Staff Reporter
eThekwini Municipality has completed a key water pipeline upgrade in Prospecton, replacing an ageing asbestos cement main with a steel pipeline intended to stabilise supply to a major south Durban industrial area and nearby communities.
The city said the project, which began in June 2025, involved replacing a 375mm asbestos cement pipeline with a new 400mm steel pipeline after repeated failures on the old line.
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It said municipal teams worked through the weekend to complete tie-ins along Prospecton Road, with only a few household connections still to be finalised.
“The completion of this pipeline replacement marks a significant milestone in our commitment to provide reliable and sustainable water services. This upgrade will drastically reduce service interruptions and support the continuous operations of businesses in Prospecton, safeguarding both production and economic activity in the region,” the city’s Executive Director for Technical Services, Ednick Msweli, said.
Prospecton is home to major manufacturers, including Toyota South Africa Motors.
In August 2025, during an engagement with Toyota, the municipality said the same project formed part of efforts to improve water supply in the area, alongside road and other infrastructure investment in the Prospecton precinct.
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The city said the pipeline replacement cost R13.5 million, while the total project cost, including road reinstatement, was R25 million.
A day later, however, the municipality said water supply from the Prospecton Water Pump Station to the Athlone Park Reservoir had been temporarily disrupted by vandalism affecting the station’s mechanical and electrical panels.
It said repairs were expected to be completed later on Tuesday, with Athlone Park, Amanzimtoti, Umbogintwini and Orient Hills listed as affected areas.
The municipality did not say the newly completed pipeline itself had been vandalised.