Water cuts mean dry Christmas
Outcry after several BCM areas hit by outages
MAJOR water outages across Buffalo City Metro caused an outcry after residents from many suburbs and villages were left high and dry over the Christmas weekend.
Areas affected included Zinyoka in King William’s Town, 28 villages in Chalumna, areas of Mdantsane, Kayser’s Beach, Needs Camp villages, Berlin, Ilitha and Mabeleni.
Some areas have experienced water problems for more than two weeks.
Mdantsane residents have been hit by water outages since Christmas Eve and affected areas include NU3, 4, 6, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 18.
BCM has been forced to rent a number of water trucks to distribute water to the affected areas, although many residents spoken to said they had not received water or that it had not been enough.
BCM has warned city residents to “use water sparingly and ensure that all water points are always kept in the closed position”.
Metro spokesman Thandy Matebese said the problem was “due to the system being under pressure to accommodate additional consumption due to the heat wave and summer holiday peak”.
He said the system would take some time to recover due to high water use during the holidays and “the complexity of the bulk supply system and water distribution zones”.
However, he said the situation was expected to stabilise this week.
Frustrated NU3 resident Mzwadile Noludwe said they had been without running water from December 24 to December 26, with supply only being restored yesterday.
“There has not been a single soul from BCM who has bothered to even offer anything remotely resembling an explanation to us,” Noludwe said.
“After numerous complaints we saw one truck on Friday evening around 6pm, and because of the number of people here that wasn’t enough obviously.”
Noludwe said children and elderly people were most affected as they could not control when they needed to use the toilet.
“You can imagine at this time of the year the homes are full of relatives from all over. The situation is very bad,” he said.
BCM communication manager Keith Ngesi said Amatola Water, which supplies BCM with water, said an Eskom power failure and a burst pipe had affected supply in Chalumna.
In Mdantsane the problem was blamed on “system constraints”.
Ngesi said the problems in Mdantsane were due to an electrical supply glitch in the metro’s Outspan pump station.
Chalumna resident Steve Mbaliso said while water tankers had been dispatched by the metro many residents were not allowed to fill up their water tanks due to high demand.
“We have resorted to filling up water drums to at least last us for a few days until the trucks make the rounds again,” Mbaliso said.
The metro apologised last week to Mdantsane residents on its Facebook page, but angry residents expressed disappointment and dissatisfaction.
One Facebook user, Zan James, described the outages as unacceptable.
Noluthando Maqhosha Tsutsu posted on Facebook: “This is totally unacceptable. At least notify us and make alternative provisions.”
By yesterday afternoon residents from Ilitha, Chalumna, Zinyoka and some areas in Mdantsane remained without running water.
Ward councillors Vuyani Peter of Chalumna, Siyabonga Skolo of Zinyoka in King William’s Town and Batini Booi of Needs Camp also expressed disappointment and frustration at the problem, saying this was not the first time they had experienced water outages this year.
Skolo said he had to go to churches, imigidi (initiation homecomings) and funerals to explain the water crisis.
“People are angry at ward councillors, thinking this is our problem as the metro. But we are also experiencing problems with Amatola Water,” Skolo said.
“For the past four weeks our taps have been dry. We have tried supplying water tankers but that is not an ideal situation and is not enough.”
Booi said only four trucks were dispatched in his ward to give some relief to residents, but there were still seven villages in need.
“We think at least six trucks would make a difference. This is a crisis that is not only affecting us but the greater metro. We don’t even know when this problem will be fixed.”
Amatola Water chief executive Lefadi Makibinyane said they were aware of the outages in Chalumna, but the outages in Mdantsane were BCM’s responsibility.
BCM’s Ngesi said: “We are pumping at full capacity since Saturday.
“Due to the size and complexity of the distribution zones, some areas are still affected as the system fills and stabilises.
“High-lying areas are still affected in NU3 and 4 to which water tanks have been dispatched. NU14 has water but at low pressure. Staff are closely monitoring the system.” —