Construction is underway at the Northmead water tower as preparations are made to install a generator that has long been awaited by the community.
Ward 27 Councilor Lornette Joseph, celebrating this achievement for the larger Benoni community, announced the news on her service delivery groups.
Over the past three years, residents in high-lying suburbs such as Rynfield, Northmead, Farrarmere, and Brentwood Park have been experiencing water shortages due to load-shedding and frequent power outages affecting the water tower’s pumps on Hospital Street. In an effort to address the issue, Joseph submitted a petition signed by 4,000 frustrated residents to the Council of Ekurhuleni (CoE). MP Haseena Ismail also made submissions in parliament on April 21 on behalf of affected communities, requesting assistance for Gauteng and other provinces facing severe water shortages and infrastructure challenges.
Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, acknowledged the impact of unstable electricity supply and vandalism on water shortages in Gauteng. However, he stated that Rand Water, responsible for water supply, has allocated R42 billion for infrastructure rehabilitation and augmentation, which should be sufficient without requiring additional government funding.
During an ordinary council meeting on May 25, Councilor Joseph raised questions about the installation of backup generation capacity at the water tower. The MMC for Water, Sanitation, and Energy, Leshaka Manamela, confirmed that the installation would be completed by September within the current budget limits. The backup generator, procured at an estimated cost of R800,000, will ensure a stable water supply alongside the new R44 million water tower.
According to the metro’s spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini, the construction of the water tower’s concrete roof was completed on May 4. The remaining tasks for the contractor include testing the reservoir, constructing the guardhouse, installing inlet and outlet systems, and completing associated pipework, which are expected to be finished by the end of September.
Councilor Joseph expressed her pride in the collective efforts that led to this progress and thanked the residents for their support throughout the process. She anticipates that the new generator system will be fully operational by the end of July, although the contractors are optimistic that it might be completed sooner.
