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Makana municipality executive mayor Yandiswa Vara says the multi-million rand water treatment plant that was handed over by Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina last year, has increased the City’s pumping capacity and caters for the whole of Makhanda.
Vara briefed the media on Monday on a raft of infrastructure upgrading projects that are currently underway and others that are in the pipeline this year.
She said the municipality has made huge strides in addressing water supply issues in Makhanda.
“There was a period where water was supplied once every three days, this improved to one day on and one day off. The continued efforts of the municipality eventually paid off and water is currently being supplied on a daily basis.
“The biggest challenge currently is the old infrastructure (asbestos pipes) which bursts frequently," she said, adding that a lot of work has, and is currently happening to address infrastructure-related issues.
Mayor Vara said they were looking to appoint an infrastructure head to stabilise the infrastructure projects pertaining to the water issues the City battles with.
She pointed out that the City is 212 years old, with the water, sanitation and road infrastructure being as old.
In a quest to address these issues, Vara announced that the City was on the verge of appointing a new head for the Infrastructure and Technical Services Directorate, after being without a director for more than a year and forms part of efforts to stabilise the administration.
She said the R393 million water treatment plant, with a capacity upgrade, was handed over by Water and Sanitation Minister on 20 September 2024. Vara said the treatment works now has an increased pumping capacity of 16
megalitres a day, up from previous 10 megalitres per day, "which means that we have enough water for the community of Makana".
The mayor said the upgrade was funded by the Department of Water and Sanitation through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG), with Amatola Water Board as the implementing agent.
Vara said the replacement of asbestos pipes all around Makhanda to minimize leaks was now also a major focus, adding that this work needs a financial injection, which the municipality is lobbying for.
She also noted the refurbishment of the Waainek Water Treatment Works to supply the western side of Makhanda.
"About 90% of municipality’s water pipe network has long reached its design life and major pipe replacements are urgently needed. This has a negative bearing on the sustainability of water supply as frequent interruptions are experienced in the form of pipe bursts.
"Almost on average three pipe bursts a day are experienced which leads to intermittent water supply," mayor Vara said.
Meanwhile, she also listed the following projects that she said was aimed at improving the quality of life for the residents of Makhanda:
The mayor said Makhanda was experiencing "a remarkable transformation driven by various initiatives and promising changes on the horizon".
"Exciting progress is underway on the eastern side, with similar projects set to unfold on the western side soon," she said.
