The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is mandated to ensure security of water supply for all facets of the lives and livelihoods of South Africans. Part of this mandate includes regular maintenance of its infrastructure throughout the length and breadth of the land.

As a way of sound asset management principle and in line with the mandate referred to above, the department has successfully completed a planned outage of its raw water bulk pipeline between Jericho pump station and Kriel power station from 20 October to today, 31 October 2014. As earlier communicated this pipeline is older than 27 years and therefore classified as “ageing infrastructure”. As such the need for its regular maintenance to sustain its life-span is of utmost importance.

During the course of this outage, the communities of Ermelo, Davel and Kriel as well as Eskom power stations, mines, farmers and various individual users who were affected were assisted to continue receiving water supplies from the water tankers that were strategically placed within the communities.

As a result of prior consultation with the municipalities and through councillors with the communities, all water users were timeously informed of the complete plans of the department such that no undue ill-feelings and lack of communication were experienced throughout the period of the outage.

The department has taken vital lessons from this experience that proper planning and execution, married to critical consultation with end users cannot be substituted. This experience will remain part of the department’s standing operations as further planned and needed outages on other pipelines continue to be rolled out.

The department and all stakeholders fully appreciate the patience and cooperation from all who were affected during the planned outage period. The importance of this planned outage could not be underplayed as it was vital for maintenance and sustainability of the infrastructure.

 

Issued by Department of Water and Sanitation