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Sol Plaatje municipality is still reporting estimated real water losses of 43%. This translates into 40 megalitres of clean water and 10 megalitres of partially treated wastewater daily, that escapes from the system.

This was revealed in a parliamentary reply by the Minister of Water and Sanitation relating to his monitoring of the water pans along the R31, that previously flooded the portion of the road between Kimberley and Barkley-West.

Aside from just feeding the R31 pans, the potable water and wastewater losses are also feeding pans around the city, including Kamfersdam, Du Toitspan pan, Wildebeestkuil pan and additional unnamed pans. See pics here and here.

The Minister indicated that these losses were despite attempted municipal refurbishments and repairs to pipelines to reduce water losses, since 2019. In the words of the Minister, “The refurbishment and repair of leaks have not been successful as new leaks have developed on the dilapidated potable water pipelines.”

While the above figures were recorded before the most recent Kimberley water shutdown that occurred a week ago, they raise serious questions about the effectivity and sustainability of the shutdowns and costs incurred to address broken infrastructure.

This is especially so in respect of the Gogga-Pump Station, from which ponding in the pans surrounding the R31 initially started. Following directives issued by DWS to stop the discharge, and pump the water wastewater to the Homevale Wastewater Treatment Works, there were projects funded to refurbish the Gogga pump station and the main sewer pump line to Homevale WWTW was replaced.

According to the Minister, however, while the improvements should have rectified the wastewater conveyance to Homevale Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW), sewage continues to discharge from the Gogga pumpstation.

A resolution to the ponding along the R31 cannot be indefinite and at an infinite cost to taxpayers.

Given that provincial government is doing nothing to help bring an end to this crisis, I will ask the Minister to personally come and do an oversight inspection so that he can see for himself what is going on within Sol Plaatje. I will also submit follow-up questions to the Minister to determine the impact of the latest water shutdown on the city’s potable water and sewage losses, and probe the dysfunctionality of the Homevale WWTS, given that the functioning of Gogga pumpstation is dependent on its functionality.

Three years down the line, Kimberley residents should start seeing results, not more of the same old leaks.

Issued by Delmaine Christians MP - DA Member of the NCOP