Pretoria - The City of Tshwane’s R79 million project to construct a 10ml reservoir in Refilwe township is expected to bring relief to residents who have for years struggled to access clean water.
The project has been completed, but is not operational due to power supply that is yet to be connected to the pump house.
MMC for Human Settlements Ofentse Madzebatela, who made an oversight visit to the site recently, said plans were under way for commissioning of the reservoir.
“During my recent oversight visit to Refilwe Manor in Region 5, I inspected progress at the wastewater treatment plant, a water reservoir and two sewer pump stations. The good news is that the 10ml reservoir has been completed and a practical completion certificate has been issued. After this, the certificate was submitted to the City’s Water and Sanitation Department for approval and commissioning of the reservoir,” he said.
Madzebatela said the project had been hampered by elements, including the Covid-19 pandemic, vandalism, theft, and disruptions by business forums.
“The contractor had to repair damaged and stolen items at its own cost, as the works had not yet been handed over to the City. While the reservoir is now completed, it will only be commissioned once electricity is supplied to the pump house,” he said.
Madzebatela said the Human Settlements Department and the Energy and Electricity Department were working together to speed up electricity to the facility.
“My target is to ensure that the project is completed by the end of the year, so that the people of Refilwe Manor can enjoy clean drinking water and have access to reliable sewer services.
“This is in line with our priority to create a working capital city for all residents. Our multiparty coalition government is committed to prioritising key infrastructure investment and maintenance in order to improve services to all our residents,” he said.
In the past, township residents complained that they were falling sick from drinking smelly and brownish water with worms.
Some residents claimed they had either suffered from stomach ailments after consuming water or knew of people who had suffered the same experience.
Residents also decried that water provided by the City with tankers, and piped water looked dirty and gave off a bad odour. The municipality had, however, previously issued a statement ascertaining that there was nothing wrong with the water.
Pretoria News