The Department of Water and Sanitation has assured the residents of Jericho in the North West that short term solutions have been put in place to deal with the water shortages in the area.

The department said the Madibeng Local Municipality has deployed water tankers to deliver potable water to the community.

“Two previously non-operational boreholes have been fixed and are in working condition, whilst three unequipped community boreholes are currently being re-tested to augment the current water supply,” the department said on Wednesday.

Based on the population size, about 20 water tankers will be required to cover all the areas without water. The municipality is working with the water forum in the area to ensure this happens.

Funding was made available through the Water Services Operating Subsidy (WSOS) to construct four elevated storage tanks in April 2015.

The department said a technical investigation of the pipeline from the well fields to the reservoir has commenced with several off-takes already identified.

“Part of the difficulty with the project emanated from the discovery during an inspection on 30 March that the newly installed submersible pump had been vandalised. The starter panel of the pump was stolen.

“Further work is being done through the regional geo-hydrological and hydro-census studies currently underway. This work will include the re-testing of the six current boreholes that will then determine available yield, recharge and to investigate pump installation specifications,” the department explained.

Meanwhile, another three unequipped community boreholes are currently being re-tested in order to augment the current water supply.

The department said the communities’ need for access to water remains top of mind.