OThongathi is living in hope
REPAIRS to oThongathi’s Water Treatment Works, damaged during the April floods leading to severe water woes in the town, should be complete towards the end of the month.
EThekwini Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela told the Independent on Saturday that October 27 was the expected completion date. “All is on track,” he said. Tempers often flared in the town as water tankers and storage tanks were brought in to substitute water flowing from the taps that had run dry.
Some protesters took to burning JoJo tanks.
A month ago, the city urged oThongathi residents to boil their drinking water, saying that borehole water unsuitable for drinking had seeped through the ground and into a reservoir’s reticulation system.
Yesterday, Mayisela presented the following breakdowns: earthwork is 80% done; civil structures are nearly 90% done; mechanical and electrical and electronic are all 70% done.
“We are awaiting installations and linking dry commissioning,” he said.
In the middle of the year, Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu told Parliament construction was scheduled to be complete and the works commissioned by yesterday (September 30).
Don Perumal, president of the oThongathi Civic Association, said the municipality had told the community that the water treatment plant would be back up and running “towards the end of October or the first week of November”.
“We are praying now that they pull it off because it is getting really hot and, with the heat, more water is required.”
He said parts of the town were, meanwhile, suffering, sewage overflowing. He pointed out Trurolands, Sandfields and Fairbreeze as well as at the sports centre in the centre of oThongathi.
Sewage overflows were also causing raw sewage to flow into the Wewe River, he said.
Meanwhile, the city said yesterday it had opened beaches in central Durban after an improvement in water quality.
“A team of experts recently tested water from the beaches and the results confirmed that water is now of an acceptable standard,” said Mayisela.
“Beaches that are now open for swimming are Bay of Plenty, North Beach, Wedge Beach and uShaka Beach.”
He said that in the south of the municipality, Umgababa, Umkomaas, Brighton and Treasure beaches remained open.
“However, other beaches remain closed until further notice.
“The municipality is constantly monitoring water quality at all beaches to ensure the safety of residents and tourists.”
Mayisela said the city apologised for inconvenience caused.