Repair work is to be done to “a massive leakage” between the Albasini  water scheme and the Mowkop reservoir in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) and the water supply will have to be shut down.

The spokesperson of Vhembe district municipality (VDM), Mr Moses Shibambu, sent the information on the leakage on Tuesday this week. Mr David Mukosi, VDM’s Makhado water services manager, told the Zoutpansberger that the major leak was “next to the nursery near Mirandella Dairy”.

“We have shut off the Albasini plant and appointed a contractor, Imorial Constructions, who is busy working on the leak,” Mukosi said.

The water level at the Mowkop reservoir at that stage stood at 60%, while the Bergh Street reservoir was 70% full and the reservoir at Extension 7 was 50% full.

“We agreed with Mr David Mukosi to allow the supply of water and only close between 14:00 and 16:00 and then water will be reopened because the reservoirs do have water,” Shibambu said.

In the meantime, Mr Stephen van Niekerk reported a leaking water pipe in Dassie Street on the dedicated complaints hotline of AfriForum. “As soon as town water is turned on, the water seeps through the tar at the site of a previous pipe repair and floods the road,” Van Niekerk said on Sunday.

“The water leakage at Dassie Street and Vondeling farm and also the lack of water at Rissik Street 60 have been reported to the technicians and they will handle that as soon as possible,” Shibambu replied on Tuesday. The same day, Mukosi indicated that the team had not started on the Dassie Street problem because a bulk pipeline of 400mm needed urgent attention elsewhere.