MALALANE – This weekend residents were left with dirty water for domestic use. Vicki Veiga Broodryk, a resident in Fish Eagle Bend who had family and friends at her residence this past weekend, took a photo of the dity water. She was furious when she realised the smelly water was coming from the tap. “The water was in that condition the whole of Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning and as I had guests, I had no choice but to buy water,” said Veiga.
Irna Schutte also commented on Facebook: “Welcome Malelane water department. Hope this water is welcomed by all, will have to invite committee members for coffee made from this fresh tap water.”
The local municipality spokesman Cyril Repinga said, “The water plant maintenance team were cleaning clarifiers when the river pumps suddenly pumped dirty mud water into the reservoirs. This issue was quickly resolved but the dirty water was already in the system. Unfortunately the only thing to do now is flush the system by asking residents to open taps for a few minutes to allow the dirty water to flow out. We will also open fire hydrants to help clean the system. We as the municipally apologise for any inconvenience this might have caused.”
Repinga added that there was a water shortage in Komatipoort and asks that residents use water sparingly. “The levels of the Crocodile and Komati rivers are very low, and this is a very big concern. We ask that residents use water sparingly as it will not be available as frequently as usual. We are considering closing water supply during low peak to ensure our reservoirs can supply the community with clean water,” explained Repinga. According to the water plant manager Dudu Sifunda, rain would really help the water levels of the river and the water shortages in the community.
