No prior warning on water cut leaves residents flowing with fury

Poor service delivery is now unfortunately becoming a norm facing local residents, who are totally fed up with even complaining to the relevant authorities, as their pleas often fall on deaf ears. One of the ever recurring problems is the sudden drying-up of taps, with no prior warning from officials that water levels at the local reservoir are dropping for whatever reason, be it maintenance, burst pipes, or theft of equipment, etc.
This week once again saw local residents finding their taps dry, only to be told later that the reservoir supplying water to the area, had not been filling up, due to pumping equipment being stolen. However, residents say that should water not be fed into the reservoir for whatever reason, it would still take a few days before a filled up reservoir reaches a low or empty level. The burning question is; why do the relevant officials not inform the community as soon as there is a problem, instead of them finding out a few days later that the taps are dry and then only the council giving a statement as to why there is no water. Suliman Cassim of Taj Street, told the Laudium Sun, “The Council or whoever is in charge, is always reactive instead of being proactive. We only hear from them after our taps are dried up. Why can’t we be notified beforehand, that there is a problem at the reservoir and that residents should use water sparingly? It takes time for water to be filled or emptied, so surely we can be notified timeously.”
Jacinth Street resident, Dorothy Moodley, told the Laudium Sun, “We had a problem on Monday with low water pressure, but on Tuesday morning (March 9), when we woke up, we were surprised to find all our taps dry. I was wondering what had happened. At first I thought perhaps someone closed our mains tap in front, but then I heard my neighbors also complaining of having no water. There was no warning prior to the water being cut off. We woke up shocked and our families and friends could not go to work and even our kids could not go to school, as how must we bath or even wash our face without water. We could not even cook. The council is very quick to cut our electricity if we don’t pay on time! Why are they not quick to supply water tankers at each block, when they have a problem at the reservoir?”
Pensioner, Bellinda Dawood of Bengal Street, said, “I noticed on Monday (March 8) that our water pressure from the taps was low, but I thought perhaps it would come right, but the next day there was no water at all. I did not know if the problem was from my side or the Council’s side. It is very challenging for elders like me, to be without water. The Council should have informed us as soon as the water levels started dropping in the reservoir, so that we could have kept some water to at least be able to wash our hands and to cook”.
Councilor Mahomed Essop said, this past Tuesday, “The current water interruption affecting large parts of Laudium and Erasmia, indicates it was caused by pumping components being stolen and vandalized. The Laudium reservoir is battling to recover. Technicians are currently on site. The Laudium reservoir level is currently at 4.9%, No time frame has been given as to when normal supply will resume. There are reports that water is starting to trickle through the system, but reservoir levels remain depleted. Residents are urged to use water sparingly for the next 12 to 18 hours, to allow time for the reservoirs to fill up sufficiently.”
*Water supply to the area was only fully functional yesterday, Thursday (March 11).

A water tanker, brought in by the Tshwane Council, stationed outside the Laudium Hospital on Bengal Street on Wednesday (March 10). Residents in the area were without water for three days