Vaal Dam reaches high water levels but water crisis persists
Recent heavy rainfall in Gauteng has replenished the province's water levels but infrastructure issues continue to plague the region.
The recent heavy rainfall in Gauteng has brought a welcome relief to the province’s water levels, with the Vaal Dam reaching capacity.
Ward 56 Clr Michael Crichton, who visited the dam in January and again in March, noted a significant increase in water levels.
However, despite the dam being full the Gauteng Province continues to lose a substantial amount of water because of non-revenue water, which includes water leaks, pipe bursts, and illegal connections.
Crichton pointed to the failing and poorly maintained infrastructure and the lack of effort by Joburg Water (JW) to address the water supply issues as major contributors to the problem.
“Infrastructure needs to be maintained and developed to cope with the increasing population in the province, not just Joburg south. The Vaal Dam has water and water supply system improvement is all that Joburg Water should focus on,” said Crichton.
JW spokesperson Nombuso Tshabalala spoke to the Comaro Chronicle about the situation.
“As the water levels are a major help in water supply, unfortunately, we still have to deal with infrastructure and piping issues. The piping systems in Johannesburg need a lot of attention and improving those systems will solve the water crisis and is what JW focuses on,” said Tshabalala.
As the province celebrates the replenished water levels, it is clear that more needs to be done to address the underlying infrastructure issues and ensure a reliable water supply for the region.
