CoJ wants to answer drought with boreholes
CoJ encouraging residents to explore the possibility of drilling boreholes on their property, as a mitigation tactic.
Those for whom it is affordable should consider drilling a borehole on their property to curb the impact of the current drought and ease the strain of high demand on Joburg Water, the city in a press statement said.
In the beginning of February Joburg Water signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and entered a partnership with the Borehole Water Association (BWA) in a move to mitigate the drought. The MoU was signed at the launch of a city-wide campaign to encourage resident to consider boreholes as an alternative water supply source.
At the launch, MMC for environment and infrastructure services, councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe, said the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) will be focusing on getting parties in affluent areas to participate. This is because drilling a borehole can cost between R30 000 and R50 000. Ten affluent areas in the city have been identified as an ideal starting point. There are already 13 500 boreholes within the city borders.
“We’re a water-scarce country and everyone has a responsibility to save this scarce resource,” she was quoted saying.
Mfikoe said boreholes are a component of the water mix CoJ is exploring to meet demands, which includes harvesting ground and rain water and recycling, she said.
In the meantime CoJ has been focusing on its strategy to close the gap between demand for water and consumption, having already replaced 572 km of the 11 000 km of water pipes within its borders. Effluence and acid mine drainage water treatment and recycling is also under control, Joburg Water MD Lungile Dhlamini said.
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