WARRENTON – A renewed water crisis has gripped residents of Magareng municipality in Warrenton, aggravated by scorching temperatures and an anticipated “dry week.” Compounded by cable theft and financial limitations, a significant portion of the community has been left without water for more than a week.
The Department of Water and Sanitation scheduled a “dry week” in advance to facilitate maintenance on the canal supplying water to the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme. During this period, affected residents were reliant on water pumped from the Vaal River. Unfortunately, the municipality failed to ensure the timely recommissioning of pumps, prompting a rushed effort to hire a sub-contractor equipped with portable pumps for river water extraction.
Recent scrutiny uncovered a critical hurdle: the sub-contractor couldn’t activate the portable pumps as the municipality had not connected the necessary cables to the transformer. Although the municipality claimed to be addressing a stolen overhead cable, on-site inspections contradicted these assertions, raising suspicions of financial constraints preventing necessary repairs.
The escalating water situation in Warrenton raises concerns of a potential full-blown crisis, echoing earlier experiences this year when residents endured almost six months without water due to delayed repairs from severe flooding.
Efforts to address the crisis include commitments from municipal management to prioritize water restoration. However, concerns persist regarding financial constraints hindering essential infrastructure repairs.
The ongoing cable theft issue continues to plague the community, impacting critical infrastructure. Authorities urge residents to report any information related to copper theft to the police, emphasizing the need for enhanced efforts to combat this costly and debilitating crime.
As Warrenton grapples with water shortages and infrastructure challenges, urgent interventions are needed to prevent further deterioration of the situation and safeguard the well-being of the community.
Tags: Magareng Municipality