EENDRACHT – Residents are tired of being without water and of overflowing sewage.
Some residents in Eendracht have been without water for 14 days.
Ms Mariaan Chamberlain, DA Councillor, said water in Eendracht was restored on Friday, 24 January.
“The municipality does not respond,” said an angry resident.
Ms Chamberlain said she did keep residents informed as far as she could via WhatsApp groups.
She said the water truck was in Eendracht every day to supply water and one evening they even went at 8pm at night to help residents.
“One part of the town did have water while the other part did not due to water pressure,” said Ms Chamberlain.
“If they did not have water on other days, it was because someone forgot to turn on the water at the reservoir.”
According to residents, the water truck sent by the municipality to deliver water to residents, drove past so fast that they sometimes missed it.
Residents are also not sure if water from the truck is suitable for drinking or should only be used for washing or their toilets.
Another problem residents face daily is the sewage. According to Mr Nico Coetzer, who retired recently and moved from Secunda to Eendracht, the septic tanks are overflowing and they are emptied only every second month.
“There are so many flies here and the stench is unbearable,” said Mr Coetzer.
Other residents are asking why they must pay the monthly charges for sewage if there is no service.
Ms Chamberlain said the sewage is a problem and the municipality apparently only has a small truck to empty the septic tanks.
This truck can apparently not handle the load.
According to residents, the truck driver was last paid in November and thus this adds to the sewage problems in Eendracht.
Mr Donald Green, spokesman of Govan Mbeki Municipality, said the municipality received low water pressure from Rand Water and the water line that is feeding Eendracht reservoir tower has areas that are wet and needs to be replaced.
“A service provider has been appointed to replace the line,” said Mr Green. “A water tanker has been provided to help residents who were not receiving water.
“Not all residents of Eendracht were without water, the low lying areas are always getting water.”
Mr Green said he will give the newspaper information about the sewage problems as soon as he receives information.
