Government has announced short-term interventions that are currently being implemented to address the water and sanitation challenges in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria.
The interventions were announced during a briefing held at the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant in Hammanskraal on Thursday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa; the Ministers of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, Health Dr Joe Phaahla, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thembi Nkadimeng; Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink, among others, visted Rooiwal.
During the briefing, Mchunu announced that between August 2023 and March 2024, an improved wastewater technology solution will be installed at the Rooiwal plant, which will treat the sewage better and increase the quality of discharged effluent into Apies River.
This will reduce the levels of E. coli in the treated sewage.
Mchunu said government will also improve drinking water provision to the residents of Hammanskraal, and Magalies Water will install a portable water treatment plant (called a ‘package plant’) at its Klipdrift Water Treatment Works near Hammanskraal.
“This will produce 30 - 40 Ml/day [megalitre per day] of treated drinking water, which will be fed into the Hammanskraal piped water distribution system. There is an existing connection between the Klipdrift Water Treatment Works and the piped water distribution system in Hammanskraal.
“The package plant will be implemented in a phased approach with 10Ml/day at a time. Magalies Water will start installing the plant from July 2023 and it will be completed by March 2024. By the time it is completed, it will provide sufficient drinking water to supply the residents of Hammanskraal with drinking water from their taps,” Mchunu explained.
When the package plant is completed, Mchunu said the City of Tshwane will be able to stop supplying residents with water from the Temba Water Treatment Works, until the quality of water from Temba meets the required standards.
Following the cholera outbreak, which has claimed the lives of 32 people, including 29 in Hammanskraal, President Ramaphosa visited the community of Hammanskraal on Thursday, where he expressed his sincere apology to the residents for government’s failure to provide clean drinking water to residents. – SAnews.gov.za
