Since yesterday, residents of Alexandra’s River Park settlement have, again, been without water.
The community reports that the Mahauzana water tankers ran dry and have yet to be refilled, forcing many to seek water from neighbouring areas just to get through the day.
A local leader, Mapule Mogoba, explained that the tanks are filled once, sometimes twice, a day, but the current supply falls short of meeting residents’ demand.
Read more: Alexandra residents present memorandum of demands to city
“We want water two times per day, in the morning and in the afternoon. Right now, it’s once a day, sometimes twice, but that’s not enough. This is a huge place, and people use water a lot because they have children.”
Residents say the shortage has become a recurring crisis, disrupting daily life and affecting small businesses that rely on water to operate.
Mogoba said early mornings are particularly tense because it is when the demand surges. Those who arrive late, often find empty tanks.
She also pointed to some avoidable logistical issues that worsen the situation. Sometimes the truck can’t get in because people park their cars by the gate.
Despite the growing frustration, Mogoba said she is not aware if there has been any formal meeting with Ward 81 councillor Joanne Horwitz to address the problem. If there was, she said it could have been with other community leaders.
Horwitz has previously acknowledged the issue, stating that the current tanker system was only meant to provide temporary relief.
Also read: Councillor seeks interim solution for River Park water issues
“I have got water tankers in, but that is clearly not enough. That’s just a temporary arrangement. I need to ask for more water tankers because I’m now being told they’re emptying.”
She stressed that, while emergency measures, like tankers, offer short-term solutions, they do not address the underlying infrastructure challenges.
She is exploring longer-term fixes, including the installation of temporary prepaid water meters to ensure more consistent access.
For now, River Park residents remain in limbo, waiting for water and hoping for a solution that lasts longer than a single refill.
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