POLOKWANE – On Thursday, the Spokesperson for the Polokwane Municipality, Thipa Selala, said some areas within the municipality are experiencing water shortages as a result of low pressure from the Ebenezer supply line.
“The Ebenezer Dam level has dropped, resulting in low pressure and less inflow to the plant. The Lepelle Northern Water team cautions that water supply from the plant will have to be stopped at some point until the levels are adequate enough for high lift pumps to run,” Selala said.
In a statement released on Friday, Selala said that water tankers would continue to provide relief to residents in affected areas as shortages are expected to continue.
Review asked Selala for more information regarding the water tankers and how they run:
1. When do water tankers get supplied?
Water tankers are provided in the first instance when a normal water provision arrangement is not functional (a provision of water through a piped network/system designed to service a designated area). “The tankers are dispatched as a temporary relief until the system is normalised and functional,” he said.
Secondly, they are dispatched to provide water to areas that are not fitted with reticulation networks yet, due to extensions to existing serviced areas, new villages/areas in the Tribal Authority system established and people settled before services can be provided.
2. How long should it take for water tankers to arrive when there are shortages?
Selala says the approach differs from one area to the other.
“In the formal, reticulated areas with waterborne metered systems, relief is activated as soon as a shortage is reported. The biggest consideration for the activation of this relief is to keep the sewers flowing, while residents are still able to perform other household responsibilities with the minimal water delivered using tankers,” he said.
The supply to the rural areas, where the biggest need is, is scheduled on a roster and water gets supplied on a rotational basis, mostly once a week. “Any new area of shortage that gets reported is put on the roster and its delivery date is then communicated with the ward councillor and ward committee members.”
When asked if there was a way that residents could see when and where water tankers will be available in their area, Selala responded by saying that there is no timetable for the city area.
With low pressure and reported stoppages from the Ebenezer, high lying areas which include Flora Park, Bendor, Sterpark and Serala View are already suffering from water shortages.
Meanwhile, the Potgieter reservoir, which supplies areas such as Hospital View, Eduan Park, Welgelegen, Moregloed, Industria, Capricorn area, Central Business District, Nirvana, Industrial, Emdo Park, Luthuli and extensions, is standing at 0%.
Selala urged residents and businesses to work together with the municipality in an effort to save and use water wisely.
