Recent torrential rains in and around Tshwane have left lasting devastation in their wake. Some communities east of the capital now also face a water crisis that could last for weeks. This as damages to a water treatment plant east of Pretoria, is set to interrupt the supply system.
More than 300 000 people in the far east of Pretoria will be without water for the next eight weeks. The affected areas are Cullinan, Rayton, Refilwe, Petra Diamond Mine and the Zonderwater Prison.
Water entity, Magalies Water says it is looking at a temporary solution to address the damage to a 210-metre water supply pipeline at the Wilge Dam.
The pipeline was washed away by last week’s floods.
Magalies Water CEO Sandile Mkhize says, “We have conceptualised an alternative solution where we are going to build a temporary structure across the dam, which will be our temporary abstraction point. We will then bring in abstraction pumps, and then transport the power line from the current pump station, across the river so that we can be able to run the pump station.”
The City of Tshwane’s Abel Tau says they have arranged an interim relief by dispatching dozens of water tankers to the area.
“We have already started putting up JOJO tanks in strategic areas with the assistance of our partners, Magalies Water. We will be supplying those as the days go by, while we go through the repairs that need to be done here to ensure that infrastructure is put back. We can continue to supply the water as we are supposed to,” says Tau.
In the meantime, the city says it’s exploring other options of either connecting to the Rand Water bulk water pipeline which supplies the Thembisile Hani local municipality or installing a pump on the other side of the dam.
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