COMMUNITIES of Macambini, Manda Farm and the outskirts of the Mandeni central business area will no longer have to drink unpurified Thukela River water shared with animals, thanks to the R20-million Macambini Bulk Water Supply Project.
This was the message from iLembe District Municipality Mayor, Cllr Welcome Mdabe, when addressing the community at the oThukela Sports Ground on Saturday.
The mayor said it was important for the municipality to have the EIA meeting so that the community can play a role in making sure that their basic need for water is met properly without negatively impacting on the environment.
‘There are many roles you have to play regarding how the water will get to you.
‘As the municipality we recognise that there are animals, trees and people that are part of the environment and that we must make sure that in the process of bringing service delivery to you, you are not inconvenienced.’
The Macambini Bulk Water Supply Project will see a 6.2km long pipe being constructed which will carry water from Resevoir A in Sundumbili to J1, Majuba and Manda Farm areas to the Mandeni pump station with other smaller pipes feeding into these areas.
Work on the project is scheduled to begin in June next year and is expected to create 60 temporary jobs and five permanent posts with local contractors standing to benefit from the project.
Mayor Mdabe told residents that the reason it had taken so long to bring the project to the people was because of the non-settling of water accounts by ratepayers with R251-million being owed to iLembe by the ratepayers.
