CDM Municipality
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During the Blue Drop assessment in 2023, the municipality had a finding regarding non-publication of their water quality results. Due to the finding, the municipality took a resolution to start publishing their quarterly results on their website as the results are always presented in Disaster Advisory Forum and District Water and Sanitation forum.
There are nine (9) water supply systems, and seven (7) water treatment works that are currently registered with the department of water and sanitation (DWS) for Blue Drop System (BDS) assessment. The nine water supply systems comprises of Alldays, Bodutlolo, Botlokwa, Lebowakgomo, Mogwadi, Olifantspoort, Senwabarwana, Tooseng and Zebediela water supply systems. Lebowakgomo, Olifantspoort and Zebediela water supply systems received water supply from the Lepelle Northern Water under Olifantspoort WTWs. The other systems received their water supply from treated boreholes within the CDM area. Alldays, Bodutlolo, Mogwadi, Tooseng and Senwabarwana water systems received their water supply from Kroemhoek WTWs, Bodutlolo WTWs Mogwadi WTWs, Tooseng WTWs and Senwabarwana WTWs, respectively. Botlokwa regional water system receives the water supply from Makgatho WTWs and Polata WTWs. Four (4) WSS performed excellently for the period Jul 2024 to Sep 2024, namely Alldays, Lebowakgomo, Olifantspoort and Zebediela WSS with all the determinants complying to SANS 0241 drinking standards. Bodutlolo WSS performed fairly for the period Jul 2024 to Sep 2024 with magnesium, hardness and total coliform being the parameters that did not comply to SANS 0241. The remaining four (4) WSS (i.e., Botlokwa RWSS, Mogwadi WSS, Tooseng WSS and Senwabarwana WSS) their complaince were poor as most of the determinants were not complying to SANS 0241 drinking standard. The following Figures present the complaince status of WSS within CDM,
As shown in graphical presentations, Mogwadi, Senwabarwana, Botlokwa and Tooseng WSS showed poor water quality with Tooseng and Botlokwa WSS being heavily affected. With Botlokwa WSS, the challenge is due to high water demand in the area, not all borehole’s water is treated. The two package plants (i.e. Makgatho and Polata), the water treated (yield) from the two plants is not sufficient to blend the other borehole’s water into the supply system hence there are failures for WSS. The same effect is observed for Senwabarwana WSS. However, for Tooseng WSS the two boreholes are treated at the plant and currently, the treatment work is not able to remove conductivity, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, hardness, chlorides, nitrates, calcium, and magnesium. For Senwabarwana and Tooseng WTWs, contractors have been sent to sites to provide the municipality with quotations for the maintenance of the package plants. Quotation of R5,6 million and R2,9 million for Senwabarwana and Tooseng, respectively were received. The current budget allocated for the operations of package plants was R3,5 million which has been committed to the maintenance of other water treatment works within the municipality.
The graph showing Other WSS represents all the remaining water supply systems that are not registered through the BDS assessment with DWS. The water quality of some of those systems is also poor but are being maintained (i.e., Bull-Bull Ga-Manaka, Montz, Molotone, Fire Station maintenances were recently done) using the available budget.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that the graphical diagram be uploaded on the CDM website for compliance. As the graphical presentation depicts, most of our water supply systems do not comply with the SANS 0241 drinking standards and as such the provision of safe drinking water is compromised. It is recommended that the office of the Municipal Manager assists the Scientific Services Unit with an additional budget of roughly R10 million for the unit to be in position to operate and maintain the Senwabarwana and Tooseng WTWs as a matter of urgency. The remainder of the budget will assist with procurement of water treatment consumables for the other water treatment works while waiting for budget adjustment during the January window period.
