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An oversight to the Dalmada Water Purification Plant by the Democratic Alliance (DA) revealed that the plant is losing on average more than 1 million litres of potable water a day.

Water losses occur from faulty valves that are leaking from the sand filters.

This plant receives its water from the Dap Naude water scheme which falls under the management of the Polokwane Local Municipality.

We are also concerned that the sluices at Dap Naude Dam have been malfunctioning for many years. The seals between the dam wall and the sluices are clearly not maintained and this leads to massive leaks of unmeasurable water losses. (See photos here and here)

The Polokwane Municipality are well aware of this and the lack of maintenance causes water losses which deprive many residents living in the municipality their right to access of drinking water.

In her audit of municipalities for the 2020-2021 financial year, the Auditor-General expressed her concern over the R561.1 million in reported water losses by municipalities in Limpopo.

Residents of Polokwane city and surrounding developments have been plagued by a shortage of water and water loadshedding for years.

An additional 5 000 people can receive drinking water every day if the municipality attends to the faults at the Dalmada plant.

It is unacceptable that considering the pressures on our water security in the province, such a large amount of water never reaches the people who need it.

The DA requires transparency in the way water resources are managed and will request council to approve a water audit to determine the exact amount of water losses from the municipal distribution system.

We will be submitting questions for written response to Polokwane Local Municipality’s Municipal Manager, Ramakuntwane Selepe, on the servicing and upkeep of the Dalmada plant and the Dap Naude water scheme.

Issued by Johan Retters - DA Councillor on the Portfolio for Water and Sanitation- Polokwane Local Municipality