ALLDAYS – The ongoing water crisis at Alldays may be solved within the next three months, if the latest programme announcement is honoured.

The serious water crisis, with resultant health hazards and life-threatening situations, escalated while the affair was seemingly left unattended for the past two years.

A contract for a project to remedy the acute water shortage was allocated in 2002. According to the latest information, money budgeted for this project was spent on unconnected reticulation in a new RDP housing project. Most of the houses in the new project are already occupied, but have no water.

The municipal ward councillor for Alldays in the Blouberg Municipality, Mr Serite Sekgoloane, said upon enquiry this week that an amount of R1,5 million was spent last year on the reticulation of an additional 150 RDP houses, which could not be connected to the town’s water supply, due to insufficient recourses. This year, R2,5 million will be spent for the construction of an 18km pipeline which will bring water from the farm Greenfield to the dry reservoir in Alldays. A water steering committee is to be formed next week.

Mr Sekgoloane said that the boreholes have been tested by the Department of Water Affairs and produce sufficient water to supply the present and growing need in Alldays.

He confirmed that two RDP developments, consisting of 250 houses each, have been commissioned and completed, but could not be connected to the town’s reservoir because no water is available. The houses are fitted with water toilets and taps, but have no water. The residents of the RDP houses buy water at the town’s taxi rank or from residents with private boreholes and cart it over long distances to their homes alongside the busy main road to Pontdrift, frequented by heavy international transport vehicles.

The reservoir serves only part of the old residential area and a few shops. But even to them, water is only available for two hours early in the mornings. For the rest of the day, there is no municipal water supply for drinking, washing, cleaning or flushing the toilets in the whole of Alldays.

The prevailing water crisis is causing serious tension amongst residents. Water theft and unlawful private selling of water are causing disruptions and a serious health hazard at the clinic and mortuary in the town and on farms adjoining the new RDP development, where residents have no other option than to use the veld for ablution purposes. The safety of women and children, carting water in barrels and on wheelbarrows along a busy highway, is also seriously jeopardised.

At a strategic petrol station and convenience store in the centre of Alldays, toilet facilities were refused to visitors this week. “They are locked. We have no water,” was the polite explanation.

The manager of a prominent business in town said this week that his premises have not received a drop of water during the past two years, yet received a municipal account for R48 a month for basic water supply. He requested this week to be disconnected from the municipal system. He supplies his own water needs with a private borehole.

Alongside the main road through Alldays, a billboard announces a project for the implementation of water for Alldays - Project No: TC 0052/2002. The then contract period was stipulated as three months.

Councillor Sekgoloane said this week that it was decided not to call for new tenders. The contract, allocated to consulting engineers Mano Consulting (Pty) Ltd and to contractor Realeboga Construction and Civils, will be implemented and completed during the next three months, he said.

The Capricorn District Municipality (CDM) was approached this week for information and comment on the situation in the town of Alldays. The communications officer of the CDM, Mr Ndavhi Ramakuela, promised to react.