The Polokwane municipality and water entity Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) have decided to put their boxing gloves aside and work together to remedy water supply challenges.
Polokwane mayor John Mpe previously took a jab at the management of the water entity, led by Dr Cornelius Ruiters as its CEO, and board chairperson Dr Nndweleni Mphephu, stressing that local communities have been subjected to water crisis for six months.
“The challenge is that Lepelle Northern Water has not been honouring its contractual obligation. For the past six months, the pumps at Lepelle Northern Water have been taken for repairs and were never returned. Lepelle Northern Water was only pumping 30% of the 100% required to pump to Polokwane,” Mpe was quoted as saying at the time.
In response, Lepelle Northern Water spokesperson Yolande Nel admitted that the water challenges had been worsened by mechanical failures at the pump stations, and have left major parts of Polokwane and surrounding areas without water for weeks.
The municipality has for a long time experienced water supply disruptions but it was in August that it experienced sporadic disruptions.
This was mainly attributed to power dips or tripping from both the Ebenezer and the Olifantspoort schemes, and a number of line bursts at the Specon line that still needs to be replaced.
Mpe escalated the crisis to the Department of Water and Sanitation for intervention, and said over time, the reliability of service has deteriorated.
“Multiple challenges are currently impacting on the situation and pertain to infrastructure-related problems experienced by Lepelle Northern Water,” said Mpe.
“The Olifants bulk water scheme has been operating below its licensed volume of 27 megaliters per day owing to pumps that were out of operation. Lepelle Northern Water has failed to meet the continuity, regularity and the basic allocation of portable water to Polokwane and its residents.
“In the report to the deputy minister [of water and sanitation] and executive mayor, it was recommended that [the] LNW immediately makes available budgetary resources for emergency procurement to remedy the situation with mechanical failure at pumps PS 2 and PS 3 which pump water to Polokwane reservoirs.”
Thipa Selala, spokesperson for Polokwane municipality, confirmed that the deputy minister has been requested to help make available the necessary resources for planned infrastructure refurbishment and an upgrade project.
Mphephu said: “We are definitely dealing with the crisis. For the past six months, the pumps at Lepelle Northern Water have been taken for repairs and were never returned.
“Lepelle Northern Water indeed had challenges and was only pumping 30% of the 100% required to pump to Polokwane. We are now almost pumping 100%. We have fixed some of the pumps and we outsourced to ensure that the people receive water 100%.”
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