Residents in as many parts of Johannesburg and the East Rand have been without water for some considerable time due to water supply interruptions.
“Water is an essential basic need; it is, therefore, unacceptable to have people go for days without it,” says Clr Denis Hunt.
According to Hunt, as a bulk supplier of water to the municipalities, Rand Water does not see itself as being directly accountable to the residents and, thus, the affected parties have been kept in the dark.
The first situation allegedly arose the previous weekend (of September 12) due to a power failure at the Eikenhof pump station.
This caused some reservoirs and distribution systems and consumers to run dry in many areas including the Westdene, Coronation, Hursthill and Triomf suburbs.
Other affected areas include parts of Bedfordview, Primrose, Marlands, Sunny Ridge, Solheim, Synhurst, Gerdview, Fishershill, Homestead as well as a small part of Witfield, Dawnview, Simmerfield and Wychwood.
“As a result, this spread a ‘no water’ situation over some days into the week.
“By yesterday (September 22), some days later, we are faced with a situation where some pumps of Rand Water were flooded towards the end of the week, and the bulk supply of water has been interrupted again, and again high-level water tower reservoirs are running dry.”
Hunt says that this highlights some very serious issues, such as the lack of back-up power provision in the system for bulk water, and the lack of communication to the residents from bulk-suppliers to the city and then on to the residents.
“It has to be recognised that we are in the middle of a serious crisis and we have hardly heard about it.”
Some shopping centres, hospitals and schools have been without water, and steps to deal with this on an emergency basis have been put in place in some instances.
“The supply of water being a basic need to the residents should be given attention by the authorities, and better emergency planning has to be introduced as a matter of urgency.
“We will pursue this matter until the accountable municipalities do right by the residents,” says Hunt.
The Ekurhuleni metro has confirmed that it is aware of the current water supply interruption in Germiston, (Boksburg) and Bedfordview.
According to the spokesperson, Themba Gadebe, the metro is closely monitoring developments that are being implemented by Rand Water to remedy the situation.
The municipality has deployed water tankers to schools, hospitals, the old age home and shopping centres in the area.
There are also tankers roving around the affected areas.
Residents who do have water are urged to use it sparingly. – @IschkeBoksburg
