Task team to co-opt expertise
From Page 3
Another major contributor to the local economy is the National Arts Festival (R94 million to the GDP of the city and R374m to the GDP of the province). Festival CEO Tony Lankester, who attended the crisis meeting, told Grocott’s Mail afterwards, “We’re working on a plan for the NAF period to reduce the impact of the event on the town’s supply and ensure our visitors are looked after.”
The meeting was convened by councillor Ramie Xonxa, chair of the Makana Water Forum and led by Municipal Manager Moppo Mene. The directors of Local Economic Development and Safety and Community Services, Riana Meiring and Kelello Makgoka were there from the municipal coalface. From the city were the Grahamstown Business Forum, Grahamstown Resi- dents Association, SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) and the SANDF. Regional representatives from the Department of Water and Sanitation as well as the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency also contributed. A sevenperson task team drawn from those present was given the mandate to co-opt whatever technical, communication and other expertise they required, in addition to the professional services of MBB.
The current total demand for water in Makhanda is 18 megalitres a day. Waainek Water Treatment Works, which supplies areas mostly west of the railway line, treats 8ML a day. The James Kleynhans plant east of the city fill reservoirs at Tantyi and Mayfield, in turn feeding Extensions 1-7, Joza, Vukani, Tantyi, Xolani, Fingo, Mayfield, Transit Camp and some of King’s Heights with treated water. Currently 10ML a day is treated at James Kleynhans which takes in water from the Glen Melville storage dam, fed by the Orange-fish river scheme.
In his opening presentation, Ellis showed photographs of rampant vandalism that is hampering the management of water services, and amounts to thousands of rands in loss and damage.
When the water from Settlers and Howieson’s Poort dams is finished or can no longer be pumped, the 10ML currently treated at James Kleynhans will be rationed across the city.
Two-day outage
Not for the first time, residents across the city have just had a taste of no water supply. Areas served by James Kleynhans have for months experienced daily outages, as maintenance is carried out to improve water quality. More frequent and longer outages have been experienced since December. This is because only one of three pumps at the facility is working. Normally two should be operating together, with one on standby. Two pumps broke down and are being refurbished, with the first due to be reinstalled and pumping on 21 January.
On Sunday, a massive pipe leak at the west end of Worcester Street saw the supply to most of the town shut off until 5am Tuesday morning. While the first leak was repaired by late Monday afternoon, a second break was discovered as dusk fell. Local business, the Rat and Parrot, supplied lighting for the team to continue the work through the night and the supply started returning to lower lying areas early on 15 January.