Water and Sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu. Picture: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu and the City of Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink have been scheduled to conduct oversight project inspections of the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works and Klipdrift Package Plant in Hammanskraal today.
“The inspections come as the department, through its entity Magalies Water, and the City of Tshwane are working collaboratively to effectively address the long-standing water challenges that are affecting most parts of Hammanskraal,” department spokesperson Wisane Mavasa said.
To address water supply and quality challenges in the area, work was being carried out to refurbish the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works to enable its performance at optimum capacity, said Mavasa. An upgrade of the Klipdrift Water Treatment Works from 42 to 92 mega litres a day is also continuing.
Last year in June, Brink and Mchunu committed to addressing the water challenges in Hammanskraal after the cholera outbreak which claimed many lives.
The water contamination crisis has made residents resort to using bottled water.
Resident Amogelang Madikgetla said the water crisis they were facing had been going on for years.
She said they were now surviving with bottled water that they had to buy every day.
“Sometimes we don’t have money to buy bottled water. The City of Tshwane promised to fix the water issue, but we are still waiting,” she said.
Another resident Albertina Jele said it is so sad that many people in the area have accepted this situation.
“I can only imagine what parents are going through. Even crèches now require bottled water to be packed for children.
"The tankers that Tshwane provided haven’t been delivering water as promised,” she said.
The residents said they are hoping that the visit by the minister and mayor will mark the beginning of the end of their problems.
Pretoria News
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