The elevation of the R31 Road at Wildebeestkuil outside Kimberley where water has collected from leaking municipal pipelines, and the proposed treatment and pumping of the water to the Vaal River, are only measures to limit problems caused by the water.
To solve the cause of the problem, the Sol Plaatje Municipality will have to comply with directives issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation, and repair or replace damaged bulk water infrastructures.
So says Sputnik Ratau, spokesperson for the department.
“Numerous directives have been issued over the past five years as leaks, spillages and discharges were observed. The municipality responded with action plans to rectify it within its available resources. The initial directives focused on sewage spills, but since 2020 potable leaks are the major contributor to water into the pans.
“The last directive issued in July required the municipality to stop discharging sewage and partially treated effluent from the Homevale Wastewater Treatment Works, pump stations and manholes, and repair leaks from potable water systems and unblock stormwater systems. The municipality responded with an action plan to comply with the directive. The time frames are short, medium, and long-term, as the required resources and funding need to be secured.”
Water is still flowing into the pan systems from sewage, potable water sources and groundwater, he says.
“The municipality is considering emergency dams to intercept the leaks and discharges prior to ponding into the pans.”
Ratau says there is a proposal to discharge the water from the Wildebeestkuil and Platfontein pan systems to the Vaal River.
“This requires environmental and water use authorisation applications that can take up to 90 days.
“This plan will unfortunately not address the cause of the problem, but could reduce the risk of ponding in the pans and flooding of the R31.
“It is our view that the municipality should focus on repairing potable water leaks, limit wastewater discharges, and rectify pump stations to pump water to the Homevale Plant, treat water and discharge to the authorised pans and, if required, to the Vaal River at Riverton,” Ratau says.
