Relief may be in sight for residents of Grahamstown’s high-lying areas after engineers got the pump at the Howieson’s Poort water treatment works up and running on Saturday 14 December.
Relief may be in sight for residents of Grahamstown’s high-lying areas after engineers got the pump at the Howieson’s Poort water treatment works up and running on Saturday 14 December.
A series of electrical faults have seen the pump out of action, leaving some areas in Makana without water for three weeks. The pump is back in action today at 50% capacity and engineering and infrastructural services director Thembinkosi Myalato told Grocott’s Mail this afternoon that high-lying areas would be prioritised.
Residents in the army base, prison and Somerset Heights have endured no water, or low pressure for three continuous weeks.
“Today is day 20 for me with no water!” a resident complained to Grocott’s Mail in an email sent on Friday 13 December.
“Pump is running for the last 30 minutes,” an update from the technicians via Myalato read. “Amps still jumping around but much more stable than before. Seems like our new electrolyte and cleaning of the contacts in the liquid starter has helped a bit!”
The pump had been repeatedly tripping and cutting out.
“However delivery valve is throttled down to 50% to keep amps within protection range (does not trip pump)."
Myalato said residents should not expect maximum flow, but those without water could expect to have some water running in their taps within the next few hours.
“We [will]be able to pump water to the high-lying areas first,” was the report of the technicians relayed via Myalato.
