Emalahleni Local Municipality needs 160M1 per day to meet the water demand. Currently, they are only able to provide 105M1 per day. The Anglo modular plant at Greenside also adds valuable drops of water. This plant adds more than 20% of the municipality's daily requirements into the system. The local municipality's water problems are catching up fast. A large part of the city experienced low to no water last week and this weekend. "The situation is complicated by the heat wave which increased the water demand," said Lebo Mofokeng, municipal spokesperson. He said the municipality is working on a few solutions to close the gap between demand and supply. The Highveld Steel water scheme and the construction of a 70M1 treatment plant are on the cards. "Unfortunately the water situation will remain a challenge until all the interventions are implemented," Mofokeng warned. He said funding is also an obstacle, but indicated it is being sourced. Clive Hatch, chairperson of the Democratic Alliance on many occasions pointed out residents have endured an unreliable supply of potable water. Hatch reported the water crisis to the South African Human Rights Commission SAHRC in 2008 and again in 2021. The commission found the municipality guilty of having violated the rights of residents in that it has failed and neglected to take reasonable steps to provide residents with sufficient and clean water.

Source: Witbank News