North treatment plant on again after temporary shutdown

The Tshwane metro announced that there has been a slight improvement in the water quality from the Leeuwkraal Dam, which supplies the Temba Water Treatment plant.

This comes days after the plant was temporarily shut down due to significant water quality challenges stemming from a power supply interruption at the Pyramid substation.

The incident affected the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant, resulting in untreated effluent being discharged into the Apies River, which feeds the Leeukraal Dam.

Metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba said this recent improvement enabled the metro’s technicians to begin the water treatment process at the plant on October 16.

He said the treatment plant will initially operate at 36% capacity, with treated water being circulated within the plant until quality standards are met.

“The plant will gradually ramp up to full capacity as raw water quality improves.”

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Bokaba said full operational capacity will only be achieved once the water quality improves.

“This could take several days, depending on the improvement of the quality of raw water from the Leeuwkraal Dam.

“Our scientists will continue to monitor the performance of the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works and the raw water quality at the Leeuwkraal Dam,” added Bokaba.

He said the metro will continue to provide roaming water tankers to residents in the meantime.

“The metro apologises for the inconvenience that may have been caused as a result of this unplanned water supply interruption.”

Previously the Temba Water Treatment Works that supplies water to Hammanskraal and surrounding areas was shut down pending the improvement of the water quality from the Leeuwkraal Dam.

The water plant sources its raw water from the dam for treatment to potable standards.

Tshwane shut down the plant on October 7 after the metro’s technicians discovered there was sewage contamination in the Leeuwkraal Dam.

Bokaba said pumping had to stop to avoid supplying poor-quality water to their consumers. The metro had initially committed to the resumption of pumping of water within seven days, however, this is dependent on the outcome of the laboratory test results.

He said these challenges were caused by a fire that gutted the Pyramid Substation on October 2, leaving the Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Works without electricity.

“The plant had to temporarily cease operations and consequently, discharged untreated sewage into the Apies River, which feeds the Leeuwkraal Dam.

“In the interim, a team of scientists is monitoring the performance of the Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Works to ensure it complies with the required effluent standards,” said Bokaba.

He said these standards, mandated by strict regulatory requirements, include limits on chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, nitrates, phosphates, ammonia, e. coli and residual chlorine, which must be consistently met by the plant.

“The city will continue to provide roaming water tankers to residents until the situation normalises.”

Some residents have claimed that water tankers were being channelled to “connected people” and, as a result, some communities don’t receive water through the tankers.

Furthermore, some have claimed that they’re being forced to pay to receive water.

“The city wishes to make it categorically clear that the city’s contracted service providers are delivering water for free, and residents don’t have to pay for it.”

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