GEORGE NEWS - Residents of Ramaphosa in Thembalethu say they have been struggling to cope with water problems for three years, and over weekends there is no water at all.
Fed-up resident Kenneth Thomas pleaded with George Municipality to fix the problem this week.
Thomas says life has been difficult for many residents as just a thin stream of water runs from the taps during the week, taking five minutes to fill a 20-litre bucket.
"Life is difficult for the people around here. I have been back and forth to the George Municipality pleading for this issue to be resolved, however they never really fix the problem. During the week the water pressure is low and on weekends there's not a drop of water. We can't do washing, cook or flush our toilets. We just want the municipality to fix the problem so we can get on with our lives," says Thomas.
Municipal communications officer Athane Scholtz says the director of Civil Engineering, Reginald Wesso, is aware of the problem and they are investigating all possible reasons for the low water pressure.
"We are currently supplying Thembalethu via the eastern bypass main water pipeline, which supplies the reservoir and water tower as well. We are currently checking zonal valves to make sure the area pressure zones are as per the required master plan. This is time-consuming and involves trial and error and is being monitored by both our network and treatment teams," says Scholtz.
Scholtz says a recent pipe break in the 450 diameter mainline could also have been a factor. A huge amount of water was lost, causing a drop in the water level of the reservoir and, due to demand, this has not reached the desired level to build up enough pressure in the pipes. "Residents can assist in reducing demand (usage) by trying to use less water and rather outside peak times, such as weekend mornings," she said.
'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'
