Africa-Press – South-Africa. Water supply issues affecting three hospitals in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni have not yet been resolved.
However, all’s not lost because the situation has stabilised.
This is according to Gauteng health department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba.
He said water supply at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital was still intermittent and that the facility was relying on roving water tankers from Johannesburg Water and its borehole.
Clinical areas are continuing to render services to patients.
Helen Joseph Hospital (HJH), however, has good water pressure and is receiving water “from an alternative line through the Brixton tower”, Modiba added.
He said:
Pholosong Hospital in Ekurhuleni started receiving water from the municipal supply on Monday, but the facility does not yet have maximum water pressure.
“The City of Ekurhuleni has since deployed roving water tankers to augment the supply from service providers directly contracted by the hospital,” Modiba said.
He said the interruptions at the three facilities were caused by “various challenges experienced by water utilities, Rand Water and Joburg Water, and the respective municipalities.
“Gauteng Department of Health facilities have reservoirs, and some also have boreholes as part of the backup system when there are supply disruptions. However, the system becomes strained when the interruptions are prolonged,” said Modiba.
“HJH has a capacity of three water tanks with a total capacity of 260 000 litres and a borehole which can pump 8 000 litres of water per hour intermittently. The facility has already identified a site for a new reservoir with a capacity for one mega (million) litre.”
According to Modiba, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital has two boreholes that can pump 13 000 litres of water and two reservoirs with a capacity of 120 000 litres and 400 000 litres, respectively.
He said Pholosong Hospital had two reservoirs with capacities of 100 000 and 60 000 litres.
“The facility is currently erecting an additional reservoir with a capacity of 500 000 litres to be completed by the end of October, increasing total capacity to 660 000 litres,” said Modiba.
“The department will continue working with all the relevant stakeholders to improve its capacity and infrastructure to ensure that health services continue to be rendered even when there are service interruptions.”
Johannesburg’s water reticulation was under pressure again, and that residents were experiencing low water pressure or no water in several major areas in the metro.
Rand Water, the entity that cleans and supplies water to the city, and Johannesburg Water, which provides the bulk water to residents, issued a joint statement on Sunday blaming residents for the problem.
According to the statement, high consumption was keeping reservoir levels low to empty.
Monday’s water report from Johannesburg Water indicated a slight improvement in some areas.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
