By: Nosipho Haya-Komisa
Beleaguered Amatola Water board is working vigorously to ensure that there are no water shortages during this time of COVID-19 in the province.
The Amatola Water board provides water services to the areas of Buffalo City Metro and Amathole District Municipality.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the water board has utilised at least close to 100% of its allocated budget towards carrying water supply and installation of water tanks.
Amatola Communications Manager Nosisa Sogayise said, “Officials from Amatola Water, Department of Human Settlements and the Department of Water and Sanitation are working over the clock to ensure that the directive of Minister Sisulu’s office is fully implemented. The Minister instructed the department officials to provide water to all communities in the province through the Amatola Water board,” said Sogayise.
Nosisa said the Eastern Cape is one of the rural and drought-stricken provinces in the country.
“This intervention is therefore designed to control the spread of COVID-19 by protecting mostly the vulnerable of our province, the elderly.”
“In the meantime, Amatola Water board is engaging with the Department of Human Settlements and Department of Water and Sanitation for additional funds in order to continue supplying water to communities,” she added.
On 22 May, a distribution sub-station managed by Amatola Water was wrecked and vandalised, causing the areas like King Williams Town, Bhisho and Zwelitsha to have water shortages.
COGTA MEC Xolile Nqatha and traditional leaders received the last batch of one hundred water tanks donated to Traditional Affairs by South African National Trust and Assurance Company Limited (Santam) in King Williams Town yesterday.
The department said it will distribute all tanks to various rural areas in the province.