Where is water going? A tug-of-war between authorities

Are Gauteng’s taps running dry as we head into the forecast dry summer or are we wasting water?

WaterCAN manager Dr Ferrial Adam said it was very concerning what was happening between Rand Water, City of Tshwane and City of Joburg.

“In some communications, Rand Water was blaming Joburg Water and then vice versa.

“So we have issues with bulk infrastructure and load shedding affecting the filling up of reservoirs,” she said.

Adams said on top of all this, South Africa was heading into an El Nino that could affect the rainy season.

“While I agree we need to use water sparingly in general, as we are a country that wastes a lot of the little water we have, the issue we have now is more than greater demand,” she said.

Adams said many residents were frustrated and questioned the information they had been given because of the city’s poor track record in general and Joburg Water in particular.

“People need to be given reassurance of the real issues at play and to know the plans to fix them.

“We need information that can objectively prove who is not doing their job. Rand Water or Joburg Water or City of Tshwane?” she said.

Adams said climate change might play a role in water consumption but so did incompetent departments. Concerned Mabopane resident Glen Mafodi said the water problem began a week after the illegal strike by the South African Municipal Workers’ Union started.

“Then we didn’t have water for days. We never had a problem before. What is bizarre is one day we were without water and the block next to us had water.

“When we go to the other section where the reservoir is there’s a pipe burst or leak. They called a private contractor to fix it, then another burst,” he said.

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Mafodi said they were concerned that the reservoir was running low.

“The water tankers are taking water from our area. We are already low on water. We wake up in the morning to find there is no water and then we see the water tankers,” he said.

Mafodi said the manholes were also overflowing.

“We collect ash to put it over the sewerage so the flies and the smell do not affect us,” he said.

A concerned resident from Mooikloof Estate Cobus Beukes said they have had at least 59 days without water this year.

Beukes said the inflow to the reservoir was unstable and there were times when there wasn’t water to pump in.

“The reservoir has a leak that resulted in water overflowing and running down the street on Sunday,” he said.

Outflow was negatively impacted by load shedding, he added.