Hope for waterless residents

Residents of The Reeds area have been without water now for three weeks.

November 13, 2014

Du P Martins 2 minutes read

Water supply problems in The Reeds, Rooihuiskraal and Amberfield area would hopefully be fixed by next week, Tshwane metro said this week.

Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said an engineering company had been employed to place pressure loggas (a measuring tool) for approximately five days since last Saturday and investigate possible network leaks.

“As the city, we remain concerned about the unacceptable levels of water and it is hoped that the latest intervention will lead to the water supply challenges being resolved by Monday 17th November 2014.”

Ward councillor Casper McDonald said some residents had been suffering water shortages for three weeks. He blamed poor service delivery for a collapse of the water network in his ward.

“On Saturday, 25 October 2014 the Tshwane MMC for water, Jacob Msongo, stated that Rand Water said a valve had to be serviced. The water supply would have been repaired by Sunday. However, on Sunday there was still no water,” McDonald said.

Mashigo said The Reeds started having problems weeks after a Rand Water pump-station was repaired, following vandalism. Since then, plumbers had been busy attending to leaks and in the process tracing any possible leaks that could create lack of pressure.

“The water and sanitation division can request mobile water tankers to deliver water to the affected households, should they have no water at all. Residents are encouraged to get water from a water tanker which will be stationed at the Spar on Panorama Street. The city apologises for the inconvenience caused to the affected residents.”

Another service delivery complaint in Centurion was that 293 street lights were out of order in Monument Park.

“This is an indication of how big the problem in the metro has become. The municipality is incapable of servicing its residents. Without streetlights residential areas become a haven for criminals and the security risk increases,” said ward councillor Bronwynn Engelbrecht.

The Democratic Alliance said it hoped the tough stance of the Tshwane metro to recover bad electricity debt would improve matters.

Income from electricity was an important source of revenue for the council to afford service delivery, the party said.