Benoni residents expressed dismay after learning that the newly completed 5.5-megalitre Northmead water tower in Hospital Road has yet to come into operation.

Ward 27 Clr Lornette Joseph revealed this after taps once again ran dry over the weekend of September 12.

The outage was attributed to a pump stoppage at Rand Water’s Zwartkoppies pump station, which feeds the Benoni reservoir and in turn supplies the Northmead water tower.

However, upon enquiry, the City of Ekurhuleni’s (CoE) Department of Water and Sanitation informed Joseph that the tower, officially opened on June 13 by MMC for Water and Sanitation Thembi Msane, was 70% full but not yet supplying the system.

“According to officials the setback was due to a delay in chemically treating the water,” she said.

CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed that work at the R47m tower was suspended by the contractor at the end of June due to delayed payment certificates.

“To improve the efficiency of the new structure, the on-site contractor was issued a snag list to complete, however, work was delayed due to a payment dispute,” he said.

“This had a direct impact on the chemical treatment process.”

Dlamini explained that in line with water quality management guidelines, chlorine was added and fresh water was pumped into the tower to aid agitation on September 15.

“The treated water will be left to stand for a week to allow for full absorption of the chlorine. Thereafter water quality tests will be conducted,” he said.

“If the results are in line with the required SANS 241 (water quality standard for drinking water) and deemed fit for consumption, the tower will become fully operational. If contamination is detected, the water will be flushed out, the tower will be sterilised, refilled, treated and tested before water is released into the supply system.”

Test results are expected by September 30.

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