Taps run dry thanks to illegal connections
The divisional engineer for infrastructure planning and development at the City of Windhoek (CoW) says one of the biggest challenges facing the community of Groot Aub is a lack of water, which is mainly caused by illegal water connections.
“Another issue is that Groot Aub’s water supply system was initially designed for a small population of about 5 000,” said Jacobus Jacobs.
He added that the population has, however, grown significantly to around 15 000 in recent years, which has led to reduced water pressure and difficulties in reaching the entire community.
According to Jacobs, the illegal connections are disrupting the system and making it difficult to supply water to the rest of the area, especially those living in lower-lying areas.
During a visit to the town on Wednesday, along with representatives from various departments of the municipality, he referred to a project during which old pipes will be replaced with new, larger pipes of about 300 mm in diameter that can handle the higher pressure and distribute water more efficiently.
Two months ago, Windhoek councillor Ivan Skrywer and chair of the council’s advisory committee for the formalisation of informal settlements and integration of Groot Aub said that the majority of residents were without a reliable water supply in December and January.
Major impact
“We received several calls that there was no water in Groot Aub. During our inspection, we discovered that one of the biggest contributing factors to the water shortage was illegal water connections.
“When someone tampers with the main bulk water supply, it reduces water pressure. The disruption also affects the illegal connections and ultimately leads to a water shortage for the wider community,” Skrywer said.
“We acted quickly, and the illegal connections were cut off. This allowed those affected to come forward quickly.”
As a short-term solution, the municipality is currently installing water tanks in areas where residents were affected by the disconnections.
“It is important to remember that these disconnections were necessary because the connections were illegal. According to the law, this is not permissible. No one should tamper with the bulk water lines,” Skrywer said.
Consequences
He also warned the public of serious public health consequences.
“The bulk supply is designed to direct water to treatment centres before it reaches households. When someone makes an illegal connection, they gain access to untreated water that is dangerous to use. Our swift action was not just about the law, but about protecting public health.”
The municipality is, in the meantime, continuing to install water tanks as a temporary measure to assist affected residents. This temporary solution will remain in place while the capital develops a long-term plan.
According to Skrywer, those who are guilty of illegal connections are often residents who live outside the official boundaries of Groot Aub.
The information days are aimed at raising awareness and sharing information about municipal services and ongoing programmes. They cover topics such as solid waste management, the Farm Okukuna initiative, social welfare upliftment programmes, services provided by the city police as well as general municipal rules and regulations.
Some of the complaints raised by residents were the purchase of plots, noise pollution, bars that stay open after hours and persistent sewage problems. - [email protected]