Johannesburg City Power has put forward that Rand Water facilities be excluded from loadshedding.
Johannesburg has seen both water and loadshedding in past months. Image supplied by Image by Freepik
Johannesburg is encountering numerous challenges relating to water access and distribution. To cap that off, it is also being subjected to loadshedding as is the rest of South Africa. Johannesburg City Power, however, would like Rand Water Facilities to be exempt from loadshedding in a bid to address the water challenges that the city is facing.
City Power has been appointed as implementing agent for Gauteng government’s alternative energy plan, which is said to be R440-million. MECs from the provincial cabinet went out to visit the Rand Water booster station in Roodepoort. This station supplies water to the West Rand.
Rudy van Lingen, the station’s manager, says it takes three whole days to restore water fully after one day of loadshedding. A back up solar energy installation could provide a solution to this conundrum as diesel generators tend to be more costly.
Van Lingen says that the ultimate solution would be an end to loadshedding. When pumps under pressure trip, it causes greater wear and tear on the system. Valves open, pumps reset, bearings cool down, and then the process of starting up again creates greater strain on the infrastructure.
Johannesburg has seen several water outages in past months and some areas are also struggling with raw sewerage spilling into streets and homes.
Source: Eye Witness News
