Amid blackouts, Gauteng residents have little; no water

RESIDENTS in most parts of Gauteng suffered a double whammy over the weekend owing to ongoing power and water crises.

Residents were forced to purchase water, while others resorted to going to neighbouring areas with buckets, bottle containers, and fire hydrants.

According to the Constitution, water is a basic resource that should be available to every citizen.

Places in Ekurhuleni most severely impacted were Palmridge, Thokoza, Eden Park, Katlehong, and Alberton. In the Vaal area, Everton was the worst affected – residents said hey have not had water for almost three weeks.

Other areas under Rand Water include Airfield 1 and 2, Brakfontein, Brakpan 1, 2, and 3, Bronberg, Germiston, Klipriviersberg 1 and 2, Klipfontein 1 and 2, and Vlakfontein 1 and 2.

In Joburg, South Hills, Diepsloot, Fourways, Midrand, and surrounding areas had little or no water.

“We are getting used to not having a power supply, which is not fair, but having no access to water is unbearable.

“I have to cook for my family, and we have to use the toilet, but this seems impossible.

“Imagine spending two days without taking a bath because we resorted to using the small amount of water we had collected for cooking and drinking rather than prioritising hygiene,” said Mary Scheepers from Eden Park.

Rand Water said on Thursday it had reported vandalism that had caused damage to a meter supplying Eden Park township in Ekurhuleni.

A Rand Water spokesperson, Makenosi Maroo, said it had compelled the entity to conduct an emergency shutdown to replace the valves.

“Rand Water discovered a string of valves vandalised, therefore, the repair work took a long time but has now been completed. The resultant effect of this vandalism is that reservoirs were severely impacted and a number of areas are without water,” said Maroo.

She said Rand Water was now pumping at full capacity.

Maroo said the entity did not have access to municipal systems, so Rand Water could not say when each area would have its water supply restored. She advised consumers to contact their municipalities for recovery updates.

The City of Joburg’s water utility, Johannesburg Water, said yesterday its infrastructure had been impacted by low supply from Palmiet pump station.

Since completion of the repairs, Rand Water’s networks had been charging and reservoirs were recovering.

“But low supply to various Johannesburg Water systems resulted in minimal to no recovery. South Hills Tower is now operating at normal capacity.

“Johannesburg Water is monitoring infrastructure affected by low supply from the Palmiet pump station,” said JW spokesperson Puleng Mopeli.

She said the following reservoirs were at critically low or empty levels:

Alexander Park: levels are critically low to empty; Linksfield: levels critically low to empty; Randjieslaagte: critically low; President Park and Rabie Ridge: levels are critically low to empty.

E Rand and Grand Central: levels critically low. Diepsloot: levels critically low. Johannesburg Water asked customers to reduce consumption as systems had been impacted by lower supply.