The Department of Water and Sanitation has announced that R50m had been allocated for drought intervention in Eastern Cape Municipalities.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by acting director-general, Trevor Balzer, during a joint media briefing by the Department as well as Amatola Water, Rand Water and NMBM.

Balzer said the intervention would be in terms of the provision of water tanks and tanker-trucks for the most vulnerable municipalities in the Eastern Cape, including Nelson Mandela Bay.

Balzer said for a period of two months Water and Sanitation would assist with carting of the water.

 Department spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau, said that they had delivered 5694 water tanks and 173 water trucks to serve communities around the Eastern Cape as part of drought and COVID-19 pandemic intervention.

He said this was done through Amatola Water and Rand Water, as well as the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

“A total of 756 water tanks were also delivered and installed in priority schools around the province. 274 boreholes have been drilled to augment water supply in the province.”

As part of increasing drought intervention in Nelson Mandela Bay, Rand Water estimated that it will cost government R6 million to procure an additional 100 x 5000 liter tanks and 20 water trucks for further emergency intervention towards the current water challenges in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. Water trucks will be made available for 2 months.

The Department will ensure funding is available for the completion of the Nooitgedagt water scheme because Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality also depends heavily on it for its water supply.

Progress on the Sunday’s River Valley Canal is to be closely monitored to ensure its completion prior to the commissioning of the work on the Nooitgedagt water scheme.

In Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality the Department through Rand Water and Amatola Water will provide 20 additional water tanks and 3 water trucks to augment the 5 that are already operating to improve water service delivery in that municipality.

Amatola Water is in Department of Water and Sanitation South Africa DWS_RSA the process of appointing a Service Provider to avail another 3 tankers. In this instance, the water trucks will also be made available for 2 months.

In Amathole District Municipality, Amatola Water and Rand Water have deployed 5 tankers as at 20 September 2020 out of the additional 20 water trucks required for Butterworth.

Amathole DM has submitted a revised business plan to the Department for procuring additional water tanks and tankers on the 20% allowed from their grant funding. Regarding the Ngqamakhwe water pipeline that will supply water to Butterworth and surrounding areas, additional funding is to be committed as required for the project to be completed within the agreed to timeline.

The project team is ready to establish the site office in October 2020.

The Project Steering Committee is also functional and the construction permit has been granted by the Department of Labour. On the raising of the Gcuwa Weir to enhance water security, additional funding is to be committed as required for the project to be completed by the end of 2021.

The tender briefing took place on the 15th of September 2020 for Geo-Technical services. 2 boreholes will be drilled and elevated tanks are to be installed in Ngquthu Village to improve water supply.

A team of Hydrologists has been appointed from a panel of Amatola Water specialists and are to be deployed in October.

Amatola Water and Rand Water are in the process of appointing a service provider to deliver an additional 5 water trucks in Ndlambe Municipality to increase water supply.