construction in Emoyeni Drive. There might be a need to have the one way system in a clock wise direction at times. Residents will access via Emoyeni into Ntuzuma road.

·Hospital Road and Tunzini Road: The crossing over Hospital Road and pipeline construction along Tunzini Road will unfortunately cause some disruption. This construction work will take place during December 2013.

·Assegai Road: The pipe will cross this road and an open trench method will be used. Disruption will be caused but the work will be scheduled to minimise this as much as possible.

·Shongweni Road: The pipe will be constructed along this road. Road closures and stop go systems will be implemented.

·Tunzini Road: The pipe will be constructed along this road. Road closures and stop go systems will be implemented.

·Stonewall Road: The pipe will be constructed along this road. Work in Stonewall Road will be executed at times of low traffic flow.

·Ashley Drive: The pipeline will cross Ashley Drive. This will be executed over a weekend and at night to minimise disruption.

·Lello Road: The pipeline will cross this road. Realignment of the road will be done on the section from Old Main Road to Cadmoor Road upon completion of the pipeline construction.

·Old Main Road, corner of Shongweni Road, at the Heritage Market: Construction work for a pipe jack at the entrance to the Heritage market will commence in January 2014.  .

In addition to road closures and disruptions, both motorists and pedestrians need to be aware that most of the roads in the area will be used as access routes and haulage routes and will be used by heavy vehicles carrying large pipes, trench backfill material as well as vehicles which will remove spoil. Road users need to take the necessary precautions at all times.

The following roads will experience construction traffic for the duration of the construction period:

·Clement Stott Road

.The full length of Lello Road

·Cadmoor Road

·Gevers Road

·Assegai Road

· Kassier Road

·Sutton Place, Rapson Road, Gillit Road, Montrose Avenue and Knelsby Avenue

·Commonage Road, Emoyeni Drive, Hospital Road, Tunzini Road and Shongweni Road

·Stonewall Road

·Old Main Road