Rand Water has partnered with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to provide safe and clean water to schools.
Rand Water had 1 320 new tanks in transit to schools and 522 tanks were allocated to central areas within various provinces ready for distribution to schools by June 3.
“We have a long-standing commitment to serving our communities that now includes partnering with government in the fight against Covid-19,” said Rand Water’s spokesperson Justice Mohale.
Since the Department of Water and Sanitation situated the national Covid-19 Command Centre for Water and Sanitation at Rand Water at the end of March, 7 594 water tanks have been distributed and installed in water-stressed communities throughout the country.
Also read: Water: South Africa schools’ state of unreadiness
“We now intend to use our technical expertise and the experience gained since then to partner with the Department of Basic Education and school communities for the distribution and installation of water tanks in schools throughout the country where no handwashing facilities exist,” Mohale said.
“Where necessary we will also work with the Department of Basic Education to assist learners in understanding the benefits of handwashing through educational and behavioural tools and practices.”
A memorandum of understanding was signed between Rand Water and the DBE, as well as the Department of Water and Sanitation on May 13.
“Therein we have undertaken to provide water to 3 126 schools across South Africa,” Mohale said.
The necessary funds, transferred from the DBE, reflected in the bank account of Rand Water for the purpose of the potable water intervention on May 26.
“We immediately began work. The scope of our partnership entails the supply of water tanks, the installation of the water tanks with related reticulation systems and the supply of water tankers.
“Our approach was to ready schools with existing tanks by filling those tanks with water and to provide tanks to those schools without tanks,” Mohale said.
He added that significant progress has already been made.
Also read: Education department pays R600-m for water provision at schools
“We are confident that we are on target to meet the necessary deadlines for the commissioning of the potable water infrastructure at all the schools,” he said.
Mohale said Rand Water would update on the matter every 48 hours.
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