POLOKWANE – Mayor, Thembe Nkadimeng announced last week that water-shedding would become an immediately reality for local residents. Municipal Manager, Dikgape Makobe said the aim of the water-shedding process is to supply water in equal amounts to higher lying areas, in which residents often go without water for weeks on end as reservoir levels remain low and that planned water shutdown would take place in the evening in order for reservoirs to generate enough water to supply residents in the mornings. However, despite its immediate implementation, some residents have still not had a drop of water.
The Polokwane Municipality says the reason why some residents still don’t have water is because water shedding is still in its implementation stage and that they are engaging stakeholders to ensure the process is understood. The Municipal Spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo, told BONUS that water will be switched off in the evenings every second day and that the entire municipal area’s supply will be cut off at the same time, with no specific timetable for the various areas.
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“During water-shedding we will be supplying water to suburbs in the same way as the rural areas as these areas rely on water tankers for supply. There is no specific timetable for the water tankers as they need to ensure that all areas are given water in a day. Rural areas are given water every second day.” He also explained that high-lying areas are most affected during water shortages and that these are areas sitting on an uphill slope. “The municipality uses a gravitational system for the supply of water, which means that the water moves from the top and fills out the bottom areas first. “If there is a low supply of water then chances are that the high-lying areas will not receive any water. This challenge is caused by the low pressure in water that cannot reach the high-lying areas.”
Mothapo urged residents to play their part by using water sparingly and to stop watering their gardens with municipal water. “Become water warriors and change your attitude towards water use,” he concluded.
