The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in the Northern Cape has received all 884 water tanks allocated to the province, however, the DWS is concerned about the slow pace of installation of these tanks.

Only 347 water tanks have been installed and are operational according to the latest progress report of the Department of Water and Sanitation, Northern Cape.

The Provincial Head of the Department of Water and Sanitation in the Northern Cape, Kobus Streuders has urged municipalities to accelerate the pace of installation of tanks and connecting them to the existing water reticulation network.

“The underutilization of the water trucks is a continuing concern to us as a Department. The cost of renting the water trucks (tankers) is very high and due to budgetary constraints, we need to reduce them to a minimum. All municipalities are therefore requested to relook into and reassess their needs to see how each water truck can be utilized to its full capacity”, Streuders said.

Streuders cautioned that “water trucks that are underutilized will be deployed to needier communities”.

The provision of emergency water services to communities remains key in the fight against COVID-19