Update
WILLOWMORE NEWS - Residents here continue to suffer under extreme water restrictions introduced by the Dr Beyers Naude Municipality on 5 January.
The restrictions leave households without any water at all every Thursday and Sunday.
Water supply from Wanhoop to Willowmore is under tremendous pressure. The municipality says the available water from Wanhoop has decreased to between 500 to 700 kiloliters per day and this, together with growing demand, has given rise to water shortages in some areas.
According to the municipality, it has no choice but to implement these stringent restrictions.
Councillor Ewald Loock load-shedding and drought is largely to blame for the crisis, but, says Loock, the water supply is also influenced by factors which the municipality can control.
The delay in replacing the heavily galvanised pipeline that runs through Alberts Park is having a major impact. A section of the pipe was replaced by the then Baviaans Municipality. Loock says the current municipality budgeted R4,2 million for the replacement of the pipeline but the project was halted since procedures weren't followed.
On Friday 13 January, Loock investigated and discovered two leaks on the pipeline. "A lot of water is lost on the first 5 km of the line and leaks need to be repaired as a matter of urgency."
He reported the leaks but received no feedback and returned to the line on Sunday 15 January. It was leaking even more and he also came across a third leak. "With these three leaks there cannot be that much water reaching the reservoirs," he says.
In defense of the municipality Loock says that special fittings are needed to repair the leaks which have been out of stock. However, he says it's evident that the leaks have existed for quite some time and that those responsible for monitoring the statistics never picked it up.
"Telemetry is absolutely necessary to manage water over the 28-kilometer distance. For many years the telemetry system was monitored from the Willowmore municipal office which allowed immediate response. The telemetry suppliers need to be paid so that telemetry can be restored, and water problems resolved." He also says more hands are needed to manage the supply of water.
According to Loock there is a dispute with the owner of Wanhoop, but the Advertiser will write about this once we have been in touch with the owner to get his side of the story.
Loock says the municipality must determine and reveal how much water is available at Wanhoop. They also have to find a way to distribute water more evenly. "It is extremely unfair that certain households have water for most part of the day whilst others almost never have. This will lead to unnecessary conflict which must be prevented at all times."
In addition, Eastern Cape CoGTA and the Department of Water Affairs must be notified of Willomore’s dire water situation so that alternative water sources can be developed. "A report on water sources for Willowmore was prepared in 2018, four years ago, and these plans need urgent attention," Loock says.
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