Umbilo River

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title: "Umbilo River" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rivers-of-kwazulu-natal"] topic_path: "general/rivers-of-kwazulu-natal" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbilo_River" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]

Field	Value
name	Umbilo River
native_name	zu
image	Umbilo River at Paradise Valley.jpg
image_caption	Umbilo River at Paradise Valley
pushpin_map	South Africa
subdivision_type1	Country
subdivision_name1	South Africa
subdivision_type3	Region
subdivision_name3	KwaZulu-Natal Province
mouth	Indian Ocean
mouth_location	Durban Harbour, South Africa
mouth_coordinates
::

| name = Umbilo River | native_name =zu | native_name_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = | image =Umbilo River at Paradise Valley.jpg | image_size = | image_caption =Umbilo River at Paradise Valley | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map =South Africa | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= Location of the Umbilo River mouth | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = South Africa | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = Region | subdivision_name3 = KwaZulu-Natal Province | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = | length = | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = | source1 = | source1_location = | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = | mouth = Indian Ocean | mouth_location =Durban Harbour, South Africa | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Construction_of_Umbilo_River_Bridge.jpg" caption="07}})"] ::

The Umbilo River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The river rises in Kloof to the west of the city of Durban and the mouth of the river is situated in Durban harbour.

The Umbilo River forms part of the Durban Metro's D'Moss trail and conservation efforts.

Environmental Issues

In 2015 residents complained about the constant pollution of the river over the previous two years, including terrible smell and a colour change to “smurf blue”. In October 2020, high levels of E. coli had been detected in the river, due to a malfunction at a sewage pump station. One week later 100 thousand litres of crude oil spilled into the Umbilo River.

In July 2020, a petition had been started by Greenpeace Africa and the uMbilo River Watch community group to stop the heavy pollution.

References

References

1. Tsinde, Sanelisiwe. (2015-11-08). "Umbilo River turns blue". Highway Mail.
2. Majola, Nokulunga. (2020-10-12). "Environmentalists raise concern over polluted Durban river".
3. Rall, Se-Anne. (2020-10-20). "LOOK: Thousands of litres of crude oil spills into Umbilo River".
4. Majola, Nokulunga. (2020-10-21). "Massive oil spill in Umbilo River".
5. Pillay, Delwyn. (2020-07-08). "STOP the ECOCIDE of the uMbilo River".
6. . (2020-07-17). ["Greenpeace volunteers demand end to ecocide of uMbilo River"](https://bereamail.co.za/241728/greenpeace-volunteers-demand-end-to-ecocide-of-umbilo-river/).

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