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ACCORDING to Shaidi, a number of drought interventions will be taking place over the next few months and water leak repairs are at the top of the list for short term interventions.
“We will be making maximum use of the municipality’s maintenance teams. There will be a recruitment of additional plumbers and appointment of external contractors in March,” Shaidi said.
A barge at Impofu Dam
Other short term interventions, that will be implemented over the next three to six months, include accessing the dead storage at the Impofu Dam by procuring a barge.
“The pumps, motors and electrical cabling for the barge are complete and the planned completion period is six weeks, thus at the end of April this year,” he added.
Long term interventions include the desalination of seawater and exploring partnerships with other countries.
Additional water from the Gariep Dam
Meanwhile, NMBM spokesperson, Mthubanzi Mniki, said that the efforts made by the municipality to augment its water supply were starting to bear fruit.
A request to the Department of Water and Sanitation to access additional water from the Gariep Dam had been successful and plans are already underway to get the additional water.
“Owing to the delays in the completion of the Nooitgedacht Water Treatment Works phase three, the municipality has decided to temporarily convert and commission the Grassridge Reservoir into a temporary emergency treatment facility.
“This facility will subsequently treat the additional raw water that will be received from the Gariep Dam to an acceptable quality for human consumption,” Mniki said.
“Consumers are requested to note that the clarity and colour of the water will not be of the standard that they may be accustomed to, but that it will still be completely safe for human consumption,” he emphasised.
