UPDATE: Rand Water began pumping water by early evening on Tuesday, December 21. Reports trickled in on Wednesday morning of households in some areas of Secunda that do have water.
Residents in the Govan Mbeki Municipality is facing a bleak, dry Christmas.
Taps have begun to dry up since Monday and local councillors predict that this might still be the case over Christmas.
The problem began on Sunday night, December 19, when Rand Water’s Bloemendal pump station was affected by a power supply interruption.
This interruption from Eskom was due to faulty transformer said Mr Justice Mohale, media spokesman for Rand Water.
According to Ms Ena van Rooyen, DA Councillor, Eskom was still working on site trying to fix and fit new equipment on Tuesday afternoon, December 21.
Ms Van Rooyen said this situation similar to a previous time when the Govan Mbeki municipal region was without water for days – if Rand Water began to pump water this afternoon (December 21), all the reservoirs, including Kinross, Evander, Bethal and surrounding areas, still need to fill up first.
“Depending on the outflow, how much the households use from the reservoirs, the faster the reservoir fills, the faster the water can get into the pipes to the rest of the towns,” said Ms Van Rooyen.
“The flow works on gravitation, low lying areas will have water first then the higher lying areas.
“This whole process can take up to two or three days.
“All depends on the outflow and need.”
She urged residents to prepare and plan for the weekend ahead.
Ms Mariaan Chamberlain said although progress was made today, a rainstorm stopped all the work on site and even though the work resumed, Bloemendal cannot operate until the breakdown on Eskom’s side has been fixed.
She thinks water will not be restored properly until Sunday.
In his press release on Monday, Mr Mohale said the towns and areas affected, are:
* Victor Khanye Local Municipality– Delmas reservoir
• Govan Mbeki Local Municipality
Mine West
Motreal Road reservoir Township
Secunda
Bethal
Trichardt
Langverwacht Township (eMbalenhle)
Evander Cemetery
Sasol Commerce Centre
Sasol Shandoni Mine
• Private consumers – Firefly investments
Sasol Mining Tweedraai
Universal Coal Development Kangala
Various small farm owners
