Large amounts of the town’s drinking water are going to waste while the Makhado Municipality is waiting for specialists to address the problem.

Over the last couple of weeks, the office of the Zoutpansberger received several phone calls informing them about a constant water leakage along the Vivo Road on the corner of Noordwes and Rissik Street. The source if this leakage was found to be the Tshikota reservoir, one of the town’s three major reservoirs which supplies drinking water to the lower part of Louis Trichardt. It is not sure how many thousands or even millions of litres of precious drinking water had gone to waste, but judging by the semi wetland area that had formed the amount is significant. This happens amidst an escalating water supply crisis in Louis Trichardt with a total ban on any form of water use other then for household purposes still being enforced by the municipality.

The municipality’s Director of Technical Services, Mr Masindi Mapholi, on Monday said that the municipality is aware of the leak, but that the problem is of such a nature that specialists are needed to repair it. He said the municipality are at present waiting for this team of specialists to arrive. Mr Mapholi explained that the leak is caused by a valve. This valve, he said, cannot be closed to stop the leak, as it will cut of water supply to a large part of the town. Mr Mapholi stated that the problem is receiving attention.