With water security becoming extremely critical in the Kouga region as the prolonged drought persists, St Francis Rotarians have decided to mark Water, Sanitation and Hygiene month by adopting two water security projects in neighbouring towns.
Ons Tuiste, Humansdorp
In December 2022, St Francis Rotary Club were made aware that Ons Tuiste Retirement and Assisted Living Facility had a water supply problem and needed funding and advice on how best to overcome the problem.
The facility has approximately 190 residents serviced by a staff of 80.
“Our projects team, Rotarians Jef Forrer and Peter Long, investigated and established that the interruption of water supply, from the Kouga Municipality, was due to the current drought conditions being experienced and the continued electricity loadshedding by Eskom,” said Lyn Aitken, secretary of the Rotary Club of St Francis.
“Ons Tuiste had a borehole but not sufficient water storage capacity to see the facility through a long Eskom loadshedding schedule (Stage 4 and upwards), so it was very clear that a solution needed to be found.”
The project to implement the solution, which would cost St Francis Rotarians just under R60 000, was approved and began in earnest in April. A total of seven 5 000 litre water tanks were installed near the borehole and connected to the water supply, along with a new water pressure pump.
The water storage tanks are controlled by a float switch that automatically refills the tanks from the borehole once they are drawn down to a certain level.
Then followed the plumbing and electrical installations required to link the new water supply to all the facilities, including the kitchen, laundry, ablutions and residential units.
“The facility is still connected to the Kouga Municipality water supply as a back-up. This new water storage capacity will provide Ons Tuiste with water for four days in the event of Humansdorp losing power and being unable to pump water to reservoirs.”
At the formal handover of the new water storage facilities on April 21, chairman of Ons Tuiste Board of Trustees, Reverend Kobus Bohnen, and the chairman of the Trust Fund, Gert Steyn, thanked club president, Brian Codling, and the St Francis Rotary Club for so generously responding to their need for water security, and ensuring that the daily lives of their most senior citizens continue unaffected by the drought and loadshedding.
Manageress Maartie Zeelie added her deep appreciation for relieving her and her staff from the very worrying prospect of being without water.
Tharros Child and Youth Care Centre, Hankey
Tharros Child and Youth Care Centre in Hankey, which presently houses 10 children and four staff, reached out to the St Francis Rotary Club for assistance in battling the ongoing drought conditions.
“The centre had been offered a free supply of water from a borehole on the property next door by a very neighbourly Omega Vermaak.
“This borehole has plenty of capacity to supply both Mrs Vermaak and the centre,” said Aitken.
Rotarian Peter Long assessed the project and managed the installation of the necessary pumps, electrical and plumbing works, to link the centre’s three 5 000 litre holding tanks to this borehole, and feed the bathrooms, kitchen and laundry facilities.
The project, which cost the club approximately R20 000, has been completed.
– ISSUED BY ROTARY CLUB OF ST FRANCIS
