Midrand depot’s water challenges irate residents as they meet to discuss the water issues plaguing them
JW said that their issues started when Rand Water started phased maintenance. Since then the reservoirs have been running low, with no sign of the issue being resolved.
Johannesburg Water’s (JW) Midrand depot manager Akani Shibambu told attendees at the Midrand Fire Station that the city does not have water.
He said this during the public meeting hosted by Ward 132 and 112 on September 19.
The lengthy meeting, from around 18:40 to 21:20, sought to understand the status of water in the Midrand area following the water challenges in the two wards, and many others.
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The meeting came from Ward 132 councillor Annette Deppe after she was at the Vorna Valley Residents Association meeting to organize them one with JW.
Lerato Mphefo, ward 112 councillor, was also in attendance, along with residents of both wards.
Shibambu started his off-the-cuff presentation with a candid opening statement. “We have a problem, if I can start, there is no water in the city. That is the issue.”
He said the challenge began when Rand Water started with phased maintenance from around June, which affected Midrand three times.
Also read: JW wastes water, not adhering to their warning – Summerset resident
Midrand has five reservoirs, which supply the various suburbs of Midrand. Shivambu said, during the maintenance, Rand Water gave JW what is called reduced flow – meaning lower pressure than normal or required.
“That then means that the inflow that came into the reservoirs was less, meaning demand outstripped supply. The reservoir level goes down, when it goes down it means we are unable to supply or feed as supposed,” said Shivhambu.
He said from August to September 1, Rand Water called a meeting to announce that their system was under strain, which further affected the water supply to the Midrand reservoirs.
“So, what we are doing? We are managing scarcity. How do we do that? Every evening at 21:00 we close the reservoir outlets to keep and sustain water because at night there is limited demand. Then, we will open the outlets again in the morning,” said Shibambu.
He said Grand Central Tower was on 0% and ultimately some residents woke up with no water on September 20.
Deppe said her understanding was that the water problems are of, at least, a mid-term time, if not longer term.“The five reservoirs servicing the Midrand area with running water are running extremely low. There is low capacity and no clear plan in place to resolve these problems in the future, mainly due to financial constraints,” said Deppe.
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Related article: Johannesburg Water begins final phase of Rand Water Palmiet pump station maintenance.
