Water: Ballito aims to get it right

Following recent water supply shortages in Ballito during the 2011 / 2012 festive season, the iLembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (ICCIT) has been investigating the causes of the shortages and the way forward for residents.

ICCIT CEO Trenley Tilbrook said, “We are concerned about the impact the water shortages had on our local economy, especially from a tourism and investment perspective. While there are a number of initiatives in place to help market the north coast as a hot destination, we need to ensure that basic supporting infrastructure is in place.”

The Chamber of Commerce spoke to the relevant authorities and technical experts to try to get a better understanding of what happened and how the problem could be avoided in the future.

The KZN north coast’s infrastructure is under pressure due to several new developments built over the past few years. Plans to upgrade infrastructure supplying water to the area from Hazelmere Dam were delayed, adding to the pressure.

Extra strain

Tilbrook said, “The addition of a few thousand tourists and holidaymakers put extra strain on the system. This, combined with what we suspect were operational issues, meant the slightest hiccup would halt the water supply.”

Clearly this is an issue that needs to be rectified for an area that sees tourism as a big driver of development and job creation for the future (not to mention the impact on business and industry, and inconvenience to residents). Tilbrook said the authorities had assured the ICCIT that plans were under way to rectify the water supply problem.

Work on a new water pipeline from Hazelmere Dam was the given utmost priority and will begin shortly. The pipeline is expected to be completed in December. A task team is in place and looking at ways to increase efficiency and develop an operating plan to minimise risks while the new pipeline is being built.

A steering committee comprising stakeholders; Umgeni Water, Siza Water, iLembe District Municipality and ICCIT was formed to monitor the progress. Medium-to-long term plans are being investigated and include supplying water south from the Tugela and the possibilities of a desalination plant.

Tilbrook said, “While noting that the water supply shortages were unacceptable and caused damage to business and the area’s image, the issues are not insurmountable and we must not stop promoting the north coast and Ballito as the fastest growing destination in the country.”

For info/contact iLembe Chamber of Commerce: info@ilembechamber.co.za