GQEBERHA – Most residents affected by last week’s major water disruption are reportedly receiving water again following the successful repair of the 500mm bulk water pipeline along the Motherwell–Chelsea pipeline near Joe Slovo West.
In an update issued on Tuesday, 14 July, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality alleged that the water distribution system continued to recover after the repair was completed, although many of the metro’s strategic reservoirs remained well below their normal operating levels.
The municipality said operational teams were continuing to monitor the network and adjust system operations to maximise the equitable distribution of water while reservoirs gradually recovered.
The Chelsea supply zone had resumed normal supply despite the reservoir standing at only 15%. The Greenbushes Reservoir was at 18%, with most consumers receiving water, although residents in higher-lying areas such as St Albans could still experience low water pressure.
Intermittent water supply continued in the Heatherbank, Lovemore Heights and Upper Lovemore Tank zones because of reduced volumes in the Churchill Pipeline, which has limited pumping at the Schonnies Pump Station. While parts of Heatherbank and Lovemore Heights were receiving water, pumping between the two reservoirs was continuing in an effort to restore the system.
The Emerald Hill zone also had water supply, with the reservoir at 19%. However, the municipality warned that the Fairview, Fort Nottingham and Glendinning reservoirs, which are supplied from Emerald Hill, remained critically low, making sporadic supply interruptions likely.
Although reservoir levels in the Gelvandale and Struandale system remained low, consumers in Gelvandale, Struandale, Zwide, KwaZakhele, Missionvale and New Brighton were expected to have water.
In the northern areas, the Chatty Reservoir had recovered to about 65%, allowing water to be restored to most areas, including Ward 29, Khayamnandi and Joe Slovo. Reservoir Hills remained affected by a pump fault, with repair teams attending to the problem.
Water supply had also been restored to Despatch as the End Street, Voortrekker and Tulbach reservoir system gradually recovered. The municipality said the Voortrekker and Tulbach reservoirs would continue filling throughout the day to restore supply across the remainder of the network.
The municipality reported that water supply had been fully restored to Motherwell, while systems serving Van Riebeeck Hoogte, Fairbridge Heights, Rosedale, Kamesh, Kabah-Langa and KwaNobuhle were stable. Continuous production at the Groendal Water Treatment Works was maintaining supply to the Kariega areas.
Despite the improving supply, reservoir levels across the metro remained a concern. Airport Reservoir was at just 1%, Upper Tank remained empty, Fort Nottingham stood at 3%, Lovemore Heights at 5%, while Malabar and Struandale were both at 10%. Chelsea and Greenbushes reservoirs were both below 20%, highlighting the slow pace of recovery.
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