Residents across several areas of the Mangaung Metro are facing a severe water shortage after routine maintenance was extended due to necessary repairs on a major pipeline. The Metro has announced it is prioritizing water provision to hospitals as crews work to resolve the issue.
The water cut, which was initially planned and communicated to residents, has now entered its third day, leaving communities like Fitchard Park, Fauna, Pellissier, Batho, and Rocklands with dry taps. The prolonged disruption is due to repairs on a critical bulk pipeline being conducted by the water service provider, Vaal Water, at the 8-Cake and dehook area.
Frustrated residents have expressed their exhaustion and hardship. “This issue of not having water is too much, seriously,” one resident said. “These people have to take us seriously because now people need water everywhere… The people and the mothers, they are tired. They go up and down with 25 liters.”
In response to the crisis, the Metro has deployed water tankers to affected neighborhoods in an effort to alleviate the pressure on communities. Acknowledging the widespread impact of the outage, Metro officials explained their strategy.
“Because it’s a bulk pipeline, most areas in Mangaung were affected,” a representative said. “But what we did, we prioritized hospitals. We gave them Jojo [tanks], we filled the Jojo. There is a truck that is going around randomly just to alleviate the pressure.”
The Mangaung Metro has publicly apologized for the inconvenience caused by the extended repair work and has urged residents to remain patient as technicians work to fully restore the water supply.
