The Greater Tzaneen Municipality would like to unreservedly apologise to residents of Tzaneen who have been receiving water that is slightly different in colour from what they are used to. The situation is receiving urgent attention and it has since been sorted in most parts of the town, however there are areas that still face challenges.
The problem is as a result of two issues that our technicians have identified and have in fact developed an action plan to urgently address. The change in the colour of the water is a result of a drop in dam levels due to drought. The significant drop in dam levels has led to us drawing water from what we refer to as a “second layer”. This layer contains water which is dirtier and hard to clean. It was therefore required that we adjust our chemicals to achieve 100% pure water. The chemical adjustment was only done after the water was already in the reticulation system. This issue has since been resolved.
The second reason is that our reservoirs which receive water from Tzaneen Dam need to be cleaned and disinfected. Water from these reservoirs is distributed directly to both domestic and industrial clients. Water from the water treatment plant meet and exceed all water quality requirements. Daily samples are taken on the plant for laboratory testing by a service provider appointed by the Department of Water Affairs. We have also conducted independent tests and the results are good.
We have therefore developed a schedule to clean and disinfect all three reservoirs which are supplied by Tzaneen Dam.
We will start with Saagmeul Reservoir on the 20th of February from 06am to 06pm. The following areas will be affected and might be without water for the duration of the operation:
• Tzaneen Lifestyle Centre
• Lushof
• Riverside
• Sasol Garage
• Catholic Church
• Malaria Center
On the 21st of February we will clean and disinfect the Ben Vorster Reservoir also from 6am to 6pm, the affected areas will include:
• Florah Park
• Medi-Park
• CBD
• Industrial
On the 22nd of February we will clean and disinfect Rustic Reservoir also from 6am to 6pm and no areas will be affected.
Due to the drought the Department of Water Affairs has issued a government gazette on water restrictions. Industrial clients are expected to reduce their water consumption by 35% and residential usage must be reduced by 10%.
Residents who fail to heed this message might be penalised. Our dam levels have dropped significantly and residents are urged to play their part in saving water. Tzaneen Dam is at 33.9%. Measures to save water will be released at a later stage.
