Water shortages will continue while work is being done at town’s treatment plant

Residents of Parys will have to brace themselves for some time against major water shortages in the town of Parys, Schonkenville and Tumahole, despite them struggling already for months on end with taps frequently running dry.
A watershedding schedule was made available for the first time last week by the Ngwathe municipality, which led to even more confusion and frustration with residents and councillors saying that the sche-dule does not make sense. Certain residential areas are also not included on the schedule.
According to DA councillor, Saal de Jager, the reality is that operators at the water treatment plant must now try to share water between Parys, Tumahole and Schonkenville while major repairs at the treatment plant are carried out by the department of water and sanitation, in collaboration with COGTA.
The work being done is to correct the numerous problems at the treatment plant. In effect, this means that while the contractor is working on the repairs, an estimate of up to 20% less water is treated at the plant that is already under strain with continuous loadshedding, says De Jager.
In a WhatsApp message on various groups he said that the contractor is now busy at the older part of the purification plant where sand filters are being redone. New nozzles and sand medium are inserted.
The sedimentation ponds are being cleaned with the first one already cleaned. He said according to his knowledge the sludge scraping systems will also be repaired.
Once work is completed at the older part of the plant, the same repairs and replacements will be done at the newer part of the plant.
Two sand filters are also changed back to the original design.
Installation of a pipeline directly from the treatment plant to Reservoir 1 in Ghana, in the heart of the Tumahole township, also began on February 22.
This project is being done by Ngwathe internally, and is estimated to take six months to complete.
The prospect is that with the completion of both the projects for the repair work at the plant and the pipeline, there will be a note-able difference in the quality and quantity of water that is purified, but this will unfortunately take time.
De Jager explained that meanwhile only certain areas get water if pumped to re- servoir 3, while fewer areas get water if pumped to reservoir 4 (Tumahole) due to the pressure in the pipes.
Consequently, lower areas will then receive water first.
The municipality has in the past week in a statement by the executive mayor, cllr Victoria de Beer, said that the municipality is working tirelessly to resolve the water supply challenges.
“It is our commitment to regularly monitor progress and update our community.
She said the municipality is in constant engagement with the National Department of Water Affairs and Provincial Corporate Governance and Traditional Affairs to bring long lasting solutions to provide clean and drinkable water to residents.
Municipal service delivery problems can be reported to the following number – (056) 816 2700, and if there is no response within 24-48 hours, the complaint can also be forwarded to the mayor’s office at 066 4804 416 (WhatsApp or calls).