The Kimberley Prospector

Residents in various areas of Kimberley that are being supplied by Newton Reservoir woke up to a water crisis today as the Sol Plaatje Municipality extended the nightly interruption into an Emergency Daytime Water Interruption. Many were left without water and received no prior warning, discovering the reason for the situation only when they received notice at 08:00.

The municipality cited extremely low levels at the Newton Reservoirs as the reason for the interruption. According to the notice, the water supply from Newton Reservoirs would be restored as “pumping unfolds” at 10:00 in the morning.

Offshoots to Galeshewe and Roodepan will be temporarily closed to facilitate restoring water levels at Newton Reservoir, enabling the restoration of water supply to areas that have been without water since last night. Meanwhile, residents in areas such as West End are complaining that they haven’t seen any water supply in the last three days.

Residents in the affected areas have voiced their frustration and concerns regarding the unannounced disruption that persisted from the nightly interruption. A resident in Herlear went as far as saying, ‘Perhaps we should file a human rights violation case at the World Court in The Hague against Sol Plaatje Municipality.’

Another resident expressed dissatisfaction, stating, “This is so bad. The water is constantly off, and every month our bills are higher than the previous month.”

A concerned citizen disputed the municipality’s claim, saying, “That’s a lie. If the pumps are off and the reservoirs are empty, there will not be water at 10:00. If the pumping only begins at 10:00, it will be hours before there is water.”

Yet another resident seemed to take a more satirical approach, stating, “One can only laugh” in response to the media statement.

The interruption not only affected residential areas but also included maintenance at the Riverton Treatment Plant, where a Water Recovery Plan was being implemented. This plan involved the cleaning of clarifiers and the repair of malfunctioning components, further impacting the water supply.

The situation has prompted some residents to consider legal action, emphasizing the gravity of the water crisis in Kimberley.

This article was written by Jurno.