Bronkhorstspruit faces 11-day water shortage due to maintenance work

Residents of Bronkhorstspruit and surrounding areas can expect to bear the brunt of water shortages for 11 days owing to a planned maintenance work by the City of Tshwane at a local water treatment plant that will be shut down from Monday.

Local councillor Kgaugelo "Fidel" Phiri warned that water outages are likely since the municipality's roaming water tankers are insufficient to meet the needs of the entire community.

The affected areas include Bronkhorstspruit, Ekandustria, Ekangala, Rethabiseng, Riamarpark, Zithobeni, and parts of Thembisile Hani Local Municipality due to cross-border water supply.

Phiri expressed concern about the elderly, who may struggle to access water due to the distance to water delivery points, potentially affecting their well-being.

“The situation is going to affect us very badly because we only have one water treatment plant, the whole of Bronkhorstspruit. Our suburbs and the townships will be without water. The city has provided emergency water tankers to assist, but that is just a drop in the ocean.

“Water tankers will never be enough, especially with big townships like Ekangala and Zithobeni,” he said.

He said suggestions to shorten the maintenance period were made but rejected.

“We suggested that there be two shifts to work around the clock to shorten the 11 days, but the technicians brought a different argument. Today, we are going to the plant with the MMC for Utility Services France Boshielo to get a briefing on the maintenance plans,” he said.

Municipal spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the temporary shutdown of the treatment plant was to facilitate the installation of new panels for the high-lift motors and will last until May 16, 2025.

He said: “In a water treatment plant, panels for high-lift motors serve to control and monitor the operation of pumps that lift treated water to a higher elevation, typically for distribution to water towers or directly into the water reticulation system.”

Mashigo explained that the new panels are vital for the efficient and reliable operation of the high-lift pumps, which are crucial for delivering water to end-users.

He said the upgrade is necessary to improve the performance of the high-lift pumps, ensuring they operate efficiently and effectively.

“The city intends to complete the said upgrade within the specified period and will closely monitor and update residents on developments,” he said.

In March this year, residents in the Bronkhorstspruit area protested after weeks without water due to a pump breakdown at the water treatment plant.

The faulty pump was crucial for distributing water to reservoirs that supply drinkable water to consumers.

During the same period, the city expressed concern after discovering unauthorised access to the chamber housing the cross-border valve, which regulates water flow to Ekangala and Rethabiseng townships.

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za