The desperate shortage of water in Butterworth in the Eastern Cape has reached such chronic proportions that residents sometimes fight one another to get at it.
Others, in order to steer clear of the trouble, have resorted to storing up water in containers, and there is even a third option of buying water from self-styled water hawkers.
While water was available on Wednesday, irregular water supplies have been a problem in the local townships since last year, and residents live with the fear that taps will run dry at any moment.
The issue climaxed over the Easter weekend when residents of both the townships and the town were intermittently without water over the four-day period and for several days following.
While things over Easter were particularly bad, Nomapostile Kwatheni, of Zamele township, on Wednesday said her community is often forced to go without water for stretches of two or three days.
As a result, she is one of the many residents who is keeping a supply of 25-litre containers filled with water in her home.
Kwatheni, who has been living in the area since 1993, said what makes her really angry is that the municipality does not warn residents about water disruptions.
Because of the problem, she said, some residents have opted to buy tanks.
”When there is no water, they sell 10 litres for R20,” Kwatheni said.
Nozuko Lolwana, of Zamele squatter camp, said people lining up at water taps are a common sight.
”You will see long queues even at midnight,” she told the Daily Dispatch on Wednesday.
”People fight over water since some want to jump the line … then someone marshals the mob,” Lolwana said.
Town resident Ningi Mazingisa’s frustration has reached boiling point because water cuts occur — sometimes for days — and no explanation is given.
”This needs to be sorted out,” Mazingisa said.
At Butterworth hospital, a tanker had to truck in supplies last Thursday after the hospital’s reservoir dipped to a disturbingly low level.
Medical superintendent Dr Adve Premananda Shenoy said water had not reached the hospital’s reservoir due to an apparent low pressure problem in the local water network over a two-day period.
The municipality was notified, but blamed the hospital’s water system for the problem.
Water was nevertheless ferried in, and water was also later pumped into the reservoir.
Mayor Mbulelo Ntenjwa said the recent disruptions occurred because reservoirs in Extension 1 and Cuba township — which supply water to the area — were blocked because foreign objects had been thrown into them.
He said a proposal will be developed to have the reservoirs sealed.
This will be submitted to the Amathole district municipality, which is responsible for water in the area.
Previous problems had occurred because chemicals had not been delivered to treat the water, and in one instance, a valve at the pump station was out of order. — Sapa