The community of Clocolan has been grappling with a concerning combination of water outages and severely compromised water quality for some time now.
Recent and ongoing reports paint a grim picture: muddy, discoloured water with an unpleasant, fish-like odour has become a regular occurrence, often accompanied by extended periods without supply due to maintenance issues.
Little improvement despite interventions
Even after the restoration of water, the quality has seen only marginal improvement, with residents continuing to observe a distinct yellow tint from their taps.
In early December, the DA lodged a formal letter with the municipality detailing the escalating water quality issues. This included previously raised reports of live worms allegedly found in the water supply.
While the letter was acknowledged and an undertaking to provide feedback was given, no formal response has yet been received.
Management visits treatment works
Information circulating on social media suggests that management did visit the Clocolan Water Treatment Works to assess the situation.
Following this visit, the discoloured water was attributed primarily to elevated iron and manganese levels, with directives reportedly issued to address the problem.
A decision was also made to suspend raw water abstraction from Moperi Dam, opting instead for raw water from the Caledon River for purification.
New solution brings fresh challenges
However, this proposed solution faces its own hurdles. The Caledon River source is shared with Marquard, and recent Eskom-related electrical issues affecting the Holstein system have already led to water disruptions for both communities.
While elevated iron and manganese levels are recognised as a manageable challenge in dam-based water systems globally – typically affecting colour, taste, and smell – the continued deterioration of water quality in Clocolan raises serious questions.
The situation is further complicated by what appears to be conflicting explanations from the municipality, including blame previously cast on aging asbestos and steel pipelines.
DA demands answers
“The ongoing situation in Clocolan is unacceptable,” says Councillor Jose Coetzee, DA Councillor for Setsoto Municipality.
“Residents have a constitutional right to safe, clean, and reliable drinking water. The lack of a clear, consistent explanation for these persistent problems, alongside the continued presence of discoloured and potentially unsafe water, suggests a deeper issue that the municipality may not fully grasp.
“We have previously raised concerns about unfilled qualified technical posts and inadequate water resource management, particularly concerning livestock access to water sources like the dam. We will not rest until clear answers are provided, accountability is enforced, and decisive action is taken to end this crisis.”
