Local authorities say Kimberley residents in the Northern Cape will remain without piped water for the foreseeable future after regular maintenance of the Riverton water plant led to a breakdown of motors.
The Sol Plaatje Municipality has been struggling to repair and reassemble the motors leaving residents without potable water for more than three days.
Municipality spokesperson Thoko Riet says they will continue distributing water using tankers and trucks.
“Due to float assembling difficulties on the strong water current, all four motors shall be offloaded on Monday and be installed. As such pumping can only start after all our motors have been assembled and installed. The success of this exercise and completion time will determine when water will be available. Water supply will continue throughout the wards and we are doing what we can with the limited water trucks available.” adds Piet.
According to the Sol Plaatje Municipality, on Saturday operations to offload and install the first motor and then take away the last two for fixing would continue throughout the night. The Municipality says water supply will still continue throughout the wards and that they would do what they could with limited water trucks.
RPP Update: 18th December 2022
The Last 2 motors have been taken for drying , and the 1 repared/dried motor has been returned to the pump station. Due to float assembling difficulties on the strong water current, all 4 motors shall be offloaded on Monday, and be installed.
— Sol Plaatje Municipality (@SolMunicipality) December 18, 2022
