Hammanskraal water woes projected to ease by June 2025 while testing continues

JOHANNESBURG - Some residents in parts of Tshwane are still waiting for the green light to drink water from their taps as the city awaits the results of a series of tests to confirm whether the water supplied to Hammanskraal is safe for consumption.

Parts of Hammanskraal were initially expected to have access to clean drinking water by the end of September, but that process hit another snag with several challenges getting in the way.

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Last week, authorities in the city confirmed the water was still not safe for consumption.

The City of Tshwane is constructing a portable wastewater treatment plant, which is expected to provide 50 million litres of treated water to Hammanskraal on a temporary basis.

Communities near the portable plant were initially set to be the first recipients of clean drinking water earlier in the year, but the process was delayed due to concerns about water quality.

As a result, the city has flushed its pipes supplying the township, which have not carried potable water in two decades, in hopes of giving affected residents a lifeline.

Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya said her teams were testing the systems to confirm that there are no contaminants in the pipes.

“The City of Tshwane and Magalies officials are on site because they have to confirm whether the source of the contaminant is on the in-lapse or on the distribution side,” Moya said.

Projections indicate Hammanskraal should have clean water by June next year.