Kimberley can expect many water shutdowns over the next months as the recently proposed work was not completed, with the end of water problems not yet in sight.
This is according to the Northern Cape Chamber of Commerce (Nocci), who said residents of the province’s capital would still have emergency water shutdowns in the very near future.
Nocci reacted to the water shutdown in Kimberley from Wednesday evening, 9 August, until Monday, 14 August.
The chamber’s president, Dudley Dally, said the shutdown was effected by the Sol Plaatje Municipality to repair leaks to the main fresh water supply from the Riverton Water Treatment Plant (WTP) to Kimberley and the Newton reservoirs. The repairing of the leaks was one of the requirements of national government for the municipality to receive the first part of R500 million, of the R2,5 billion that is needed to upgrade the water supply structure to the city.
The shutdown was preceded for a few weeks by efforts to increase the water level in the Newton reservoirs.
The municipality issued a proposed schedule of work to be performed during the shutdown, but updates and progress reports during the shutdown were not informative.
A technical report promised by the municipality was still not released “as the contents would put the municipality to shame”.
“On 13 August the mayor pushed the button to start the pumps to pump water to Kimberley. By the morning of 14 August there was still no water being received at the Newton reservoirs. The water has been dispersed into all the direct connections.
“We were forced to have water shedding, as there was no water to be distributed”.
Regarding the task team formed by the municipality and Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), it was commented on that no businessperson was asked to be part of the task team.
“The Sol Plaatjie Municipality does not have the expertise to oversee this task. We have the expertise in Kimberley, but the municipality does not request assistance even though this was offered,” concluded Dally, adding, “Be prepared. There are shutdowns coming soon to Kimberley.”
Sharon Steyn, chief executive officer (CEO) of Nocci, said businesses in the city were aware of the old pipelines and their problems.
“The municipality indicated that it had no idea as to why certain areas remain without water and gave its assurance that it would urgently address the persisting water crisis,” said Ockert Fourie, DA councillor, on Monday (21/08).
This was after water was not entirely restored across the city following the shutdown, leaving some residents without water for 11 days. Fourie said the party was concerned about the reservoir levels, as on Monday it remained between 12 and 14 feet, as opposed to the required 16 feet.
These levels will be impossible to maintain with leaks all over the city, which have been reported for years. In ward 25 alone, there are 28 leaks.
