Storage tanks to ease access to water

LEEUWFONTEIN – Residents at the water crisis marred Leeuwfontein area outside Marble Hall stand divided over the implementation of a water tanks installation project in the area which commenced at the beginning of this week.

Some of the residents express dissatisfaction over the interim water crisis relief project, worrying that Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) will not speedily attend to permanently solving the water problems in the area.

However, others are pro the water tanks installation project in that it will, in the interim, help ease the lack of access to water endured by residents.

Following a recent fierce protest action by residents in area earlier this year, a meeting was held between the community and SDM representatives in an attempt to find interim solutions to intervene in the Leeuwfontein, Moganyaka and Manapyane villages supply challenges.

Amongst others deliverables the meeting agreed on the installation of water storage tanks at strategic points by SDM, a project which was to be completed by 15 February 2021. It was also agreed on the rehabilitation of boreholes before the 31 March 2021.

Moloko Moloto, SDM Spokesperson, confirmed on Monday, 14 June, that a total of 20 water storage tanks would be installed in various parts of the area.

Moloto said the installation project started over the weekend and that SDM would fill and replenish the storage tanks using tankers, once installation was completed in the coming days.

He added that members of the community made submissions to the district municipality for a temporary intervention, until the upgrading of the Flag Boshielo Water Treatment plant was completed and operational. Once completed and operational, the water treatment plant upgrade is expected to ensure supply of water to the area sustainably.

“The storage tanks belong to the residents and we implore them as beneficiaries to safeguard the water infrastructure from vandalism and any form of criminality,” said Moloto.

Kgobise Setlamorago, a community member, said the residents were partially pleased that the district municipality was at least doing something in the interim to attend to the water crisis in the area.

However, Setlamorago said they would still push for the municipality to come with a permanent solution to the water supply challenges in Leeuwfontein area.

“The project to install water storage tanks at strategic points in the area to help residents have access to water in the interim has started. They are currently erecting stands for water tanks. The tanks will be delivered upon completion of the stands. We have been given ten in Leeuwfontein to install at strategic points and the other ten is for the Moganyaka area,” informed Setlamorago.

Meanwhile, residents in the area are still frantically searching for water at available sources they are forced to share with animals, a situation sending them fearful of their health.