POLOKWANE – Following a planned two day water shutdown which has led to four days without water, the Polokwane Municipality says the city started receiving water last night, 20 September.
According to Matshidiso Mothapo, Communications Manager at the municipality, low lying areas’ water supply should be restored first whilst pressure is accumulating to restore high areas.
You might also want to read: [WATCH] “You can’t send water tankers at midnight and expect us to fetch water”
“Because the pipes and reservoirs were empty over a longer period, the water had to be accumulated in various reservoirs overnight, throughout the municipal area, in order to manage the pressure flows and avoid damaging the pipes. Enough water has been accumulated and a process to release into the system in phases has started in the early hours of this morning, 21 September. Full pressure will be released once all the lines have water,” he explained.
The municipality is currently implementing measures to manage the pressure on the system. This includes slow release of water into the pipes and removing air that accumulated in them.
Part of managing the pressure and releasing air from the system involves opening up the air valves and fire hydrants to release the water. If this is not done, the pressure will result in a series of pipe bursts throughout the area resulting in more loss of water and extended period of water shortages.
“All systems are functioning at full capacity and Lepelle Northern Water is pushing more volume of water to recover the system so that all affected areas in the municipal are restored,” Mothapo concluded.
Residents have taken to the Municiaplity’s facebook page to air their grievances as some residents are still without water.
@EnergyfmSA @CapricornFM @ReagaPLK @bkmatewe it's 6:00AM and we still have no water in Bendor. Polokwane municipality is quite about this situation. No water trucks have been dispatched since yesterday. Somebody please address this issue.
— Oupa (@Oupa_Mai) September 21, 2018
Day 3 without water in most parts of Polokwane. @ReagaPLK please inform residents why this situation is ongoing.last week it was 4 days without water.@DWS_RSA @Abramjee @ANCLimpopo
— Marietie Louw-Carstens (@MarietieLouw) September 21, 2018
