Villagers Resort To Polluted Water After Floods
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Monday April 10, 2017 14:06
Fresh on the memories of the community are massive floods the village experienced recently, there is such a dire shortage of water people here are increasingly drinking contaminated water.
Apparently, they dig wells around water sources, and use the water for consumption, though it has been proven to be contaminated and could be detrimental to health.
Gweta chief, Kgosi Keletlhobogile Baathuleng confirmed that indeed underground water in the village is contaminated. He said they are facing a shortage of water supply due to the current situation.
Baathuleng said the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) and the National Disaster Management team has been bowsing water from Phuduhudu, some 80km away and Maun village, some 200km away from Gweta village.
“Even though we receive water through water bowser tanks, the water supply is still not enough. Our concern is that some of the villagers might end up using the contaminated water which is not safe for consumption,” he said.
He added that they have been holding meetings with the community to sensitise them about the dangers of drinking contaminated water. Baathuleng discouraged residents from drinking the contaminated water even after boiling it.
He urged the residents to stick to the water supplied through water bowsers in order to remain safe.
He also encouraged all the people who are planning a trip to Gweta to bring along bottled water so that they do not feel the pitch of the water crisis in the village. “All the visitors to the village will experience water shortage but as for tourists they are always catered for by accommodation places such as hotels and travel agents they are using,” he said.
He added that tourists are always safe because they prefer to buy bottled water from retail outlets than drinking tap water. The chairperson of Tutume Sub-District Council, Ishmael Mokgethi also confirmed the water crisis in Gweta. He said that there were reports made by WUC that the underground water in the village is contaminated and not safe for human consumption.
Mokgethi also said the WUC officers informed the community that they are going to test the water and come up with ways of purifying it.
He said that they wish that WUC could increase the bowsing places from one to three so that they can reduce the water shortage issue.
“Gweta residents are suffering because they get limited water supply which is not enough to cater for their population,” he said. He advised the villagers to avoid drinking contaminated water as it is unhealthy.
Tutume sub-district assistant commissioner Kabelo Thekiso said they have been assisting the WUC to provide clean water to the villagers through water bowsing.
He said they have also placed water tanks at different strategic places in the village were the residents can access clean water. Thekiso said from his point of view, the underground water in Gweta is dirty and cannot be consumed.