Residents are facing a five-day water outage
Water tankers will only be available in strategic areas such as hospitals and clinics when needed.
Emalahleni Local Municipality indicated that maintenance must be done on the Witbank Water Treatment Works, Point B- and D Reservoirs.
It is anticipated that the maintenance will take five days to complete.
The maintenance work is planned to start on August 26.
Among the maintenance list, there is a pipe leak repair at Point D Pump Station that needs urgent attention.
The pump station’s suction valves need replacement and the reservoir’s 20Ml circular reservoir will be cleaned.
At Point B Reservoir, the B to C suction valve and the balancing dam overflow cone will be replaced.
Non-return valves will be installed at the Witbank Dam Pump Station.
At Witbank Water Treatment Works, the clear water well will get some TLC and the sand filters and air valves will be replaced.
During these five days, the water in the whole of eMalahleni will be affected.
“Should all the planned repairs go according to plan, recovery time may take two to three days to fill and pressurise the system after purification has commenced and stabilised,” said the municipal spokesperson, Lebo Mofokeng.
The municipality has emphasised the critical nature of the situation and the need for community cooperation.
Residents are urged to conserve water diligently and prepare for the outage by storing sufficient water for drinking, cooking, and sanitation.
Water tankers will only be available in strategic areas such as hospitals and clinics when needed.
“As a resident of Point C Reservoir and surrounding areas, I understand the frustration of having our water supply shut off for maintenance work. However, I also recognise the importance of ensuring our water infrastructure is in good working condition. I appreciate the advance notice and efforts to provide alternative water sources. I hope the work is completed efficiently and effectively, minimizing the disruption to our daily lives. Let us use this opportunity to conserve water and appreciate the essential services that often go unnoticed until they’re interrupted,” was a message from Clr Salomi Kriel from Ward 18.
“Maintenance is important to keep our infrastructure at optimal productivity, however, a delay of days and not mere hours, is unacceptable. The basic human right to clean water is superseded, leading to frustrations and tension within the community. Yet, on the other side, often we as councillors cannot assist the residents with service delivery due to poor maintenance,” said Clr Kim Faduk from Ward 33.
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