LETTER: We are tired of being without water – West Village resident
West Village resident writes a letter about how he is tired of excuses regarding water supply to the area.
• Chris Schoonwinkel writes:
Over the past 10 months, the residents of West Village have been suffering due to inaction and bad decisions taken by the municipality regarding water supply to the area.
West Village is a poor suburb with many old people and children.
• Also read: LETTER: West Village water issues: ‘There will be a resolution forward’ – Mayor
The problem started about 10 months ago when the power supply to the water reservoir was cut off by the private power suppliers apparently due to non-payment. This meant that the electric pump that was used to fill the reservoir could not work anymore.
The municipality then installed a generator to pump water to the reservoir with mixed results. Every night between about 23:00 and 06:00 the following morning there is no water as the reservoir runs dry. (The reservoir is filled only once a day and not automatically like before). This means that shift workers like nurses and schoolchildren cannot prepare themselves properly for the day. Apart from that the water supply is erratic and it comes and goes regularly.
As I am writing this, we have not had water and recently had no water for seven days continuously, apart from many other previous instances.
The residents of West Village are tired of being without water. The suburb is split in two by the very busy Randfontein Road and it’s a sorry sight to see children crossing this road with heavy water buckets. It is putting their lives at risk.
If we are lucky, the municipality may supply a tanker with water, but the tanker is often parked far away and it’s difficult to get there. Especially for old people.
• Also read: LETTER: West Village water woes: It’s been 205 days and counting …
Throughout this period of 10 months, the municipality has provided us with various excuses, the most popular is the story that there is a pending court case between the municipality and private power suppliers but as far as I know, this case has never been heard and probably never will. More recently, we had an excuse that the generator is overheating.
The residents of West Village cannot continue like this.
The News has approached MCLM for comment on the matter and will be published once received — Ed.
• Also read: LETTER: It’s now one hundred days and counting … — West Village resident
• Also read: LETTER: West Village issue stems from 2017 – Mayor
