Water supply challenges: “There is no quick fix”

Low water pressure and dry taps have now been a cause of frustration for months on end for residents of Parys, Tumahole and Schonkenville. It seems an unbearable situation with no “quick fix” or an overnight solution. Since the Trident package purification plant broke down in December last year, the reality has been that Parys cannot provide potable water in line with the town’s demand.

This is according to the DA councillor, Andries Vrey, after consulting widely in the past weeks. Vrey wanted a more balanced view of the challenges facing the town’s water supply. His consultations included discus- sions with various municipal officials, contractors and independent experts with experience in water supply and purification plants. The fact is, he says, the design capacity of the old plant limits its output, as is the case with any water treatment plant. Progress has indeed been made in restoring the Trident plant to full operational capa- city. However, this work has still not been completed and the plant does not deliver optimal supply yet, he says. Since the work started on the Trident plant, one communicated deadline after the other for the work to be completed, was missed. There was very little, if any, information on the reasons for the delays.

The authorities seemed to have overcome the pump problems at the water plant that disrupted water supply earlier in August. However, the residents were understandably infuriated when they once again experienced supply problems for the past week. “With the pumps now operational, we again find ourselves in a situation where the available plant capacity affects the continuous supply,” Vrey says. “Unbelievable as it may sound: our pumps are now pumping water at a higher rate than we can actually ‘make’ clean water. There is little doubt that the frequent problems with the pumps over the last month can largely be attributed to either negligence or incompetence,” he says. “The pumps (mostly bearings and seals) have suffered damage as they were not used or operated within their design limitations or according to operational guidelines. I have discussed my findings in this regard with the municipal manager, who has given his commitment that measures will be put in place to address these”, Vrey adds. “I have also been informed that contractors have installed new monitoring equipment that should prevent damage to the pumps by ensuring they are switched off when sump levels are too low. “Considering that we currently do not have both plants operating at full capacity, however, the new measures to safeguard the pumps are causing the supply challenges we’ve experienced for the past week. The plant cannot provide in line with the demand, the sump levels drop and the pumps are switched off to prevent damage. In layman’s terms: we’re pumping quicker, and more than we can ‘make’.” The situation will undoubtedly improve once the Trident plant is back to full capacity (approximately three megalitres will then be added to supply volumes). However, it is a fact that even with both (old and new) plants at maximum capacity, Parys will still experience supply challenges as even at full capacity we’re likely to fall short of demand,” Vrey says.

“We’ve now also seen a change in the weather, and we’re entering the time of the year where demand increases as keen gardeners get their summer gardens going. “Getting the town’s irrigation water supply going again could potentially make a significant difference; it could take considerable pressure off the potable water supply.” Unfortunately, the infrastructure (canals, pumps, etc.) have fallen into such a poor state and nothing has been done to repair and clean canals during the winter months. It is unlikely that irrigation would be supplied in the short-term.” Nevertheless, Vrey says he has pleaded with the officials urgently to consider reinstating the irrigation, given the constraints on the volume of drinking water. “We simply cannot afford to ‘waste’ potable water on anything other than household use.” “Not only do we not have the capacity to supply it, but we also do not have the money to do it. Why should we, considering we have the infrastructure (albeit in need of repair) to supply irrigation at a much lower cost?” “Planned major upgrades to the water purification and reticulation network was to be presented at the council meeting this week. But in the short term, especially as we enter the gardening season, we’ll have to consider and use potable water as the scarce commodity it currently is.” Until the purification plants and planned upgrades can provide full (and increased) capacity, and Ngwathe reinstates irrigation, the margin is too small for us not to use water sparingly,” Vrey warns. * Gazette did ask the Ngwathe Municipality for comment.

The Municipal Manager, Mr Bruce Kannemeyer on Tuesday afternoon indicated that he will get detailed information from the Technical Department and will issue a statement for Gazette on the Water Purifica-tion Plant next week.