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Chronic theft of electricity cables needed to power the pumps that provide water from the Vaal River to Warrenton, is affecting the sustainable supply of water for domestic use.

Cables supplying electricity to the pumps at the river are stolen on a regular basis. Just two weeks ago, they were stolen for at least the third time this year.

The cables are very important as the river water substitutes the water pumped from the canal when it is insufficient to satisfy demand. This happens frequently. The pumps at the river form a very important part of the water supply chain to the purification plant and should be treated as such.

The ongoing theft has resulted in a haphazard supply of water to a number of areas in Warrenton, for more than a year now. Just last week the Democratic Alliance (DA) exposed the theft of solar panels affecting the water pump at Windsorton Station, in Warrenton.

The municipality’s failure to speedily address security issues and to replace stolen infrastructure, doesn’t help the resultant water problems that are further aggravated by years of poor maintenance leaking pipes and the lack of expansion of the whole system, including the purification plant.

While the municipality is in the process of upgrading the whole system over the long term, its poor response to safeguarding the system threatens to nullify any gains made, as well as ensuring that the residents have access to water both now and in the future.

Given that my previous requests to safeguard the water system have been ignored by the Manager of Waterworks, I have now requested the Municipal Manager, Ellen Moncho, to ensure that the cables to the pumps at the river be replaced with immediate effect and that the area be safeguarded to prevent future theft of the cables. Simultaneously, all leaking pipes must be repaired, especially the pipe at the pumping station in town, that has been leaking into Magrieta Prinsloo Street for months.

Water is a scarce and valuable resource and must be both well managed and secured to ensure a sustainable supply to residents.

Issued by The DA