The eThekwini Water Department has revealed that acts of sabotage were responsible for the extended water outages experienced in the northern areas of the municipality, leaving residents without access to water for an agonizing eight days.
Ednick Msweli, the Head of Water and Sanitation at the eThekwini municipality, detailed the challenges faced in restoring water supply, attributing the delay to deliberate tampering with the water system. He clarified that this act of sabotage was not an isolated incident confined to uMhlanga but rather part of a concerning pattern witnessed within the eThekwini area.
Msweli says, “We had a similar incident several months ago, where the pressure reducing valve (PRV) that affects the water supply to the central business district (CBD) of eThekwini was also tampered with. This resulted in water outages affecting the entire CBD.”
In the specific uMhlanga incident, investigators found that two air valves had been deliberately closed. According to Msweli, this act of sabotage was carried out by an individual with a clear understanding of the equipment’s functionality and the profound impact it would have on the municipality’s ability to provide water.
The deliberate interference with critical water infrastructure has not only inconvenienced residents but has also raised serious concerns about the vulnerability of essential services to malicious acts. Authorities are working to address the issue while ensuring that residents regain access to a reliable water supply as swiftly as possible.
ETHEKWINI NEWSFLASH FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
26 SEPTEMBER 2023IMPROVEMENT OF WATER SUPPLY IN UMHLANGA AND DURBAN NORTH
Most households in uMhlanga and Durban North are now receiving water following improvements in reservoirs levels in these areas.
— eThekwini Municipality (@eThekwiniM) September 26, 2023
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