Yes we may have water, but supply is very poor

IT IS very unfortunate to say that this water problem has been an issue for as long as I can remember.

It becomes really difficult in winter when every single water tap we have dries up and people find themselves forced to fetch drinking water from the nearby river, where animals drink and they also wash their clothes. This becomes a difficult task for those who are not able to walk long distances, and end up buying water from tanker trucks.

Community members have tried protesting for water, meetings with people who work at the water plant were held, promises were made but nothing was followed through.

They explained that some pipes that are responsible for pumping water from the generators were stolen and that they were in the process of restoring them, but nothing changed.

We do have communal water taps that are dry and have been for a long time. As a result, most of them were vandalised.

There was a time when certain households contributed R5 towards fixing those water taps; all the equipment needed to fix them was bought. A gentleman who installs water taps from the water plant was called but he never came.

We see leaks that never get fixed; it’s like people have accepted this situation and are now okay with this struggle. It worries me to see people struggling so much for something that is supposed to be a basic right especially in this time when we are faced with such a devastating pandemic.

It is scary to see one communal tap used by the whole community when people should be physical distancing and quarantining. I would appreciate it if any organisation could assist us with fixing whatever pipes that need to be fixed for us to have water in every single tap, also seal all the leaks and replace the water taps we currently use with those that are not easy to vandalise.

I cannot say we do not have water, because we do. The problem is the supply of water into our community is very poor.

We have two water tanks that used to have water and are now running dry.

Maybe if we could change our water source, and not depend on our water plant that could make things easier for us. SINETHEMBA PANI

| Lusikisiki, Canham Location Ward 17,