The proverbial waste not, want not is applicable to the water situation in Standerton.
The Standerton Advertiser published in more than one edition articles on water shortages in town and the defunct Kieser Street Reservoir.
A quick look at Leyds Street at the intersection with Kieser Street the past week, confirmed exorbitant losses of clean water.
Navigating Leyds Street means taking the route marked with tyre marks at the side of the road, since the possibility of potholes, and their depth, is impossible to tell.
A resident, who earlier took the road through the water in a Nissan-bakkie, said last week that the water came up to the windows of the vehicle.
Many a house owner contemplates installing a JoJo-tank to cushion the impact of water interruptions.
Ms Charmaine Cowley, an attorney in town, said on July 1 that the upper parts of Caledon Street and Kieser Street, towards Stander Street, are battling with water supply.
“Residents with tanks need to fill up the tank and with Lekwa’s loadshedding, it’s sometimes impossible,” she added.
The newspaper is in possession of a leaked voice clip in which the dire situation at the Standerton Water Treatment Plant is discussed.
According to information, Lekwa might close the plant because the municipality does not have money to buy chemicals.
It was indicated that attempts are made to get some chemicals from Pixley ka Seme Municipality.
A community activist, Mr Louis Thabethe, said on Thursday July 1 that the water problem is getting worse.
“It is a ticking time bomb,” Mr Thabethe added.
“If nothing is done urgently the whole municipality will have no water and that will be the beginning of worse things to come.”
He added that water is a basic need and cannot be substituted by anything since water is a source of life.
According to him, there are some areas that have not had water for years and others are joining that list.
Examples that were given include Crossroad, Ext 2 and Ext 7 that have had no water for nearly eight to 11 years, Phalama being without water for four years, a part of Hlongwane Drive that has not had water for two years and Ext 6 that has been dry for four months.
Mr Thabethe also said the administrator must seriously begin to address service delivery backlogs.
“The municipality is collapsing and soon there will be no municipality to save.
“Lekwa Community Forum are currently trying their best to assist, but that is not enough.
“We are also trying to close water leakages on the streets, while some households are without water.”
Another service delivery issue was mentioned.
“The other ticking time bomb is the problem of sewage blockages found in most streets of Lekwa.”
According to him, sewage is flowing right into houses and into the sinks, toilets and bathrooms.
Mr Thabethe concluded by saying people need water and they need it now.
The communications department of the municipality issued a notice on July 1, in which a warning was given to the public that all formal communication will originate from the Communications Directorate.
The statement said Lekwa does not take any responsibility for communication originating from outside its approved processes.
“Communities must desist from circulating unconfirmed reports purporting to deal with municipal matters,” it read.
The Standerton Advertiser sent a WhatsApp-message to the directorate on Thursday July 1 at 15:56, asking an update on the water situation.
Ms Thobeka Mtshiselwa, communications manager, replied the same afternoon that the electricity challenge at the Water Treatment Plant was resolved.
“We are now pumping water to the community,” she said.
According to the directorate, the pumping unit in Kieser Street was faulty.
It provides water to Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 11 and the time-line for supply was given as immediate.
As regards part of Ward 11 and part of Ward 7 and 15, the time-line for supply was given as six hours onwards.
