VerifiedUmgeni Water was the state-owned water board supplying bulk water across much of KwaZulu-Natal. In 2022 Umgeni Water absorbed its northern neighbour, Mhlathuze Water, and became uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW), one of the largest water boards in South Africa. The utility is headquartered at 310 Burger Street, Pietermaritzburg, and reports to the Department of Water and Sanitation.
- Registered name
- uMngeni-uThukela Water (formerly Umgeni Water)
- Type
- State-owned water board
- Fields funded
- Civil and chemical engineering, science, finance and water-related research
- Website
- umgeni.co.za
- Phone
- 033 341 1208
Water for Durban and beyond
uMngeni-uThukela Water operates dams, water treatment works, wastewater works and pipelines that supply municipalities, industry and households, including the eThekwini metro around Durban, Pietermaritzburg and many smaller towns, according to a provider record checked in August 2026. Its operations include major schemes on the uMngeni River system, which feeds some of South Africa’s busiest urban areas.
Why the utility needs engineers
Water and wastewater infrastructure requires specialist civil and chemical engineers to design, build and maintain it, and South Africa has a well-documented shortage of these skills relative to the scale of ageing infrastructure. KwaZulu-Natal’s growing population, drought risk and flood damage, such as the April 2022 floods, add to the pressure on bulk water systems.
Bursaries and training
The utility funds students at several levels. Its undergraduate bursary covers civil and chemical engineering, science and finance, paying registration and tuition, accommodation, meals, books and stationery, and has closed at the end of December in recent years. Bursars serve the utility under a service contract equal to the years funded. uMngeni-uThukela Water also runs graduate and in-service training and an internship programme, which closed on 10 December 2025.
In some years the utility offered a postgraduate bursary for master’s and PhD research applying Fifth Industrial Revolution tools to water, such as artificial intelligence, data science, drones, the internet of things, remote sensing and advanced materials. The last postgraduate call, for 2024, closed on 9 June 2023, with preference for KwaZulu-Natal residents and women encouraged to apply.
An old web address
The old umgeni.co.za address returned “site not found” when BursariesAfrica checked on 15 September 2026, reflecting the change of name. Look for uMngeni-uThukela Water’s current website and careers pages instead.
How to research the utility
Email graduate recruitment to ask whether undergraduate and postgraduate bursaries will run for 2027, and read about the utility’s bulk water projects.
See the Department of Water and Sanitation bursary, which closes on 30 September 2026.
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