Mahlobo: Ekurhuleni, Tshwane reservoirs at ‘unacceptably low levels’
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo has bemoaned the “unacceptably low” water levels at reservoirs in Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.
His remarks follow an oversight visit to the reservoirs by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, along with Rand Water chairperson Ramateu Monyokolo, political leaders and councillors on Thursday.
Residents in large parts of Gauteng have been struggling to access consistent water supply.
Last week, a thunderstorm made matters worse after it damaged power lines feeding into the Zuikerbosch water treatment plant.
The power failure resulted in dry taps in Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg.
A rise in temperatures also added to the province’s water woes as demand shot up.
“The problems have been caused by power failure and the ability of the system to be able to fill up urgently,” said Mahlobo.
“The information that we are getting from the municipality is that a number of areas have water, but there are areas that still don’t have water, and when we check the critical parts of water management, the storage reservoirs here, they do have water, but the water is not at the acceptable level.
“The level as we currently speak is hovering at 30%, and for a healthy state, it must be running at around 60% to 70%. In other words, the high-lying areas will not be able to get water.”
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