Lepelle pumps, muni blames non-supply on load-shedding

Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) excused itself from the current interruptions in water supply currently experienced across most areas of the city, saying they have been pumping the required 59 megalitres per day.

The state-owned water utility said the matter lied with the Polokwane Municipality. Spokesperson

Yolande Nel said LNW is only responsible for the supply, while the municipality is responsible for water reticulation through the use of pipelines. Since it is not the water utility’s responsibility, they can’t comment on the current crisis, she said.

The utility’s communication department sent a video clip to Polokwane Observer on September 16 with its CEO Dr Cornelius Ruiters saying they had been pumping water from its resources for 24 hours.

This, after there was a noticeable decline in the supply of water to most homes across the city, with often the municipality mentioning the utility’s ailing infrastructure pipelines as one reason for the failure to pump the required megalitres.

The Polokwane Municipality issued a public statement on September 20 putting the blame of dry taps on the various stages of load-shedding.

The statement cited the significant interruption of “water treatment processes and pumping and/or the delivery of water to Polokwane Municipality’s supply to reservoirs and community members”.

It said the municipality’s own resources of water, including drawing points, are being affected by load-shedding, resulting in less water being supplied.

Municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala said they did not have alternative energy supply but are working on it.

“Even the new purification plant in Seshego will have a generator,” he said.

LNW has been pumping the required 59 megalitres per day.