Recently some residents approached HERAUT for assistance, after the water supply to several households was completely cut off for up to five hours a day.
Several residents have angrily responded, saying: “The water pressure drops drastically resulting in damage to geysers and washing machines. Because of the low water pressure, we cannot have proper showers or baths. The elderly are especially vulnerable as they cannot drink their medication or even have a hot bath or shower. Certain days, there is no water at all or it gets cut off in the middle of the day, which means we must rush home to switch off the geyser to save from further damage. We cannot flush toilets or wash our clothes properly and this must stop now. This has been going on for way too long and disrupting lives. We are ratepayers and we expect service delivery and these problems to be resolved.”
A drop in the water pressure is often caused by anything from a burst water pipe to damaged pressure pumps, faulty valves, dirt and mud in the pipeline network or even small pieces of debris, but once reported, the problem should be resolved as soon as possible, as running water is a basic need. According to the South African Constitution every citizen is however, entitled to a certain amount of free water. This is in accordance with the country’s Free Basic Water Access policy and any problem to the system should be attended to immediately, in order to have it resolved and the water supply restored.
In response to HERAUT’s enquiry, Wollaston Labuschagne (DA councillor) said he recently attended a meeting with City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) water department and ERWAT officials where they explained the complex nature of the system that is supplying MacKenzieville and Alrapark with water.
“The current infrastructure is not sufficient due to a combination of network and pump station issues. Therefore, the only permanent solution will be the completion of the Almac 5 mega litre reservoir, which is still in process,” Labuschagne said.
He went on to say that it was found that the two water pumps supplying the area with water are faulty and that only one reconditioned pump had since been installed. A faulty return valve was also replaced, but a few unresolved issues remain.
“Installing a new, or larger capacity pump motor will not permanently resolve the issue and neither will running both pumps simultaneously,” Labuschagne added.
He urged residents who are experiencing water pressure problems, to provide him with their details (name and physical address) in order for the CoE water department to determine the root of the cause, as loggers and flow meters have been strategically placed within the water supply network to determine where it’s losing pressure.
The information can be sent to 082 413 4318.
