Municipality outlines causes of crisis and steps underway to stabilise supply.
KWAMAQOMA- The Amathole District Municipality (ADM) has acknowledged the ongoing hardship faced by residents in KwaMaqoma as water supply interruptions continue, while outlining measures underway to restore stability to the system.
In a media statement issued on Thursday (12 March), the municipality said the problem is largely linked to aging infrastructure and limited treatment capacity at the local Water Treatment Works.
The plant was originally constructed in 1972 and designed to produce 8,400 kilolitres of water per day a capacity officials say no longer reflects the area’s current population and demand.
Amathole District Municipality spokesperson Sisa Msiwa said deterioration of the plant’s filtration systems significantly reduced its production over time. “As the Water Treatment Works filters deteriorated over time, its effective output was reduced by approximately 50 percent,” Msiwa said.
She explained that this forced areas such as Healdtown off the piped water network, leaving those communities dependent on water carting services.
“The rest of KwaMaqoma continued to receive supply, but at significantly reduced capacity,” she added.
According to ADM, even once the current refurbishment work is completed, the plant will still not be able to meet total demand at the same time.
“It is worth noting that even on completion of the refurbishments, the Water Treatment Works’ water capacity will remain insufficient to meet total demand simultaneously,” Msiwa said. “As a result, water must and will be rationed and redistributed across the area as reservoir levels fluctuate to ensure adequate distribution to all residents.”
The municipality provided the following update on supply across affected areas: KwaMaqoma Town, Newtown and Bhofolo:Water supply is currently available during the day but switched off at night to allow reservoirs to recover. Hillside:Water is pumped once per week, with residents typically receiving about two days of water supply once reservoirs are filled.
ADM says the nightly shutdowns are necessary because the treatment plant does not yet have sufficient capacity to supply all areas simultaneously.
In Fort Beaufort, water supply has been restored after a pump fault at the Kat River raw water intake disrupted operations.
Msiwa said municipal water tankers were deployed to provide emergency relief to affected communities while repairs were underway.
“By Wednesday, 04 March, water had begun to steadily flow once again to households,” she said.
Furthermore the municipality also outlined a series of interventions led by its political and administrative leadership since mid-February.
These included site visits and community engagements by Executive Mayor Councillor Anele Ntsangani, who met with residents in Newtown and KwaMaqoma Location and inspected key infrastructure including the Water Treatment Works and local reservoirs.
ADM officials also conducted field visits to verify community reports of leaks and burst pipes.According to the municipality, several interventions are planned to improve the situation.
The immediate priority is the refurbishment of all filters at the Water Treatment Works. The municipality said the supply chain process to appoint a contractor is nearing completion.
In the medium term, ADM plans to upgrade the reservoir and overall treatment capacity to address the long-standing supply shortfall.
The municipality is also working on a flat-rate billing system for Ntoleni Village aimed at formalising water connections and improving sustainability of services.
Msiwa said the municipality recognises that many residents are still struggling due to water shortages.“Access to safe and sufficient water is a fundamental constitutional right under Section 27 of the South African Constitution,” she said.
“We acknowledge clearly that we are not where we would like to be in delivering this right to every community across the district.”
Residents have been urged to use water sparingly, report leaks and burst pipes and follow official municipal communication platforms for updates.
Photographs: Supplied/ ADM
