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Emergency water services to be provided in response to coronavirus outbreak
The department of water and sanitation will increase the provision of water and sanitation in high-density public areas, informal settlements and rural areas.
Picture: iStock
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said in a statement on Wednesday morning that South Africa’s cases of the coronavirus has risen to 116.
Mhkize added that there was a further increase of six local transmission cases, reports Caxton Central.
As South Africa continues to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus, Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Lindiwe Sisulu has directed her department to increase the provision of water and sanitation in high-density public areas, informal settlements and rural areas.
In response to the declaration of the coronavirus as a national disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Sisulu has directed the department to ensure that rural areas and informal settlements are provided with water tanks and standpipes to increase access to water for residents.
The DWS will also provide water tanks and sanitisers in public spaces including taxi ranks, train and bus stations, and other areas where people congregate.
This intervention is in support of the measures which have been put in place to minimise and curb the spread of the virus. Sisulu has appealed to South Africans to wash their hands regularly, while at the same time using water sparingly, to ensure that everyone has their share.
The coronavirus thrives in conditions where people are in close contact. As a result, Sisulu is concerned that people living in informal settlements are at high risk of contracting and spreading the virus among one another.
She has therefore instructed her department to urgently find other solutions that will prevent the spread of the virus in such areas.
“We find ourselves in an unfortunate situation where we are called upon to respond to this pandemic. We commit ourselves to do everything possible to respond to the urgent needs of our people, through the provision of water and sanitation as we confront the possible spread of the virus,” said Sisulu.
“We call upon everyone in the human settlements, water and sanitation sector to work with government in responding to the coronavirus. We also appeal to residents where we will be providing services to work with our officials. This is a matter which requires all of us to play our role in order to succeed,” she added.
This week also marks the beginning of National Water Week, which runs from 16 to 22 March. The theme this year is Water and Climate Change.
Here is your weekly dam update:
- The Vaal River System, consisting of 14 dams serving mainly Gauteng, Sasol and Eskom, is at a total of 98.1%.
- The Cape Town Dam System, consisting of six dams serving mainly the City of Cape Town, is at 44.1% this week.
- The Eastern Cape Dam System is at 55%, while KwaZulu-Natal sits at 61.1%.
Here are the latest dam percentages throughout the country:
The abovementioned summaries are not representative of all dams within any of the provinces or Water Management Areas. The summaries only reflect the storages for those dams listed in the Weekly State of Reservoirs Report.
For a more in-depth rainfall update, visit WeatherSA. For more information on the water storage levels across the country, visit the DWS site.
