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Four months after flooding caused damage to the underwater pipeline in Warrenton, the Democratic Alliance (DA) is still assisting residents with the provision of water to Magareng. See pics here, here and here. This comes after the DA previously engaged with the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation for the provision of four water trucks to be made available from the province.

We had hoped that the water crisis, caused by the broken pipeline, would have been fully resolved by now. Ongoing delays in the repair work, however, are continuing to cause untold disruptions to the daily lives of residents, in addition to significant damage to the local economy.

The DA is particularly concerned about the failure of the contracted diving-repair company to effect speedy and sustainable repairs within the planned timeframe. Since the arrival of the specially manufactured pipes, and the commencement of the repair work, completion is almost three weeks overdue. The water system has also broken down four times during this time period, prompting the company to start over each time. This is despite the company having indicated that the installation was a small job.

The DA has serious reservations in respect of the company’s ability to resolve the water crisis in Warrenton. They have previously taken all necessary measurements, assessed the conditions, compiled reports on the situation and have had ample time to prepare. The setbacks that are now being experienced should not be shrugged off but proactively addressed.

I have been in contact with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) requesting that they urgently provide additional support to Magareng municipality, to ensure that there are no further delays in the restoration of water to all residents.

Residents, who continue to experience a parallel water crisis, due to delays in the completion of the new water purification plant, desperately need some form of relief from the prolonged water challenges that they have to endure in Magareng municipality.

Issued by Willem Potgieter, Cllr - Magareng Municipality