Water and Sanitation provides water tanks and hygiene essentials to KwaZulu-Natal residents amid Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic

Water and Sanitation Department provides water tanks and hygiene essentials to KwaZulu-Natal residents

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in KwaZulu-Natal is working tirelessly to augment water to communities experiencing water challenges as the number of COVID 19 cases are on the increase.

The Department is working with its two entities in the province, Umgeni Water and Mhlathuze Water alongside the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) as implementing agents to install water tanks.

Since the implementation of the mass roll out of water tanks by the Department, a total of 4 200 water tanks have been delivered and installed to various parts of the province. To supplement these, 532 water tankers (trucks) have also been allocated to refill the tanks regularly to ensure reliable water supply.

In addition to this, the National Command Centre coordinated by Rand Water, has allocated hygiene essentials to be distributed to residents. These include more than 7 000 hand sanitizers, 100 face masks, 40 units of disposable cover suits, 762, 538 hygiene packs and 2 300 of bar soaps.

“We do acknowledge the on-going water challenges faced by residents in the province especially in areas such as Uthukela, Umzinyathi, Amajuba, Zululand, Uthungulu and Umgungundlovu,” said spokesperson Sputnik Ratau.

“These areas have been identified as drought hotspots. As a result, earlier this year we implemented the Drought Mitigation Plan to help affected communities,” he said.

Some of the long-term interventions to be implemented from the Plan include the drilling of more 1 000 new boreholes. According to Ratau, the provision of water tanks is a temporary measure to provide immediate relief.

The eThekwini Metro has received 300 storage tanks and more than 100 tankers. Meanwhile, the Ugu District received 192 and 54 tankers.

Other district municipalities such as the uMzinyathi, uMkhanyakude, King Cetshwayo, uThukela and Zululand have been allocated 480, 340, 336,348 and 302 water storage tanks respectively. 

Ratau also said there is on-going assessment for the refurbishment of boreholes across the province.

DWS has since called on water consumers to use water prudently as it continues to ensure affected communities get the necessary support from the Department.

Enquiries:
Sputnik Ratau, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation
Cell: 082 874 2942 

More on

Share this page

Similar categories to explore