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area of Umgeni Water was 2 176 km 2 , and subsequently 7 092 km 2 . This area was
increased to approximately 24 000 km 2 by virtue of Proclamation Proc 101/94 dated the
21 st of January 1994. The new area stretches from the Tugela River mouth inland, then
down to the Lesotho border and along the Mzimkulu and Mkomazi rivers to the sea.
Besides urban areas such as Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Wartburg, Howick and Hilton (in the
previous supply area), additional urban areas served are Stanger; Kranskop; Greytown;
Mooi River; Impendle; Himeville; Underberg; Richmond, and Ixopo. Also included are a few
urban areas in KwaZulu, plus numerous rural districts". The new area encompasses
some 5 000 000 people. Consideration is being given to extending this area southwards
to the Transkei border.
A recently commissioned project, riamely, the South Coast Augmentation Scheme will
supplement bulk water supplies for the industrial and residential areas south of Durban.
The scheme will result in an additional 27 Mt day·1 of water for the area. The scheme
is designed to prevent a recurrence of water restrictions, which were imposed during the
1993/94drought, for all consumers supplied from the Nungwane Dam. Umgeni Water has
also assumed responsibility for the supply of bulk water to certain consumers originally
served by the Southern Natal Joint Services Board. The area concerned is the coastal belt
from Amanzimtoti to Mtwalume. Umgeni Water will accordingly manage the Mtwalume,
Umzinto and Craigieburn waterworks as well as the E.J. Smith and Umzinto dams, plus
all associated river abstraction sites.
The supply area of Mhlatuze Water is 36 000 km 2 . The area served, stretches from Kosi
Bay along the Mozambique border, south along the Swaziland border (including the town
of Pongola intheTransvaall, then parallel to the Pongola River, around Vryheid, proceeding
in a southerly direction to the Tugela River, and down to the coast. Urban areas served
by Mhlatuze Water include Richards Bay, Empangeni, Eshowe, Ulundi IKwaZulul, Vryheid,
Mkuze, Hluhluwe, Mtunzini and Mandini. Large parts of rural KwaZulu are included in the
supply area. Mhlatuze Water owns the Empangeni and Lake Nseze waterworks, with
possible future ownership of the Hluhluwe, Mkuze and Mtubatuba waterworks. The
organization does not own any dams or sewage works.
"
An ambitious programme. known as the Rural Areas Water and Sanitation Plan (RAWSP). was
initiated by Umgeni Water in 1990 to provide reticulated water to black peri-urban and rural
households in the Umgeni Water supply area. Some 400 000 people have already been supplied with
purified water. The programme, which includes sanitation projects. is on-going.