City of Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya says she is disappointed that the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Plant has failed to provide clean water since 2024.
Moya was briefing the media on progress made in fixing the maintenance issues at the plant following over 800 reported cases of gastrointestinal illness.
Moya says Rand Water identified a host of issues, including extensive sludge accumulation in the clear water tanks.
She says that although the focus has been on the lack of chlorine used to treat the water, they were also faced with decades of lack of maintenance.
“We are dealing with a plant that’s over 60 years old, where the investment did not match the demands of the plant. So the focus has then been to make sure that we restore the plant so that it is able to provide clean water, which has not happened since October 2024. So when Rand Water started, their initial assessment identified dissolved air flotation units and filters, together with deficiencies in chemical management, maintenance arrangements, and the availability of critical spare parts. These conditions had, over time, compromised the plant’s ability to consistently treat water.”