Walk-in centre calms the waters
A walk-in centre just off York Street in George aims to make it much easier to report and resolve water-related problems and queries - not just in George, but the entire Breede-Gouritz area from Worcester to Plettenberg Bay and stretching inland to Beaufort West.
And if you can’t get to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s walk-in centre yourself, you can log your complaint on a toll-free hotline (0800 200 200).
The centre is one of 18 nationwide and has been operating since the end of last year, but the official launch will be later this year. WalkIn Centre branch manager Obed Tshisikule says the centre plays a coordinating role. “People often find it difficult to resolve a waterrelated problem as they have to deal with many different municipal departments and end up frustrated as they struggle to get feedback. At the walk-in centre we bring all the different threads together and ensure that the individual is kept up to date with the progress made.”
The centre handles queries regarding water supply problems, sanitation and sewage problems, pollution at water resources, dry public boreholes, burst pipes, leaking taps, water use registration and licencing, vandalism and theft of water-related infrastructure, reservoir problems, illegal connections and water quality.
Senior consultant Llewellyn van der Poel says most of the queries relate to registration. “Because of the drought many farmers wish to expand their dams and people also want to sink boreholes. Due to the impact studies and other legal requirements, these applications take about a year to process.”
Junior consultant Funeka Dukumbana says they can handle five people at a time. “We also have a public phone with a direct connection to the hotline as well as a tablet for logging complaints.”
The centre is situated next to Redefine Boulevard in lower York Street. Turn right at the traffic light opposite the York Street entrance to PW Botha College and continue to the end of the road. It is located in the last building on the right. Operating hours: Mon to Fri
08:00 - 16:00.