Joburg Water partners with Wits to drill boreholes for informal settlements

Joburg Water, in partnership with Wits University, is set to introduce a new borehole system across the city to supply water to informal settlements.

The pilot project has identified nine informal areas that will benefit from the initiative, including parts of Region G such as Lenasia and Soweto.

The utility said the joint effort is in response to recurrent water access woes experienced by communities across Johannesburg.

Joburg Water and Wits hosted community members at the Water Works Informal Settlement on Tuesday to announce the project.

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The announcement of the borehole system, which is yet to be built, included a demonstration of how water would be extracted from the ground.

However, Joburg Water explained that the project is still in its infancy.

Scientists still need to determine whether the anticipatedsupply can meet the community's demand. The Water Works Informal Settlement alone has 2,600 residents identified as potential beneficiaries.

Joburg Water Managing Director, Ntshavheni Mukwevho, explained the crucial next steps for the project.

"The next step will be looking at the quality of water, and we are going to be installing a purification system," Mukwevho said.

Once the purification is done, he said, storage tanks will be installed, followed by the placement of taps to ensure water access for residents.