Storm cuts water supply
CYCLONE ELOISE: POWER LINES AND POLES DAMAGED IN LIMPOPO
Residents appeal to authorities to continue sending tankers to stricken area.
There will be no water for cooking or bathing in Limpopo for a while after tropical cyclone Eloise tore through the area at the weekend. The cyclone damaged electric cables and poles, disrupting water supply from a dam that supplies the area.
Although the Polokwane municipality reported yesterday that the interruption was temporary, residents are feeling the brunt of the cyclone and are praying for the rain to stop.
“Our reservoir levels are at their lowest. The reservoir feeding Polokwane and surrounds with water from Ebenezer Dam is currently sitting at 0%. This is due to the challenges experienced from the dam line,” the municipality said in a statement.
“This morning’s water supply readings from Ebenezer Scheme shows that the scheme is not pumping water to the Polokwane areas of supply.
“The Lepelle Northern Water Board has notified us about the major power outages experienced in the Tzaneen area, which also affect the Ebenezer Plant.
“But the situation will not be permanent. This is because the
Lepelle Northern Water team, a state-owned water utility responsible for the supply of bulk water in the province, is attending to the problem.
“The utility will provide updates in terms of progress in resolving power dips affecting the Ebenezer line.”
Residents affected by the problem yesterday told The Citizen that the situation was dire and urgent intervention was needed.
“We are now compelled to buy water from other areas to enable us to carry on with our lives as the
water provided by the municipality by trucks is not enough.
“Some of those without money to buy water are in trouble,” said Malusi Mogale of Toronto in Turfloop.
Another resident, Tebogo Maake of Bendo, pleaded with the municipality to bring more water in trucks, saying she had no money to buy water.
The municipality said in a statement it will continue providing water through tankering.
Limpopo MEC for cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs, Basikopo Makamu, said other areas affected by the cyclone are Thulamela in Thohoyandou, Tzaneen, Modjadjiskloof, Hoedspruit, Makhado and Giyani.
“Although there are no major casualties as a result of the storm, some families have been relocated after their houses were swept away by the storm.
“The situation is still under control at the moment as no major damages or deaths have been reported,” he said.
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