MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) - No water for days on end … and while the report of an eel in the supply pipeline did much as a humorous tension reliever in conversations, the water shortage continued.

By Tuesday this week some residents were furious enough to threaten to bring the upcoming Kremetart One-Day Stage Race to a standstill because of the water problems. Mr Masindi Mapholi, the Makhado Municipality’s Director of Technical Services, however, assured the public as well as cyclists that the town will definitely have water this weekend. Participants in the Kremetart can rest assured that all will be back to normal.

“I am convinced that, if this little leak which is giving me such a headache now, is sorted out we shall have water to full capacity,” Mr Mapholi said on Tuesday.

“This little leak” was the third and smallest in a series of three water problems which occurred in the course of less than a week.

Last week, a 1,5m eel, 100mm in diameter, got trapped in a valve in the supply pipeline near the Albasini Dam bearing raw water from the dam to a pump station. The valve is positioned just before the fish trap. This slippery watersnake curled around the valve, causing a blockage.

“Every two days the fish trap is opened and there was nothing inside. By Friday, we realized that serious damage had been done to the pump. Water was not coming through and the pump had sucked air. The impeller was broken,” explained Mr Mapholi.

By Thursday last week, residents in the New Extension were already without water and the problem later filtered through to the whole town.

Municipal officials and workers from the SA Fluid Division worked tirelessly throughout Saturday and Sunday to repair the damage and replace the impeller. The cost of the impeller was R8 000 and with the labour and other claims added, the estimated cost will be between R15 000 and R20 000.

On Sunday, the joy of those residents whose water supply had returned was cut short, however.

Late Sunday, the second catastrophe occurred. A major pipe burst occurred on the pipeline between the Albasini and the water purification works. The problem was fixed by late Monday. Director Mapholi and Mr Louw Pretorius from the Water and Sanitation Department were on site to keep an eye on proceedings, although the work had been out-sourced.

When the water supply was gone again on Tuesday, many tax payers were on the verge of exploding. Water, after all, is a basic necessity and the lack thereof constitutes a life-threatening situation.

This time it was a “little” leak in the industrial area. Fortunately, by Tuesday evening, water provision was back to normal.

In the meantime, concerns that the whole water system is collapsing and that it should be replaced immediately to prevent disaster are not unfounded. Taxpayers also feel that no further large developments in town should be approved until water can be guaranteed. The municipality admitted that the rusty supply pipelines are full to capacity every day and that water is pumped at 120%, for 24 hours, seven days per week. The Mayor, Cllr Sarel Rhulani Nkuzana, offered his sincere apology for the water shortage during the annual budget speech dinner on Tuesday evening at the sports hall.

Mr Peter Magwala, Director Corporate Services and media spokesperson for the municipality, said earlier this week that the municipality as a local government takes responsibility and apologized for the inconvenience.

“It was something that happened unexpectedly, but it is our role to provide the taxpayers with services,” Mr Magwala said. He admitted that the system is old and cannot accommodate the present demand. He said that a request was put to the Vhembe District Municipality for the upgrading of the system.

Mr Mapholi supplied information about the short-, medium- and long-term contingency plans for the water system.

Over the short term, pipelines are being refurbished where possible. The problem lies with the pipes on the surface, not the underground pipelines. The worst parts have been identified and are being removed and replaced in phases. Furthermore, funding was secured from the drought relief fund to drill four new boreholes in addition to the existing 14 boreholes. Some boreholes will be connected to the system that goes up to the Mooikop Reservoir and others to the system to Tshikota.

Over the medium term, a plan has been proposed to erect another reservoir next to the Mooikop Reservoir for additional water storage. This submission for around R7 million will be made to the Vhembe District Municipality as a matter of urgency for this financial year.

Over the long term, the new Nandoni Dam will supply water to areas like Sinthumule, Kutama, Waterval and Louis Trichardt – a R99 million operation.