Tshwane Grapples with Water Supply Crisis Amid Power Outages
Residents Urged to Reduce Water Use as Infrastructure Struggles to Recover
The city of Tshwane is currently facing a significant water supply crisis, with residents being urged to reduce their water use. The city has exceeded its water consumption targets by 15%, and the situation has been exacerbated by a series of power failures that have impacted the water supply infrastructure.
The city’s water supply has been inconsistent due to the power failures and trips experienced at Rand Water’s Vereeniging and Zuikerbosch water treatment plants, as well as at the Palmiet, Eikenhof, and Mapleton booster pumping stations. The utility’s system remains impacted and is struggling to recover, leading to low or no water supply in some areas of Tshwane.
The reservoirs servicing areas such as Garsfontein, Laudium, Atteridgeville, Murrayfield, Parkmore, Newlands, Olympus, Die Wilgers, and Wapadrand were depleted over the weekend. Some reservoirs, including those in Centurion, Mooikloof, Klapperkop, Mnandi, and Lotus Gardens, are at critically low levels or empty. The city is arranging water tankers for the affected areas to help ease the strain of the taps currently being dry.
The city of Tshwane has been warned by Rand Water that its system is struggling to recover after a series of power failures. Load shedding and a number of power outages have caused tripping that has in turn reduced the volume of water in the metro. The city’s technical team is engaging with Rand Water for means of intervention in affected areas.
The city is set to hold an urgent meeting with the Water and Sanitation Minister to discuss the ongoing water supply challenges. The city’s spokesperson, Selby Bokaba, has expressed frustration with the lack of accurate or updated information from Rand Water, making it difficult for the city to anticipate shortages and effectively manage the situation.
The current water crisis in Tshwane underscores the urgent need for infrastructure improvements and more efficient management of resources. As the city grapples with this crisis, residents are reminded to use water wisely and sparingly to help stabilize the system and prevent further areas from being affected.