It would seem that the Vhembe District Municipality and the Makhado Municipality are slowly but surely winning the battle to restore a continuous water supply to Makhado (Louis Trichardt).

This is evident from the number of pipe leaks and sewage spills sprouting up all across town. For a couple of months, the frequency of these leaks and spills declined, in comparison to a few years ago when such leaks were almost a daily occurrence. Readers shouldn't be fooled, however. The only reason why the frequency of these leaks and spills declined was due to the inability of the two municipalities to supply the town with water. The math is simple ... no water, no leaks and spills.

It would seem that the huge public outcry, political pressure and, most recently, civil rights group AfriForum’s application for a High Court order to compel the Vhembe District Municipality to deliver water to residents of the town, have finally motivated the municipalities to speed up the process of restoring the town’s water supply.

But the cracks are showing, literally. Again, the increase in pipe bursts and sewerage spills is evidence of this.

The past week, pipe bursts causing the loss of thousands of litres of clean drinking water were spotted all across town. One could be found on the corner of Kruger and Breda Street, one on the corner of Joubert and Munnik Street and one in Grobler Street, between Rissik and Joubert Street. In all instances, it took the municipality days to fix the problems. One would assume that these have been fixed, because the municipality has signed off on them by means of their post-fix signature – a muddy topping, with a couple of warning cones and sticks to warn motorists of possible danger.

As for the sewerage spills, the hope is that the completion of the town’s new sewerage treatment plant will bring much-sought relief to residents who have to wade their way through the s@#t every day or have to live with the stink.

The upside is that residents seem to be getting their water back. Having to work with a collapsing water and sewerage system, however, is not going to make the municipalities’ work easier. That residents will just have to endure the water and sewerage spills for the time being is virtually a given.