Update
GEORGE NEWS - The George Municipality is making an urgent appeal to all residents of George and surrounding areas to use water for essentials only, following the major raw water supply line damage in Genevafontein.
Athane Scholtz, municipal communications officer, says it has now been established that the drinking water pipe that runs parallel to the main raw water line has also been damaged.
“The line is the main drinking water supply line to Kraaibosch area, Victoria Bay and Wilderness as well as Thembalethu.” She explains the pipe that was damaged supplies the town’s main water treatment works, which means that water cannot be pumped into the facility’s holding dams at the moment.
Scholtz says water is already running extremely low in Thembalethu and roaming water trucks will soon be deployed to Zones 1 to 8. She says Zone 9 still has water for now but will be monitored and supplied if required. The municipality thanks Mossel Bay Municipality for availing a large water truck to help supply to these areas.
A section of Herriot Street, north of the Geneva Café intersection, collapsed earlier today following an underground pipe burst. A father and son struggled to get to safety when their vehicle got trapped in the sunken part of the road. They however escaped unharmed, said Capt Malcolm Pojie, the Southern Cape police spokesperson.
Scholtz says water was gushing from the site for several hours but started to subside when pipes above the site ran clear following the closure of the relevant valves.
The civil engineering teams have been working the whole of today and will work through the night to make the necessary repairs. “A traffic incident earlier in the day has delayed repairs,” she added.
Sandbags have been placed above private properties to assist with water run-off and a stormwater team is ensuring that drains are kept clear.
She says water reservoirs across the city are running low and the remaining water can only be managed with the cooperation of residents.
In the meantime, the municipality is doing everything it can to repair the lines as quickly as possible, Scholtz says.
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