Pretoria - Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink has laid the blame for the metro’s water woes on Rand Water’s lack of communication to the municipality, saying information from the utility was not clear.
He also accused the utility of giving the city short notice when there would be a water shutdown or failing to inform them on water levels.
The country’s capital city has been facing water shortages in recent weeks, causing chaos in the townships of Tshwane, with the latest water woes hitting Olievenhoutbosch.
Brink said that there was a problem at Rand Water because information on the part of the utility had since “become less and less clear to the point that we have even asked to discuss this matter with the minister”.
He said since December, the city had suffered with no water or water pressure issues monthly.
He said: “Since December last year, almost every month we have had this recurring event of water being shut down to the City of Tshwane with either no notice or short notice.”
He said examples such as these were an indication that there was “something wrong” at the water utility.
“When we try to ask for information for Rand Water to share their water levels and notify us in advance of maintenance issues, that is just ignored.”
He said he had written to the chairperson of the board and copied Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu about the matter.
“I want the Tshwane residents to know about this issue because it is going to be a recurrence. We have had meetings with Rand Water and they have talked about load shedding. We haven’t had load shedding in the past week (the previous week). They have spoken about cable theft and vandalism, which we understand.
“When we try to ask for information, in particular for Rand Water to share water levels with the city and for them to notify us in advance of maintenance issues, that’s just ignored, so that tells us there is something very wrong at Rand Water.”
The city owes the water utility at least R544 million in arrears for bulk water supply. The municipality depends on Rand Water for upward of 70% of its supply.
“The city does have an arrears bill with Rand Water, but I want to be very clear that what is happening now and what has happened since December isn’t credit action, it can’t be credit action. Credit action can only happen on notice. We are also in continuous talks with Rand Water about our bill and settling it,” he said.
By late yesterday, Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo had not responded to questions from the Pretoria News. However, without addressing Brink’s assertions, in a statement last week the water utility expressed concerns on the escalating debts owed to it by municipalities.
It said: “Rand Water is deeply concerned by the escalating debts owed to it by municipalities and failure by municipalities to respect their bulk water purchase and debt settlement agreements.
“Rand Water’s financial sustainability, which impacts on the current and future provision of water, depends on municipalities paying for the water they receive from Rand Water.
“Rand Water is facing a significant challenge in relation to outstanding debts owed by various municipalities. Non-payment of bulk water by municipalities vastly threatens Rand Water’s financial position and is a direct threat to its medium- and long-term sustainability, thus, to sustainable provision of bulk water.”
Pretoria News