(1) The water tanks are being delivered in batches to manage the risk of delivering all 5,000 tanks at once due to lack of sufficient storage facilities and instability within the municipality. Some of the water tanks have already been installed in the wards. The number of water tanks is increasing as they are fabricated and delivered to QwaQwa and subsequently installed in the locations identified in affected wards. The construction of water tank stands and installation is in progress in wards of Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality currently. Ordering and subsequent delivery of the additional 3,000 water tanks will follow after the initial 2000 tanks are delivered.
Two-thousand (2,000) water tanks were ordered out of the five-thousand (5,000). As at 23 March 2020, a total of 261 (made up of 30×10,000 litres and 231×5,000 litres capacities, respectively) out of the 2,000 water tanks had been delivered to QwaQwa.. The number will be increasing as the time is progressing.
(2) The current water sources utilized to fill up the water tankers are Sterkfontein Water Treatment Plant (from Sterkfontein Dam) through the Bluegumbosch Connection (Water Tanker Facility) and Makwane Water Treatment Plant (from Metsi Matsho Dam) through the Comet Connection (Water Tanker Facility). The other sources are groundwater sources (boreholes) located in various areas of QwaQwa. While using these sources, the Department, Municipality and Sedibeng Water are currently implementing long term interventions to ensure that water comes out from taps and not through tankering.
(3) Seventeen (17) boreholes in total have been equipped on an emergency basis to supply water to the residents of QwaQwa. Two appointed contractors are establishing sites to equip five boreholes each that will be connected to the existing infrastructure to facilitate water supply through the existing reticulation network. Boreholes that are equipped are in the following areas:
The contractors have already commenced with project activities that will allow the connections to the infrastructure. The construction duration is anticipated to take about 4 months having commenced on the 24 February 2020. The areas to still be equipped include: Sejwalejwale, Lejwaneng and Hlatseng.