This as the municipality alleges it is due to Bloem Water’s annual winter maintenance programme which began in May and will end in August 2019. Bloem Water earlier in July issued a fresh 30-day notice of water interruption to the municipality after a court action last month over the municipality’s failure to pay its debt of millions owed to the water board. The municipality is allegedly under pressure to make payments to Bloem Water and another service provider for water purification chemicals.

The metro says these water interruptions will kick in on 6 August before 23h59 and will last until 8 August 2019 st 11h59, therefore 36 hours. Areas set to be hit by this interruption includes, amongst others, Wepener, Dewetsdorp and most areas in the southern part of Bloemfontein: Pellissier, Lourierpark, Bloemanda, Phase 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9, Phelindaba, Bergman, Bloemspruit, Heidedal, Uitsig, Gardeniapark, Fauna, Universitas and part of Langenhoven Park.

“This is an operational programme [to ensure] that we always provide quality water to the community of Mangaung.” During this operation, there could be shutdowns and restricted water supply to communities,” says the municipality. The municipality has further called on the residents, businesses, schools and consumers in the affected areas to make the necessary arrangements to gather water for cooking, washing, cleaning, etc for that period.

“Water tankers will be provided as and when required. Mangaung Metro would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused,” it further says.

DA Mangaung Councillor Rossouw Botes earlier on Friday, 2 August, told OFM News that the north's reservoir was empty while the south’s reservoir was low and was currently being filled with water. During the DA leader Mmusi Maimane's visit at the Naval Hill Reservoir last month, Botes said water-shedding was looming as the metro, which includes Bloemfontein, is required to pay R419 million owed to the Bloem Water Board by 17 August 2019.

He says following a letter issued to the Metro following the recent High Court case between Bloem Water and the Metro earlier this month, he doesn’t foresee the metro paying the money owed to the water board in 30 days, as requested by the entity. He says the entity has threatened to reduce the water supply to 30% on 17 August 2019.

Botes said high-lying areas such as Pellissier, Fichardt Park and Universitas will experience the water cuts within hours as the water pressure to these areas will not be sufficient.

He, however, added that the effects of the 30% water reduction might be different for those in the low-lying areas such as Fauna and Uitsig, amongst others.

OFM News