Residents forced share water with animals after taps run dry for over a month

LEEUWFONTEIN – Solutions for problems of lack of water in Leeuwfontein outside Marble Hall remain a pipe dream for villagers.

Residents in the area are livid that they have not had water from their taps for over a month and to compound their frustrations, they have not been informed on what the problem was.

The frustrated residents said they were currently dependent on nearby streams and wells for water and worried that may be health hazardous because animals also drank from those sources.

Kgaogelo Mahlaela, a resident, said they were forced to fetch water from streams and wells because they had no other options.

Mahlaela said the authorities have not even bothered to inform the residents on the cause of the problems.

“We are faced with having to fetch from the streams water in wheelbarrows to our homes where we then boil for usage as we are afraid to contract waterborne diseases. We need help because without water life gets difficult and our health is threatened. We are now informed to wash our hands more often because of the Corona virus but we can’t due to lack of water in our community,” said Mahlaela.

The residents took to streets several times in attempt to get the attention of Sekhukhune District Municipality on their plight of lack of water but nothing had been forthcoming.

Moloko Moloto, Sekhukhune District Municipality Communications Manager, said they were busy pumping water into a reservoir that supplied Leeuwfontein and they would open it on Wednesday morning for the residents.

“Once it is finished, we will alternate supply using tankers, in other words, we will do this until the mechanical faults at the water treatment plant are fixed. Our officials are working around the clock to fix it,” said Moloto.